The Zambian government has taken legal steps to block the burial of former President Edgar Lungu in South Africa, where he passed away earlier this month while receiving medical treatment.
Authorities in Lusaka argue that the planned funeral, scheduled for Wednesday, should be postponed until a resolution is reached regarding Lungu’s final resting place.
Lungu, who served as Zambia’s head of state from 2015 to 2021, was due to be interred in South Africa in a private ceremony, as announced by his family. The decision stemmed from ongoing tensions with the Zambian government over funeral arrangements.
Efforts to repatriate Lungu’s remains have been overshadowed by a highly publicized conflict between his relatives and the administration of current President Hakainde Hichilema. The dispute includes the family’s insistence that Hichilema, a longtime political adversary of Lungu, be excluded from the funeral proceedings.
On Tuesday, Zambia’s Attorney General Mulilo Kabesha filed a petition at a court in Pretoria, emphasizing that the burial of a former president is a matter of public concern. He argued that, under Zambian law, such a burial must adhere to official state and military protocol.
Named in the legal action are Lungu’s widow and children.
Meanwhile, South Africa’s government stated that it is bound by law to honor the wishes of the late president’s immediate family regarding his burial location. South African Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola, following discussions with President Hichilema, expressed a desire for the dispute to be resolved with respect and dignity on both sides.