Sema Fonkem 08/08/2025

After several weeks of deliberations regarding late president Edgar Lungu’s repatriation case, Judges at the Pretoria High Court in South Africa have ruled in favour of Zambian government.

Dr. Lungu, the sixth Republican president of Zambia died on 5 June 2025 from chest related complications while receiving treatment at Mediclinic Medforum in Pretoria.

After his passing, representatives of the Zambian government who had decided to give Dr. Lungu a state burial held talks with his family regarding the repatriation of his remains to Zambia. After discussions, it was agreed that his body will be transported from South Africa to Zambia on June 18 2025 for a state burial at Embassy Park.

On the 18th of June 2025 when Dr. Lungu’s repatriation was supposed to take place, his family headed by Esther Lungu, his widow, decided that it was for the best interest of his family for him to be buried in South Africa.

The government of Zambia responded by approaching the court and requested that Dr. Lungu’s body be released by his family to the government so that he can given a state funeral.

During the ruling, Pretoria High Court reviewed whether there was a binding agreement regarding the repatriation that existed between Zambia government and Dr. Lungu’s family. Secondly to it also verified if the new law of Zambia and South Africa could determine who has the right to bury the late president.

After all considerations, the court found that the desires of Dr. Lungu’s family members can not over power the law of Zambia and that the state funeral is a matter of public interested which must be respected. The judge also noted that even the late president wish not to be buried in Zambia can not be chosen over the state rule for funerals designated to former leaders.

The Judge ordered that the body of late president Edgar Lungu be handed over with immediate effect to a Zambian government representative.