SA Court Rules Zambian Government Can Bury Ex-President Lungu In Zambia

A High Court in South Africa has ruled in favor of the Zambian government, ordering the family of late former President Edgar Lungu to release his body to the state so he can be given a state burial in Zambia.

The Court’s ruling on Friday, August 8, 2025 is “against” Mr. Lungu’s “wish” to be buried in South Africa as his family claimed.

The family had planned to have Mr. Lungu buried in South Africa, saying that was his dying wish. Mr. Lungu passed away in South Africa in June this year following an ailment.

Following Mr. Lungu’s death at the age of 68, a dispute emerged between his family and the President Hakainde Hichilema’s government over his place of burial. The Zambian government had requested for his body to repatriated to Zambia to be laid to rest. But Mr. Lungu’s family opposed the repatriation of his body, forcing the Zambian government to take legal action against them in South Africa in July.

The family were left visibly distraught by the Pretoria high court’s ruling on Friday while on Zambian government on its part welcomed the ruling, saying that while it mourned with the family, Mr. Lungu “belongs to the nation”.

The dispute over the body follows a long-standing feud between Lungu and his successor, President Hichilema, with Lungu’s family saying he had indicated that Hichilema should not attend his funeral.

But giving the ruling in South Africa, judge Aubrey Ledwaba says the Zambian government was “entitled to repatriate the body of the late president.”

The judge ordered the Lungu family to “immediately surrender” his body to authorities.

Bertha Lungu, the elder sister of Mr. Lungu, wept in court after the judge passed the ruling.

Meanwhile, Zambian Attorney General Mulilo D Kabesha, speaking after the announcement of the verdict, says the ruling was not a win for the government but rather “what makes good sense”.

He says “When you are the father of the nation, you can’t restrict yourself to your immediate family.”

Mr. Lungu ruled Zambia from 2015 until 2021 when he lost the election to incumbent Hichilema by a large margin.

After that defeat he stepped back from politics but later returned, seeking another term of office before his demise.

Source:Africa Publicity