By A South African court has ruled that Zambia’s government can repatriate the body of former President Edgar Lungu and give him a state funeral, despite his family’s opposition.
Lungu’s family had wanted to bury him privately in South Africa, where he died in June. They were left visibly distraught by the Pretoria High Court’s decision.
The Zambian state welcomed the ruling, saying that while it mourned with the former statesman’s family, Lungu “belongs to the nation.”
The dispute follows a long-standing feud between Lungu and his successor, President Hakainde Hichilema, with Lungu’s family saying he had indicated that Hichilema should not attend his funeral.
Ex-Zambian president Edgar Lungu was due to be privately buried in South Africa.
Handing down the ruling, Judge Aubrey Ledwaba said the Zambian government was “entitled to repatriate the body of the late president” and ordered his family to “immediately surrender” it to authorities.
Following Lungu’s death from an undisclosed illness at the age of 68, the family wanted to be in charge of the funeral arrangements, including the repatriation of his body, but the Zambian authorities sought to take control.
The government and his family later agreed he would have a state funeral before relations broke down over the precise arrangements, prompting the family to opt for a burial in South Africa.
The former president’s elder sister Bertha Lungu cried in court after the verdict was announced.
It’s unclear if Mr Lungu’s family will appeal against the court ruling.
Mourners attend a service, after the Pretoria High Court halted the planned burial of Zambia’s former president Edgar Lungu hours before the ceremony following a weeks-long feud between Lungu’s family and the Zambian government, in Johannesburg, South Africa, June 25, 2025. Photo by Siphiwe Sibeko/ Reuters
Speaking over the loud wails, Zambian Attorney General Mulilo D Kabesha said the ruling was not a win for the government but rather “what makes good sense”.
“When you are the father of the nation, you can’t restrict yourself to your immediate family,” he said.
Kabesha praised the court for making a “sound judgment” and said that while the family had the right to appeal, the case was “a learning curve” for those aspiring to the highest office.
Lungu led Zambia from 2015 until 2021, when he lost the election to Hichilema by a large margin. He initially stepped back from politics but later returned to the political scene.
