Zambia awaits Edgar Lungu’s funeral as burial dispute drags on

Eight months after the death of former Zambian president Edgar Lungu, on 5 June 2025 in South Africa, the question of where he will be buried remains unresolved, despite clear court rulings and growing public interest.

In August 2025, the Pretoria High Court ruled that Lungu’s body must be returned to Zambia for a state funeral, rejecting his family’s wish to bury him in South Africa and later denying them leave to appeal, saying there was “no reasonable prospect of success.”

South African judges said Zambian law applies because Lungu was only in the country temporarily for medical treatment.

The Zambian government wants Lungu to have a state funeral at home — something Lungu's family has refused to allow because of his bitter political feud with current Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema.

Lungu, who was Zambia’s leader from 2015 to 2021, died of an undisclosed illness in a South African hospital on June 5 at the age of 68.

A state funeral for him in Zambia was canceled twice because of disagreements over the details. His family and lawyers said he left specific instructions that Hichilema should not attend his funeral, while the Zambian government said Hichilema was due to preside over the state funeral.

As a former head of state, Lungu is entitled to a national funeral in Zambia, and the courts have made clear that the national interest outweighs the family’s preference, thereby legally clearing the way for his repatriation and burial.

But so far, there has been no official repatriation. The family is reported to have approached South Africa’s Supreme Court of Appeal, and their silence is fuelling speculation.

What is clear is that poor communication, the long delay, and the family’s original wish to keep the burial in South Africa have all helped spread rumours.

For now, the key question remains: will Edgar Lungu’s final resting place become a site of national unity, or another flashpoint in Zambia’s already tense political landscape?