Pretoria High Court rules that former president Edgar Lungu be buried in Zambia

On 8 August 2025, the Pretoria High Court ordered Edgar Lungu’s remains to be repatriated to Embassy Park in Lusaka, the official burial site for Zambian heads of state. Gauteng Deputy Judge President Aubrey Ledwaba ruled in favour of the Zambian government.

Doctors treated Edgar Lungu in Pretoria for an undisclosed illness in June 2025, when he died; he had previously received treatment for achalasia.

FAMILY’S OPPOSITION AND LEGAL ARGUMENTS

Lungu’s family opposed the repatriation, claiming he had wished for a private burial in South Africa. In court, his widow, Esther Lungu, said he wanted President Hichilema excluded from the funeral.

The family’s lawyer, Makebi Zulu, argued that the government’s claims were hearsay and unsupported by evidence, but the court dismissed these arguments, citing national interest and protocol.

GOVERNMENT’S POSITION ON NATIONAL DIGNITY

Attorney General Mulilo Kabesha argued that the burial of former presidents is a state matter. He referenced the precedent set by President Kenneth Kaunda’s burial at Embassy Park.

In addition, the government sought four orders, including repatriation and exclusion of family control over burial arrangements. 

FINAL ARRANGEMENTS AND PUBLIC REACTION

The recent court ruling only grants the Zambian government the right to a state funeral and burial in Lusaka. Furthermore, the ruling ends a two-month dispute that drew regional attention and political debate.

Government sources confirmed that preparations are in progress, although no burial date has been set. The ruling has drawn mixed reactions, with some commending it as a step toward national unity and others condemning it as political interference.