PRETORIA, South Africa – A South African court has cleared the way for Zambia’s government to repatriate the body of former president Edgar Lungu for a state funeral, dismissing his family’s bid to bury him privately in South Africa.
The Pretoria High Court on Friday ordered Lungu’s relatives to “immediately surrender” his remains to Zambian authorities, ruling that the former head of state “belongs to the nation.”
The decision sparked emotional scenes in court, with his elder sister Bertha Lungu breaking down in tears as the judgment was delivered.
Lungu died in South Africa in June, aged 68, after what officials described only as an undisclosed illness.
His family had insisted on handling the funeral arrangements themselves, citing Lungu’s wish that President Hakainde Hichilema – his political rival – should not attend his burial.
But the Zambian government sought control of the arrangements, arguing the late president deserved full national honours.
While the two sides initially agreed to a state funeral, the deal collapsed over disagreements about the ceremony’s details.
The family then opted to bury him in South Africa, prompting the legal battle.
Attorney General Mulilo D Kabesha welcomed the ruling, stressing it was “not a victory for the government” but a matter of national importance.
“When you are the father of the nation, you can’t restrict yourself to your immediate family,” he said, calling the decision a “learning curve” for future leaders.
The family has vowed to appeal “the whole judgment and order,” meaning Lungu’s remains will remain in Pretoria under private security until the matter is resolved.
Sources told the BBC that the body is being guarded after repeated attempts were made to remove it from the morgue without authorisation.
Lungu served as Zambia’s president from 2015 to 2021 before losing to Hichilema in a landslide.
He briefly stepped away from politics after his defeat but later returned to public life, maintaining a tense relationship with his successor.
