Chaos Erupts Over Funeral Plans for Zambia’s Ex-President Edgar Lungu.

By Caroline Ameh

A dispute over funeral arrangements for Zambia’s former president, Edgar Lungu, has thrown plans into disarray, leaving mourners uncertain about how best to pay their respects to the late leader.

Lungu, who served as president from 2015 to 2021, died last Thursday in South Africa at the age of 68 following treatment for an undisclosed illness. His death has triggered a national outpouring of grief, with radio stations across Zambia playing gospel music in tribute to the influential former leader.

However, a bitter standoff between Lungu’s family, the ruling government, and his party, the Patriotic Front (PF), has marred what should have been a solemn period of national mourning.

While the Zambian government announced it would hold a state funeral and designated a government-owned lodge in the capital, Lusaka, as the official mourning venue, the PF dismissed the plan. Instead, the party directed supporters to its own headquarters.

The dispute extends to other aspects of the funeral as well. The government opened an official book of condolence at the lodge, while the PF launched a separate one at its headquarters.

Though Lungu’s family has expressed willingness to allow a state funeral, they insist on having a say in who presides over the ceremony, according to family lawyer Makebi Zulu.

“The state was saying, ‘We are giving him full military honours, therefore we’re taking over from here’ as if to say that ‘you have no say over what happens,'” Zulu told the media.

The return of Lungu’s body from South Africa has also become a flashpoint. The Zambian government initially moved to repatriate the body, but the PF and the family intervened, demanding to oversee the arrangements. As of Tuesday, it remained unclear when the late president’s remains would arrive in Zambia.

The confusion has also extended to the official mourning period. The government declared a seven-day national mourning starting last Saturday, but the PF had earlier announced its own period of mourning, adding to the public confusion.

The discord is seen as an extension of the longstanding political rivalry between Lungu and his successor, President Hakainde Hichilema. The two have been adversaries for years, with tensions peaking in 2017 when Lungu had Hichilema jailed for over 100 days on treason charges a move that drew international condemnation.

Although Hichilema defeated Lungu in the 2021 election after five attempts at the presidency, their rivalry remained heated. Lungu returned to frontline politics in 2023 and frequently accused the government of persecuting him and his supporters.

Following his death, the PF and the family’s lawyer accused the government of contributing to his passing. They claim Lungu had been restricted from travelling abroad for medical treatment for years, a charge the government has strongly denied.

Government spokesperson Cornelius Mweetwa said the allegations were unfounded and politically motivated.

“Former President Lungu was never prohibited from travelling,” Mweetwa told the BBC. “The PF is trying to use his death as a springboard for a political comeback.”

This is not the first time Zambia has faced disputes over a former president’s funeral. In 2021, the family of founding president Kenneth Kaunda objected to his burial at the government designated Embassy Memorial Park, insisting he had wanted to be laid to rest beside his wife. The government went ahead with its plans, citing a High Court ruling that national interest overrides individual family wishes.

Similar conflicts have played out in other African nations. In Zimbabwe, the family of late President Robert Mugabe resisted state plans for burial at Heroes’ Acre, instead interring him in his home village after a prolonged dispute. In Angola and Ghana, relatives of former presidents have also clashed with authorities over funeral arrangements, often yielding to the state in the end.

In an attempt to resolve the impasse, the Zambian government has dispatched envoys to South Africa to negotiate with Lungu’s family. On Tuesday, a private memorial service was held at Sacred Heart Cathedral in Pretoria, organised by the PF and attended by Lungu’s widow and daughter.

At the service, it was announced that the late president’s body would not be flown back to Zambia on Wednesday as initially expected.

For now, as diplomatic talks continue and political tensions simmer, Zambians remain in limbo waiting for clarity on how their sixth president will be laid to rest.