Edgar Lungu’s body was scheduled to be flown to Zambia on Wednesday.
Plans to bring back the remains of Zambia’s former President Edgar Lungu from South Africa were suddenly called off on Wednesday. His family accused the Zambian government of failing to respect their earlier agreements regarding his funeral.
Although everything had been prepared, including a private plane to fly his body home, the family decided to stop the repatriation. According to family spokesperson Makebi Zulu, the government broke promises, making it hard to trust them going forward.
“Sadly so, that the mortal remains of President Edgar Chagwa Lungu will not return today,” Zulu said during a press briefing.
Zulu mentioned that the government had already released a draft program of the funeral without involving the family. According to the plan, President Hakainde Hichilema was supposed to receive the body at Lusaka’s airport. However, the family says this was never agreed upon.
Family Speaks from South Africa
Speaking while surrounded by Lungu’s close relatives, Mr. Zulu stated that the government had shifted from the original arrangement. As a result, the family had no option but to delay the return of the body again.
“We hope that someday, his remains will be repatriated back home and buried,” Zulu added.
As of now, the Zambian government has not stated the new development. This is the second time Lungu’s family has refused to allow his body to be returned due to conflicts over funeral planning.
The Patriotic Front (PF), the party that Lungu once led, has supported the family’s stance. They accused President Hichilema’s government of using the funeral for political gain and not respecting the late leader’s wishes.
Lungu reportedly made it clear before his death that he didn’t want President Hichilema to be involved in his funeral. However, that issue was later settled in a deal where Hichilema was to lead a state funeral on Sunday.
Lungu’s Political Legacy and Recent Struggles
Edgar Lungu served as Zambia’s President from 2015 to 2021. After losing to Hichilema, he briefly stepped away from politics but returned, hoping to run again. However, the courts ruled that he had already completed the maximum two terms.
In the months leading to his death, Lungu claimed he was being mistreated by the authorities. He said the police were harassing him and that he had been blocked from travelling. The government denied these accusations.
