Just hours after Zambia’s government announced it had taken custody of former president Edgar Lungu’s body, a South African court reversed the move, ordering that his remains be returned pending further legal proceedings.
The dramatic development marks the latest twist in a months-long dispute between Lungu’s family and the Zambian authorities over his funeral arrangements—an issue shaped by his long-standing political feud with current President Hakainde Hichilema.
The government has insisted that Lungu, who led Zambia from 2015 to 2021, should receive full state honours and be buried at the presidential burial site in Lusaka alongside other former leaders. However, his family has pushed for a private funeral, saying negotiations with the state broke down.
Last August, a high court in Pretoria ruled in favour of the Zambian government, allowing it to repatriate the body and proceed with a state funeral. The family challenged that ruling, but officials claimed late on Wednesday that the remains had been “formally transferred” to the state after the family allegedly failed to advance their appeal.
Within hours, however, the same South African court issued a new order directing that the body be returned until the case resumes on 21 May, plunging the situation back into uncertainty.
The dispute has been further complicated by logistical issues, with the funeral home that had been holding Lungu’s remains reportedly declining to continue doing so, leaving the family scrambling for alternatives.
A spokesperson for the family rejected claims that their appeal had lapsed, insisting proper legal procedures were being followed.
Lungu died in Pretoria at the age of 68 after an undisclosed illness. His death triggered confusion and division, with the government and his party, the Patriotic Front, issuing conflicting announcements, including separate mourning periods and parallel condolence arrangements.
Tensions have been heightened by the fraught relationship between Lungu and Hichilema, rivals for years before the latter defeated him in the 2021 election. Following his death, Lungu’s family said the former president had expressed a wish that Hichilema should not attend his funeral or be involved in any arrangements.
