Zambia Ex President Edgar Chagwa Lungu
By Newsreel Zimbabwe Reporter
A dramatic legal battle over the final resting place of Zambia’s former President Edgar Lungu took a new turn on Wednesday when a South African court stopped his burial in Johannesburg, just hours before the planned ceremony.
The move follows weeks of tension between Lungu’s family and the Zambian government.
Lungu, who led Zambia from 2015 to 2021, passed away on June 5 in South Africa, where he was receiving medical treatment. Since then, disagreement over his burial has played out both in the courts and in the public domain, exposing deep political rifts between his supporters and the administration of current President Hakainde Hichilema.
The Pretoria High Court, led by Deputy Judge President Aubrey Phago Ledwaba, ruled that the burial would be temporarily suspended following a mutual agreement between the Zambian government and Lungu’s family. Zambia has until July 4 to present formal arguments supporting the repatriation of Lungu’s body for a state funeral in Lusaka.
Lungu’s family insists he wished to be buried in South Africa, citing a strained relationship with Hichilema, his longtime political rival. Makebi Zulu, spokesperson for the Lungu family, argued that they did not believe President Hichilema would honour Lungu with the dignified farewell he deserved.
However, President Hichilema has publicly dismissed those fears. He stated that his government is committed to according Lungu a decent and honourable state burial, in line with Zambian tradition. He also revealed that his administration had preserved Lungu’s presidential immunity, a gesture he described as “the first of its kind” in Zambia’s post-independence history.
Despite these assurances, Lungu had repeatedly voiced concerns during his life about alleged harassment by the Hichilema administration. In several public statements and appearances, the late leader claimed his personal freedoms were being curtailed, and that he was under constant surveillance.
The Zambian government argues that, as a former head of state, Lungu should be laid to rest with the honour and national recognition due to his office. Since independence in 1964, all Zambian presidents have been buried at a designated site in Lusaka, a precedent Hichilema’s government says should not be broken.
Among the ministries and institutions involved in the legal and diplomatic negotiations is Zambia’s Attorney General Mulilo Kabesha, who said discussions with Lungu’s family are ongoing ahead of the next court hearing.
The standoff has sparked heated debate in Zambia and across the region, with many observers calling for unity and respect in honouring the legacy of a former president. Meanwhile, South Africa’s government has stated it is obligated to respect the wishes of the Lungu family but believes repatriation remains the most appropriate path.
For now, the fate of Edgar Lungu’s final resting place remains undecided as the continent watches closely.
