Final Act of Defiance: Edgar Lungu’s Burial in South Africa Sparks Political Firestorm in Zambia

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The recent passing of Zambia’s former president, Edgar Chagwa Lungu, has sparked a national debate, not only over the legacy he leaves behind but also regarding the deeply symbolic and politically charged decision about his final resting place. Rather than being buried in Zambia—the country he once led—Lungu will be laid to rest in South Africa, a move that has shocked many and reignited longstanding political tensions.

According to a statement from his family, represented by lawyer Makebi Zulu, the decision to conduct a private burial in South Africa was deliberate and rooted in their desire to avoid a state funeral presided over by President Hakainde Hichilema’s administration. The family insisted on a low-profile ceremony, away from the public eye and political formalities. Zulu conveyed the family’s gratitude to the South African government for respecting their wishes and supporting the decision to bury the late president on foreign soil.

This unexpected announcement has reverberated throughout Zambia. The government had already made elaborate plans for a state funeral, scheduled for June 22, complete with full state honours. The sudden change has been seen not only as a personal choice by the Lungu family but also as a public and political statement—a final act of protest against an administration the late president and his family often accused of political persecution.

At the heart of the issue lies a long-standing rivalry between Edgar Lungu and President Hichilema—an animosity that transcends mere political competition. Their relationship has been marked by deeply personal enmity, dating back to their fiercely contested 2016 election. That electoral cycle was marred by accusations of rigging and violence. Tensions escalated further in 2017 when Hichilema was arrested and detained on treason charges after his convoy allegedly refused to give way to Lungu’s motorcade—a moment widely seen as emblematic of their fractured relationship.

Although Hichilema achieved a landslide victory in 2021, unseating Lungu and becoming Zambia’s new leader, the rivalry never truly ended. Lungu remained an outspoken critic of the Hichilema government, accusing it of harassment, surveillance, and restricting his movements. These accusations intensified after Lungu’s family claimed that the government initially obstructed efforts to airlift him for medical treatment in South Africa—an allegation firmly denied by the authorities in Lusaka.

Despite what seemed like an effort at diplomatic coordination between Zambia and South Africa after Lungu’s death—both countries made gestures of respect, including extended mourning periods and preparations for military honours—the family’s decision to retain his body in South Africa disrupted those plans entirely.

In a national address following the announcement, President Hichilema brought an abrupt end to the mourning period and issued a public apology to South Africa for what he termed a diplomatic mishap. Emphasising the need for national healing, he urged Zambians to “return to normalcy,” though he expressed hope that dialogue with the Lungu family could continue.

Within Zambia, reactions to these events have been sharply divided. Some citizens see the family’s decision as an assertion of independence and dignity—a refusal to let a man they feel was wronged in his final years be publicly honoured by a government they distrust. Others view it as a sad moment of national disunity, highlighting how deep political divisions have become, even in death.

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For many Zambians, the episode has revealed how unresolved political conflicts can overshadow national mourning. The image of a former president being laid to rest in foreign soil, rather than among his people, underscores the ongoing costs of political animosity. Lungu may have passed away, but the rivalry between him and Hichilema continues to cast a long shadow over the nation.

In the end, Edgar Lungu becomes the first foreign head of state to be buried in South Africa—a historical footnote that also serves as a metaphor for the estrangement and enduring bitterness within Zambian politics.