Edgar Lungu led Zambia for six years from 2015
The government of Zambia has announced that it has taken possession of the body of former President Edgar Lungu, deepening a long-running dispute with his family over funeral arrangements and the final resting place of the late leader.
The development marks the latest chapter in an emotionally charged controversy that has unfolded since Lungu died in South Africa last June at the age of 68.
According to an official statement issued by Zambia’s Attorney General Mulilo Kabesha, the transfer of the body followed the family’s failure to proceed with an appeal against an earlier South African court ruling that permitted the Zambian state to repatriate the remains.
The government has maintained that, as a former head of state, Lungu should receive full national honours and be buried in Zambia alongside previous presidents at the designated presidential burial site in the capital, Lusaka.
However, members of the former president’s family have strongly opposed the government’s position, insisting that Lungu wished for a private burial and had expressed clear preferences regarding his funeral before his death.
The disagreement has exposed political tensions linked to the bitter rivalry between Lungu and his successor, President Hakainde Hichilema.
Relations between the two leaders were tense for years, shaped by fierce electoral competition, legal battles, and political confrontation during and after Lungu’s presidency.
Lungu served as Zambia’s president from 2015 until 2021, when he was defeated in a landslide election victory by Hichilema. That transfer of power was widely praised internationally as a democratic milestone, but domestic political divisions between supporters of both men remained.
Following Lungu’s death in Pretoria, the issue of funeral arrangements quickly became contentious. The family reportedly argued that the former president did not want Hichilema involved in his funeral or burial ceremonies.
Government officials, however, insisted that national protocol required state involvement, given Lungu’s status as a former president who once served as commander-in-chief and head of state.
Negotiations between both sides reportedly broke down, leading the matter to be contested in South African courts.
Last August, a South African court ruled in favour of the Zambian government, authorizing the repatriation of the former president’s remains and allowing the state to proceed with a funeral that would include official honours.
Lungu’s family challenged that ruling and filed an appeal, seeking to prevent the transfer and preserve their right to determine funeral arrangements.
In the latest turn, the Zambian government said the appeal could no longer proceed because the family had failed to continue the process within the required legal framework.
Attorney General Kabesha said this cleared the way for the government to take custody of the remains.
But the family has disputed that account.
Speaking on a Zambian YouTube-based news platform on Wednesday evening, family spokesman Makebi Zulu said the appeals process had not collapsed and that proper legal procedures had been followed.
He argued that the government’s actions were premature and contested the claim that the family had lost its legal standing.
The family’s lawyers have now filed an urgent application before the High Court in South Africa seeking an order that the former president’s body be returned to the funeral home where it had previously been kept.
That legal challenge could trigger another round of litigation and potentially delay burial plans further.
The dispute has generated widespread public interest in Zambia, where Edgar Lungu remains a significant political figure with loyal supporters, particularly within the opposition Patriotic Front party.
Many observers say the disagreement goes beyond funeral protocol and reflects unresolved political rivalries in the country.
For the government, granting a state funeral would symbolize national unity, respect for institutions, and recognition of Lungu’s role as a former head of state.
For the family and some supporters, a private burial would honour what they say were Lungu’s personal wishes and shield the ceremony from political symbolism.
The standoff has also raised broader questions about how African nations manage the funerals of former presidents, especially where political divisions remain sharp after they leave office.
State funerals often carry constitutional significance and ceremonial importance, but they can also become politically sensitive when families disagree with governments.
Zambia has generally been viewed as one of southern Africa’s more stable democracies, with peaceful transfers of power and active institutions.
However, the Lungu repatriation dispute has shown how personal rivalries and partisan tensions can persist even after leadership transitions.
As legal proceedings continue in South Africa, uncertainty remains over when and where the former president will finally be buried.
For many Zambians, the hope is that the matter can be resolved with dignity, respect, and sensitivity to both national tradition and family wishes.
The final outcome is likely to shape not only Lungu’s legacy, but also perceptions of political reconciliation in Zambia’s democratic future.
