Lusaka, Zambia – June 12, 2025 – A deepening rift between the family of Zambia’s late Sixth Republican President, Edgar Chagwa Lungu, and the Government of the Republic of Zambia has cast a shadow over the repatriation of his remains from South Africa, where he passed away on Thursday, June 5, 2025.
The family, through spokesperson Makebi Zulu, issued a press statement expressing frustration with the government’s approach to the funeral arrangements, emphasizing their desire to honor the late president’s wishes for a private repatriation.
Lungu, who served as Zambia’s president from 2015 to 2021, died at Medforum Hospital in Pretoria, South Africa. His death has sparked a contentious dispute over how his remains should be conveyed to Zambia and the nature of his funeral, with the family accusing the government of attempting to impose its will, disregarding their preferences.
According to the press statement, the Lungu family has engaged with two government delegations to discuss the repatriation and funeral arrangements. The first delegation, led by Foreign Affairs Minister Mulambo Haimbe, and the second, led by former Vice President Enock Kavindele, accompanied by former Secretary to the Cabinet Leslie Mbula and current Secretary Patrick Kangwa, failed to reach an agreement.
The family claims the government has shifted positions on previously agreed proposals after consultations, undermining trust in the process.
“The family is disturbed by the desire of the Government of the Republic of Zambia to convey the mortal remains of the 6th Republican President in ways that suggest that they have no say in the manner the same will be conveyed and how they desire that he be mourned,” said Makebi Zulu, the family’s spokesperson and legal representative.
He further noted that the family had already arranged logistics to fulfill Lungu’s wish for a private repatriation, emphasizing that “matters of conscience for both the deceased and the family should not be sacrificed at the altar of convenience by the Government.”
The statement also included a pointed request that President Hakainde Hichilema, Zambia’s current head of state, “not be anywhere near the body of President Edgar Chagwa Lungu for reasons that have become common cause.” While the statement did not elaborate on these reasons, it reflects ongoing tensions between the Lungu family, their political allies in the Patriotic Front (PF), and the current administration under Hichilema’s United Party for National Development (UPND).
The Zambian government has declared a seven-day period of national mourning from June 8 to June 14, 2025, and announced plans for a state funeral to honor Lungu, with his body expected to arrive in Lusaka on June 11, 2025. However, the family’s insistence on controlling the repatriation process has led to a stalemate. “The death of the 6th Republican President does not repose any superior rights to the Government that exceed those of the family,” Zulu stated, underscoring their commitment to ensuring a dignified mourning process that respects Lungu’s values and legacy.
The government, through Chief Government Spokesperson Cornelius Mweetwa, has reaffirmed its commitment to working with the family for a “dignified and befitting send-off,” but ongoing disagreements have delayed the repatriation process.
