Court Rules in Favor of Lungu’s Family

In a recent verdict by an appeals court in South Africa, it has been held that the late President of Zambia, Edgar Lungu’s family is entitled to choose his burial site. This decision ends the controversy surrounding his death which has persisted for more than one year now after the demise of the president. Previously, it had been decided that the Zambian government was going to take custody of his body.

How the Dispute Began

The late Lungu served as President of Zambia from 2015 until 2021 and died in South Africa on 5th June 2025 at the age of 68 while being treated. After the death of President Lungu, there was a controversy about the burial location of Lungu between his family members and the Government of Zambia. The family members of Lungu wanted him to be buried in South Africa in private while the Government wanted his remains to be brought back to Zambia.

Political Rivalry Added to Tensions

The controversy surrounding the burial was tied to the existing political competition between Lungu and the sitting president of Zambia, Hakainde Hichilema. According to the family, Lungu would never have wished for the sitting president to be part of the funeral preparations or the burial ceremony itself. The conflict made it difficult to find an agreement, leading to prolonged legal disputes in South Africa.

Court Rejects Government’s Claim

In South Africa, the appeal court judges ruled that the Zambian government lacked the legal power to go against the wishes of Lungu’s relatives in regard to the decision on burial. The court judges felt that the rights of the relatives concerning the burial decision should outweigh those of the government.

Government Accepts the Outcome

“The government accepts the judgment of the court, even though there were certain aspects of the judgment which the government did not agree with,” said Zambia’s Attorney General, Mulilo Kabesha. The ruling will hopefully put an end to the saga that saw Lungu’s body stay in South Africa for well over a year.