The family of former Zambian President Edgar Lungu has decided he will be buried in South Africa. This comes after a disagreement with the government over how his funeral should be held.
President Hakainde Hichilema ended the national mourning period earlier than planned. This happened after Lungu’s family stopped his body from being flown back to Zambia. The funeral was originally planned for Sunday in Lusaka.
The family says they will give the burial date later. They want the event in Johannesburg to be peaceful and respectful.
This will be the first time South Africa will bury a former president from another country.
In his will, Lungu said that Hichilema, his political rival, should not attend his funeral.
At first, the government and Lungu’s family had agreed on a state funeral. But disagreements over the exact details caused problems between both sides.
Family spokesperson Makebi Zulu confirmed that the funeral and burial will take place privately in South Africa. He thanked the South African government for staying neutral and respecting the family’s wishes.
President Hichilema said in a speech that Lungu belonged to the Zambian people. He believed the burial should happen in Zambia with full honors.
But after the disagreement, Hichilema announced the mourning period had ended. He said the country needed to move on.
He added that the government had done everything possible to work with Lungu’s family.
The official mourning period began on 8 June and was extended to 23 June. During that time, flags flew at half-mast and radio stations played solemn music.
Hichilema and top officials were ready to receive Lungu’s body with military honors on Wednesday. But the family blocked the body’s return at the last minute. They claimed the government did not stick to the earlier agreement.
Lungu’s party, the Patriotic Front (PF), supported the family’s decision. Acting PF president Given Lubinda accused the government of turning the funeral into a political matter. He said a former president should not be treated this way.
Civil society groups and some religious leaders have asked for quick peace talks. They say the situation is damaging the country’s image.
Emmanuel Chikoya, leader of the Council of Churches in Zambia, asked for humility and unity. He urged leaders to honor Lungu’s memory while keeping the country united.
Lungu served as Zambia’s president from 2015 to 2021. He died earlier this month in South Africa, where he was getting treatment for an unknown illness.
He lost the 2021 election to Hichilema by a wide margin and stepped back from politics. But he later made a comeback.
Last year, the Constitutional Court stopped him from running again. The court said he had already served the maximum two terms allowed by law.
Even after he was disqualified, Lungu remained a strong voice in politics and often criticized President Hichilema.
