Zambia ex‑president Edgar Lungu’s family wins final legal battle over burial location

The Supreme Court of Appeal in Zambia decided Tuesday that former president Edgar Lungu’s body must be buried in South Africa, where he died, after years of disputes with the Zambian state. The ruling comes a year after Lungu’s death and requires the final arrangements to proceed in Pretoria rather than in Lusaka.

Lungu, leader of Zambia from 2015 to 2021, had a long‑standing feud with his successor, President Hakainde Hichilema. After Lungu’s unexpected death, his family demanded that Hichilema not attend the funeral. They opposed a state burial that the government sought to conduct in Zambia’s presidential cemetery.

Last August, a South African court approved the Zambian government’s request to repatriate Lungu’s body for a state funeral. In April, the government announced that the body had been formally transferred to the state. Hours later, the same court ordered the government to return the body until the matter was re‑considered.

Justice Raylene May Keightley noted that the case highlighted the clash between family wishes and the state’s desire to honour a former head of state. She said the deceased had “felt persona non grata in his own country” and “would not be afforded a dignified send‑off” if opposition leaders were present.

The Zambian government has stated it disagrees with the ruling but will not pursue further legal action. The decision leaves the final arrangements under the jurisdiction of South African authorities. If the body is not returned, a funeral will be conducted in South Africa in line with Lungu’s expressed preferences.

Additional reporting by Nomsa Maseko in Johannesburg.