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 sought to bury him privately in South Africa, where he died in June, but 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. Lungu’s family has said he 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, his family had wanted to manage the funeral arrangements, including repatriation, but the Zambian authorities sought to take charge.
The government and the family initially agreed he would receive a state funeral, but relations broke down over the precise arrangements, prompting the family to opt for burial in South Africa.
Lungu’s elder sister, Bertha Lungu, wept in court after the verdict was announced.
It is unclear whether the family will appeal the 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 wails, Zambian Attorney General Mulilo D. Kabesha said the ruling was not a victory for the government but “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.
