Zambia blocks private burial of Ex-President Lungu in South Africa amid political feud

Late President Edgar Lungu’s family defies state funeral plans, sparking legal battle and diplomatic tension between Zambia and South Africa

Johannesburg: The Zambian government filed court papers on Tuesday seeking to stop the private burial of former President Edgar Lungu in South Africa, just an hour before his funeral service was scheduled to begin on Wednesday. A hearing was held in Pretoria, though it was not immediately clear when a ruling would be issued.

The government wants Lungu to be buried in Zambia with a state funeral and full military honors, as mandated by Zambian law and in the public interest, according to Zambia’s national broadcaster ZNBC. However, Lungu’s family has refused a state funeral due to his longstanding feud with current President Hakainde Hichilema. They insist Lungu left instructions barring Hichilema from attending his funeral.

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Lungu died on June 5 at age 68 in a South African hospital from an undisclosed illness. Plans for a state funeral in Zambia were previously canceled twice over disputes regarding burial arrangements.

Dressed in black, members of Lungu’s family attended the Pretoria courthouse, while the funeral service was set to occur at a church in Johannesburg, about 60 kilometers from the capital. A private burial was expected afterward.

The former president ruled Zambia from 2015 to 2021. His relationship with Hichilema was notably antagonistic: Lungu beat him in a 2016 election and his administration imprisoned Hichilema in 2017 on treason charges after a traffic incident with the presidential motorcade. The charges were dropped following international criticism.

Hichilema later defeated Lungu in the 2021 presidential election. In 2024, Lungu accused the current government of restricting his movement and placing him under de facto house arrest, a claim authorities denied.