Staff Reporter

A protracted dispute over the final resting place of former Zambian President Edgar Lungu reached a critical point today, as a Pretoria court ruled that his remains must be repatriated to Zambia for a state funeral.

The decision, which goes against the wishes of the Lungu family, marks a legal victory for the Zambian government and brings a two-month-long saga to a head.

Lungu, who was 68, died two months ago in South Africa while receiving medical treatment for an undisclosed illness.

The former president’s family had sought to bury him privately in South Africa, a move they claimed was in accordance with his wishes and a direct response to a long-standing feud with his successor, President Hakainde Hichilema.

The Zambian government, however, argued that as a former head of state, Lungu’s funeral was a matter of public interest and national protocol.

They insisted on a state funeral and burial at a designated site for national leaders in Lusaka.

This disagreement led to a legal showdown in a South African court, with the Zambian government successfully filing an application to prevent a private funeral that was already underway.

In its ruling, the court sided with the Zambian government, asserting that the state’s right to honor a former leader with a state funeral outweighs any personal or family wishes.