NATION REPORTER
TWO opposition political parties have made an impassioned appeal to President Hakainde Hichilema to invoke his prerogative of mercy powers and have jailed Nickson Chilangwa released from prison so that he could be allowed to mourn and burry his wife, Mwamba Kambikambi, who died suddenly three days ago.
Chishala Kateka, the leader of the New Heritage Party (NHP) and Richard Silumbe have said it would be most inhumane for the State deny Mr Chilangwa to pay his last respect to his wife and that President Hichilema should find space in his heart to give time to the former Patriotic Front (PF) Kawambwa law maker.
Ms Kateka said the best thing government could do, through the Zambia Correction Service was to allow Chilangwa say his last goodbyes to the wife for the sake of children who have lost the mother and whose father was serving jail sentence.
“If government does not allow Mr Chilangwa to attend his wife’s funeral, then there is no doubt that this is the most inhumane government we have ever come across. They know that this has been his spouse for many years. Yes, he is incarcerated but even his jailing is questionable. So the best they can is to allow him mourn his wife and not just attend the burial,” Ms Kateka said.
And Dr Silumbe, the president for Leadership Movement said in yesterday that death, like birth only comes once in a person’s lifetime and that it would be the most gracious and morally reasonable act for the State to allow Mr Chilangwa attend the funeral of his wife.
“As Leadership Movement, we make a very passionate appeal to government to allow Mr Chilangwa pay his last respects to his lifetime partner. This is the only chance he has to see his late spouse for the last time,” Dr Silumbe said.
