Lungu Family Loses Final Appeal Over Burial of Former Zambian President

Lungu family has lost yet another appeal. (Dr Chonya/on X)

by Mathipa Phishego

The Constitutional Court of South Africa has upheld a lower court ruling that the body of former Zambian President Edgar Lungu must be repatriated to Zambia for a state funeral, rejecting his family’s appeal to bury him privately in South Africa.

Lungu, who passed away on June 5, 2025, in Pretoria, was at the center of a legal dispute between his family and the Zambian government over his final resting place. The family had sought to conduct a private burial in South Africa, citing Lungu’s alleged wish to exclude President Hakainde Hichilema from the funeral proceedings. However, the Zambian government insisted that he should be buried in Zambia, in accordance with national protocol for former heads of state.

The Pretoria High Court initially ruled in favor of the Zambian government, stating that Lungu’s body should be repatriated for a state funeral. The Constitutional Court’s decision on Tuesday affirmed that ruling, concluding that Zambia is legally entitled to insist on a state burial for its sixth president.

The legal battle has highlighted the enduring political rift between Lungu and Hichilema. During Lungu’s presidency, Hichilema was detained on treason charges in 2017. Since Hichilema’s election in 2021, several of Lungu’s allies and family members have faced corruption investigations, which they claim are politically motivated.

The Zambian government has expressed appreciation for the court’s decision and reiterated its commitment to honoring Lungu with full state honors. The family has not yet publicly commented on the ruling.