The Zambian government has officially petitioned South African authorities to postpone the burial of former President Edgar Lungu, citing unresolved disputes over the funeral arrangements.
The controversy began when Lungu’s family chose to bury him in South Africa, rejecting Lusaka’s proposal for a state funeral led by President Hakainde Hichilema. The family argued that Lungu had left specific instructions prohibiting Hichilema from participating in his funeral and wished to handle his repatriation privately.
According to the BBC, Zambia’s Attorney General, Mulilo Kabesha, submitted an urgent court petition in South Africa, requesting a halt to the planned burial scheduled for Wednesday. Kabesha contends that Lungu’s stature as a former head of state merits a state funeral, and that public interest should override personal or family preferences.
In the petition, Kabesha cited the burial of Zambia’s first president, Kenneth Kaunda, whose family had initially requested he be laid to rest beside his wife. The government, however, prioritized his national legacy and interred him at a state memorial site.
Kabesha has reportedly taken legal action against members of Lungu’s family—including former First Lady Esther Lungu, their four children, the family’s legal representative Makebi Zulu, and the funeral home currently holding the late president’s body.
Despite the legal move, South African media reports say Lungu’s family intends to proceed with the burial, as no formal court order has yet been served.
The conflict stems from a deep-rooted rivalry between Lungu and Hichilema, dating back to the 2016 presidential elections. Tensions flared when Hichilema, who lost narrowly, was arrested in 2017 on treason charges in an incident viewed as politically motivated. His arrest involved heavy-handed police action, including the ransacking of his residence.
Although Hichilema pledged to “take care” of Lungu after winning the 2021 presidential election, their relationship remained strained. Lungu’s family later accused the government of obstructing his medical evacuation to South Africa, a claim the administration denied.
The current standoff intensified after the family insisted on a private burial in South Africa and explicitly requested President Hichilema not attend.
