JOHANNESBURG — In a landmark ruling, the Pretoria High Court has ordered the repatriation of Edgar Lungu’s remains to Zambia for a state funeral, following a legal battle between the late former Zambian president’s family and the Zambian government. The ruling puts an end to weeks of uncertainty over the final resting place of Zambia’s former head of state.
Gauteng Deputy Judge President Aubrey Ledwaba delivered the judgment on Friday morning, siding with the Zambian government. The court ruled that the former president should be buried at the Embassy Park Presidential Burial Site in Lusaka, a location reserved for Zambia’s most prominent leaders.
“It is ordered that the applicant is entitled to repatriate the body of the late President Edgar Lungu for a state funeral and burial,” stated Judge Ledwaba, handing down a unanimous decision.
Edgar Lungu passed away in Johannesburg in June 2025 while undergoing medical treatment. Since his death, his family has been embroiled in a dispute with the Zambian government over where he should be laid to rest. While the state insisted that Lungu, as a former head of state, must be buried in Zambia with full honors, his family argued that he had expressed a wish to be buried in South Africa, where he had lived and received treatment in his final months.
The case was brought before the Pretoria High Court after the family refused to release the body to the Zambian authorities. During the court proceedings, emotional testimonies were presented from both sides, with Lungu’s family citing personal reasons for keeping him in South Africa and government officials emphasizing his national stature and legacy.
Family Reacts Emotionally to Court Orders Edgar Lungu’s Remains Returned
The ruling triggered visible emotional reactions in the courtroom. As the judgment was read, Bertha Lungu, the late president’s sister, broke down in tears, crying out in the Bemba language. Her distress highlighted the deep personal grief that has surrounded the case and the rift it has caused between the family and the Zambian state.
Despite the emotional toll, the court’s decision is final. The family is now legally obligated to hand over Lungu’s body to a designated representative of the Zambian government for formal repatriation and funeral arrangements.
Outside the courtroom, Zambia’s State Attorney, Mulilo Kabeshi, welcomed the ruling as both just and logical.
“It’s just what makes good sense—that the president, or former president, of the Republic of Zambia should be buried in his own country,” Kabeshi told reporters. “In Zambia, they call him the father of the nation. When you are the father of the nation, you can’t restrict yourself to your immediate family.”
Kabeshi emphasized that the decision honors Lungu’s role in Zambian history and the expectations of the people who looked up to him as a national leader.
Following the court order to return Edgar Lungu’s remains, the Zambian government has confirmed that preparations are underway for a state funeral in Lusaka. The event will be held at Embassy Park, the country’s official presidential burial site, where other prominent leaders, including former Presidents Levy Mwanawasa and Frederick Chiluba, are also laid to rest.
Government spokespersons in Lusaka have stated that the funeral will be a national event, with international dignitaries expected to attend. The date for the funeral has not yet been officially announced, but arrangements are expected to be expedited now that the court ruling has cleared the way for repatriation.
Edgar Lungu served as Zambia’s president from 2015 to 2021 and remained a highly influential figure in the country’s political landscape even after leaving office. His presidency was marked by significant economic and political reforms, as well as criticism over alleged authoritarian tendencies.
Edgar Lungu sudden death abroad brought renewed attention to issues surrounding access to healthcare for African leaders and the politicization of their legacies after death. The legal battle over his burial has only added to the posthumous controversy, raising questions about who ultimately controls the narrative of a former head of state’s legacy—the state or the family.
Now, with the court’s decision ordering Edgar Lungu’s remains to be returned to Zambia, the focus will shift from legal disputes to national mourning. For many Zambians, the repatriation of their former leader is a moment of closure—albeit one shrouded in tension and heartbreak for his family.
Source- EWN
