The Zambian government has filed an urgent court application in South Africa in an attempt to stop the private funeral and burial of former President Edgar Lungu, arguing that his status as a former head of state requires an official burial in Zambia.
Lungu, who served as Zambia’s president from 2015 to 2021, died on June 5 at the age of 68 while receiving treatment in South Africa. His family arranged a private funeral service in Johannesburg, rejecting the Zambian government’s offers of a state funeral due to tensions with current President Hakainde Hichilema.
The dispute stems from a long-standing rivalry between Lungu and Hichilema, which intensified after Hichilema was arrested and charged with treason in 2017 under Lungu’s presidency. Although Hichilema defeated Lungu in the 2021 presidential election, political friction between the two figures has remained deeply personal and unresolved.
The Zambian government’s court filing, submitted in Pretoria just before the funeral was set to begin, claims that under national law, a former president is entitled to a state funeral with full military honors. Officials argue that burying Lungu outside of Zambia violates both tradition and legal obligations.
Lungu’s family, however, insists on their right to hold a private ceremony and maintain that their decision is final. They previously refused to allow President Hichilema to attend any service, a condition that reportedly led to the cancellation of two government-organized repatriation efforts.
A South African judge is expected to rule on the matter soon. Until then, Lungu’s burial remains in legal limbo.
With input from AP News
