LUSAKA, Zambia — What should have been a moment of solemn unity has instead exposed deep political divisions.
The death of Zambia’s sixth president, Edgar Lungu, has sparked a bitter dispute over who should control his final journey. While the nation grieves, confusion reigns over where to mourn, who to follow and what comes next.
Lungu, who led Zambia from 2015 until 2021, died last Thursday in South Africa at the age of 68. Though out of office, he remained a powerful figure in opposition politics and a rallying point for his party, the Patriotic Front (PF).
Since his death, gospel music has filled the country’s airwaves in tribute. But the mourning has been anything but harmonious.
A Divided Farewell
The government quickly announced that it would grant Lungu a state funeral. It designated Mulungushi International Conference Centre in Lusaka as the official site for public mourning.
The PF, however, rejected that plan. The party instead directed mourners to its own headquarters. A similar dispute unfolded over the official book of condolence. The government opened one at its venue. The PF launched their own version.
Caught in the middle is Lungu’s family. They say they do not oppose a state funeral but want a say in how it is conducted.
“We’re not saying no to a state funeral,” said Makebi Zulu, the family’s lawyer. “But we want to choose who presides. The family must have a voice.”
The late president’s remains have yet to return to Zambia. The government had initially planned a swift repatriation, but the family and PF stepped in, insisting on handling the arrangements themselves.
Zulu described the government’s approach as heavy-handed. “They said, ‘We’re taking over now.’ As though the family no longer mattered.”
A History of Conflict
This funeral row is only the latest chapter in a long and often fraught relationship between Lungu and his successor, President Hakainde Hichilema.
In 2017, under Lungu’s rule, Hichilema was arrested on treason charges after a convoy dispute. He spent over 100 days in detention before the case was dropped under international pressure.
Four years later, Hichilema defeated Lungu at the polls. The political rivalry remained alive long after the election.
Lungu returned to public life in 2023, claiming the government was targeting him and members of his party. Now, some PF leaders allege that years of travel restrictions prevented Lungu from seeking medical care abroad in time an accusation the government strongly denies.
“Let me be clear: the former president was never stopped from travelling,” said Cornelius Mweetwa, a government spokesperson. “The PF is politicising this tragic moment for its own agenda.”
Who Has the Final Say?
This is not the first time Zambia has faced such tensions over a presidential burial.
In 2021, the family of founding president Kenneth Kaunda wanted him buried next to his wife. The government overruled them and laid him to rest at a designated site for national leaders Embassy Memorial Park.
“The High Court ruled that national interest comes first,” said Mweetwa. “There is a protocol for state funerals. It’s the state, not a political party, that leads.”
Such clashes are not unique to Zambia. The burial of Zimbabwe’s Robert Mugabe in 2019 also became a battleground, with his family refusing to bury him at the official Heroes’ Acre. In the end, Mugabe was interred in his home village but the government has since built a mausoleum in the capital, still hoping to move his remains.
Across Africa, similar disputes have played out in Angola, Ghana, and beyond. In most cases, the state ultimately prevailed.
Still No Date, No Burial
With days passing since Lungu’s death, the lack of clarity has only added to public unease. A private memorial was held on Tuesday in Pretoria, at the Sacred Heart Cathedral, where Lungu’s widow and daughter joined mourners. But expectations that his body would be flown home this week have been dashed.
The Zambian government has now sent a delegation to South Africa to meet with the family and ease the impasse.
Meanwhile, back home, Zambians remain unsure where and how to mourn their former leader. “We’re waiting,” said one Lusaka resident outside the PF headquarters. “But we don’t know who to follow.”
As things stand, Edgar Lungu remains abroad. His funeral plans remain unresolved. And a country in mourning waits for a moment of unity that may never fully arrive.
