Lungu a coward by hiding under title of ex-President to play politics —Justice Minister, Haimbe

Justice Minister, Mulambo Haimbe, says former President Edgar Lungu should come out in the open if he wants to rejoin politics instead of hiding behind his title, as ex-leader of the country.

Haimbe claimed that the law states that if the former President wanted to enjoy the benefits, he must completely stop being in active in politics.

“Nobody is suggesting that he should keep quiet but he does not need to use a cowardly approach of returning to politics by hiding behind the title of former President,” he said.

Haimbe said in an interview with Journalists on Tuesday in Lusaka that this country has had a lot of statesmen, some of them late, that used to speak for the country and that was what was expected of Mr Lungu as a statesman and not him politicking.

He said the United Party for National Development (UPND) was not threatened by the return of Lungu.

Haimbe said the UPND members were only crying out because the former President was benefiting from taxpayers money.

He accused Lungu of inciting Zambians by making political statements on the cost of living and the prices of fuel instead of commenting on it as a statesman which he was.

Haimbe said the former President had freedom of expression like any other Zambian but quickly mentioned that as a statesman he doesn’t need to blame anything on the ruling government because that was tantamount to politicking.

“It is okay for a statesman to say mealie-meal and fuel have become expensive and we need to address this as a nation and not pointing figures on who has failed or not,” he said.

Haimbe also said that Lungu would be rejected by more than two million Zambians if he dared to stand as Patriotic Front president in 2026.

WARNING! All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express permission from ZAMBIA MONITOR.