The family of Zambia’s former president, Edgar Lungu, revealed on Friday that he will be laid to rest in South Africa following a dispute with the Zambian government regarding its intentions for a state funeral.
On Wednesday, Lungu’s family prevented the repatriation of his body from South Africa, where he passed away in a hospital on June 5, after learning that President Hakainde Hichilema intended to receive it upon arrival, contrary to the late leader’s wishes.
Consequently, Hichilema shortened an extended national mourning period for Lungu, whom he succeeded in 2021 after winning the elections.
Spokesman Makebi Zulu announced in a statement that the funeral and burial for Lungu “will take place here in South Africa, in line with the family’s preference for a private ceremony. “
The statement said, “The Lungu family continues to seek peace and unity amongst fellow Zambians during this time,” thanking the South African government for its “non-interference and respect of the family’s rights.”
The exact cause of the former president’s death at the age of 68 was not disclosed, but his Patriotic Front party stated that he had been undergoing specialised treatment at a clinic in Pretoria.
He was elected to govern the resource-rich southern African nation in 2015 but lost the elections six years later to Hichilema from the United Party for National Development.

Since then, his wife and children have faced charges related to corruption and possession of suspected illicit funds, which the family alleges is part of a political witch hunt.
Lungu’s daughter, Tasila Lungu, was arrested on money laundering charges in February, having previously been detained alongside her mother and sister for fraud in 2024. Her brother, Dalitso, is also facing corruption allegations.
Initially, a seven-day mourning period for Lungu was extended by an additional nine days, concluding on June 23, the day after the government had planned a state funeral.
However, Hichilema ended the mourning period four days early on Thursday in response to the family’s refusal to permit the body’s return.