For more than a year, Edgar Lungu’s family has contested the destination of his body following his death in Pretoria. The Supreme Court of Appeal today overturned an earlier order that would have forced his remains back to Lusaka for a state funeral. The court held that the former president had clearly stated he did not want his successor in any part of the ceremony.
The Zambian government had argued that, as a former head of state, Lungu should be honoured in his homeland. They wanted him to be buried at the presidential mausoleum in the capital, alongside his predecessors. The family’s request for a private burial anywhere near the state funeral was rejected, leading to a bitter legal standoff.
The last week saw the South African court first allow the government to repatriate the body and then reverse that decision. The Supreme Court’s ruling ends a protracted dispute between the former president’s relatives and the government’s efforts to assert national dignity.
Comments from the court note that Lungu’s move to avoid any presence of his successor was rooted in a longstanding feud that has coloured Zambian politics for years. The government, however, has said it will not pursue the case further, effectively accepting the court’s decision.
As the case settles, Zambians are left to reflect on how personal wishes and political rivalry intersect when it comes to a nation’s most revered figures.
