Court mandates the transportation of Zambian president's remains to South Africa
Zambia's High Court Grants Permission for State Funeral of Former President Edgar Lungu
A legal battle over the repatriation of former Zambian President Edgar Lungu's remains from South Africa to Zambia has reached a significant milestone. The Gauteng High Court in Pretoria has ruled in favour of the Zambian government, ordering the family to hand over Lungu’s remains for repatriation to Zambia for a state funeral and burial.
The dispute arose due to a conflict between the former president's family, who wished to bury him in South Africa in a private ceremony, and the Zambian government, which insisted on repatriating his body to Zambia for a state funeral and burial. The family's desire to exclude President Hakainde Hichilema, Lungu's successor, from funeral proceedings further intensified the political tensions.
The court stated that "the personal desires of a former president or his family's wishes cannot surpass the state's entitlement to honor that individual with a state funeral." Despite this ruling, the family has filed for leave to appeal the decision, prolonging the legal proceedings.
Former President Edgar Lungu served as Zambia's head of state from 2015 to 2021. During his tenure, he was jailed in 2017, under his own presidency, with President Hakainde Hichilema being one of his political opponents. Lungu had previously accused Hichilema's government of harassment and travel restrictions, including allegedly blocking his medical trip to South Africa.
Lungu died in early June while receiving medical treatment in South Africa. His family stated that the former president did not want Hichilema near his funeral. The order allows for the repatriation and burial of Lungu's remains in Lusaka, Zambia. The government has denied the allegations regarding the dispute, and officials have confirmed that the burial is now set to proceed in Zambia.
| Aspect | Details | |--------|---------| | Dispute origin | Family's desire for burial in South Africa vs. government's insistence on state funeral in Zambia | | Underlying tensions | Political strain between Lungu and successor Hichilema; family's wish to exclude current president | | Court ruling (Aug 2025) | Gauteng High Court orders repatriation of remains to Zambia | | Family's response | Family opposes the ruling and has filed an appeal | | Current status | Court-mandated repatriation pending while appeal process unfolds | | Former President Edgar Lungu | Served as Zambia's head of state from 2015 to 2021 | | Dispute over remains | Involves tension between Lungu and President Hakainde Hichilema | | Lungu's death | Occurred in early June while receiving medical treatment in South Africa | | Family's wishes regarding funeral | Wished to exclude President Hakainde Hichilema from funeral proceedings | | Repatriation and burial | Now set to proceed in Zambia, according to officials | | Allegations regarding dispute | Denied by the government | | Travel restrictions | Allegedly imposed by Hichilema's government, including blocking Lungu's medical trip to South Africa |
- Despite the legal ruling allowing the repatriation of Former President Edgar Lungu's remains from South Africa to Zambia for a state funeral and burial, his family has submitted an appeal, prolonging the legal proceedings.
- Due to political tensions between Lungu and his successor, President Hakainde Hichilema, the family's desire to exclude Hichilema from funeral proceedings further intensified the conflict.
- The war-and-conflicts section of Africa's media has been covering the ongoing legal battle over the reburial of Former President Edgar Lungu, as the case involves political strife and disputes between high-ranking government officials.
