Zambia’s ex-President Lungu will be buried in South Africa due to family’s feud with Zambia

LUSAKA, Zambia (AP) – Former Zambian President Edgar Lungu will be buried in South Africa instead of his homeland because of a disagreement between his family and Zambia’s government over his funeral.

Lungu died from an undisclosed illness at a hospital in South Africa early this month and the process to repatriate his body for burial in Zambia has been marred by a bitter feud between his family and the current Zambian government. It included the family’s demand that Lungu’s political rival and current President Hakainde Hichilema should not attend his funeral.

The spokesperson and lawyer for the Lungu family, Makebi Zulu, said the decision to bury him in South Africa is “in accordance with the family’s wishes for a private ceremony.”

“We would especially like to extend our sincere appreciation to the Government of the Republic of South Africa for their respectful support and for honoring the family’s decision to hold a private funeral and burial here in South Africa,” Zulu said.

On Thursday, Hichilema, in a televised address to the nation, canceled the 16-day national mourning that he had declared earlier.

“Our country cannot afford a state of indefinite mourning,” he said. “We have done everything possible to engage the family of our departed sixth Republican President, and we have reached a point where a clear decision has to be made.”

Hichilema also apologized to the the South African government for the inconvenience.

Lungu, 68, had ruled the southern African country from 2015 to 2021, when he lost power to Hichilema. He remained an influential figure in the Zambian politics ahead of elections scheduled for next year.

Lungu and Hichilema were bitter rivals. Their conflict culminated in Hichilema’s imprisonment in 2017, when Lungu was president. Hichilema was accused of treason after his motorcade failed to give way to Lungu’s presidential convoy.

Last year, Lungu accused Hichilema’s government of using police to harass him and restrict his movements. His family also said the government had initially prevented him from traveling to South Africa for treatment, a charge the government denied.