The family of Zambia’s late former President Edgar Lungu has announced he will be buried in South Africa in a private ceremony, following a bitter dispute with the Zambian government over funeral arrangements. The decision marks an unprecedented moment in African politics—the first time a former head of state from another country will be laid to rest in South Africa.
Lungu, who ruled Zambia from 2015 to 2021, died earlier this month in South Africa, where he was receiving medical treatment. His family and the Zambian government initially agreed on a state funeral in Lusaka, but relations collapsed over the repatriation of remains, with the family refusing to allow Lungu’s body to be flown back to Zambia. Lungu’s will explicitly barred his political rival, President Hakainde Hichilema, from attending the funeral, further straining the process. The government accused the family of reneging on agreements, while the family claimed the state was politicising the funeral.
President Hichilema cut short the national mourning period, declaring the country must “resume normal life”. He insisted Lungu “belongs to Zambia” and should be buried at home with full honours. The Lungu family, supported by his Patriotic Front (PF) party, opted for a private burial in Johannesburg, thanking South Africa for respecting their wishes. PF acting president Given Lubinda accused the government of “turning a solemn occasion into a political game”.
Lungu’s death has reignited tensions in Zambia. He lost the presidency to Hichilema in a landslide election in 2021 and was later barred by the courts from running again in 2024 due to term limits. Despite stepping back, he remained a key opposition figure, fiercely criticising Hichilema’s policies.
The family will announce the date for Lungu’s Johannesburg funeral. As Zambia continues to debate his legacy, the country remains divided. Some see Lungu as a champion of the poor; others blame him for economic mismanagement. His burial in South Africa sets a new diplomatic and cultural precedent for how African nations handle the deaths of former leaders.
This dispute goes beyond funeral logistics, it reflects deep political fractures in Zambia. While Hichilema seeks to move forward, Lungu’s loyalists see the burial snub as a final act of defiance. The question now is whether this rift will heal or deepen Zambia’s divisions.
“We appeal for humility and unity to honour the former president’s memory,” said Emmanuel Chikoya of Zambia’s Council of Churches. But for now, Lungu’s final journey will unfold not in his homeland, but on foreign soil.
