The Lungu family has filed an appeal against a High Court ruling that ordered the repatriation of former President Edgar Lungu’s body from South Africa to Zambia for a state funeral and burial. The Pretoria High Court had ruled that Lungu’s body should be handed over to Zambian authorities for burial at Embassy Park in Lusaka, citing a law that requires former heads of state to be buried with full national honors.

However, the Lungu family insists that he should be buried in South Africa, where he passed away on June 5, 2025, at the age of 68. The family claims that Lungu had expressed a desire for a private ceremony without the involvement of current President Hakainde Hichilema, and that his burial has become a tool for political gain.

The appeal will be heard by the Supreme Court of Appeal, which will ultimately determine Lungu’s final resting place. Until then, his body remains in South Africa.The outcome will not only determine Lungu’s burial site but also set a precedent for how former leaders are honored in Zambia.

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