The irony behind Edgar Lungu’s delayed burial
· The South African
Nine months after former Zambian president Edgar Lungu died, his body has still not been buried, sparking debate across southern Africa.
Lungu died in June 2025 in South Africa while receiving medical treatment.
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Yet his body remains in a mortuary as a dispute continues between his family and the Zambian government over where and how he should be laid to rest.
Lungu family and government at odds
Lungu’s family wants a private burial and has reportedly resisted plans for a state-led funeral.
The Zambian government, however, insists that the former president deserves a national send-off and burial at the official presidential burial site.
The disagreement has stalled funeral arrangements and pushed the matter into legal and political territory.
The unusual delay has also triggered speculation on social media, with some people questioning why the burial has taken so long.
Lungu decision on Kenneth Kaunda resurfaces
The situation has drawn attention because of a decision Lungu himself made four years ago.
When Zambia’s founding president Kenneth Kaunda died in June 2021, his family wanted to bury him at his private farm next to his late wife.
But Lungu, who was president at the time, rejected that request. His government insisted that Kaunda should be buried at the official presidential burial site reserved for former heads of state.
The matter went to court, and the state won the case. Kaunda was eventually buried at the national memorial site in Lusaka.
History repeating itself?
Today, some observers see irony in the current dispute.
The same debate that once played out between Kaunda’s family and Lungu’s government now surrounds Lungu’s own burial.
While supporters argue that the family’s wishes should come first, others say the state must honour former leaders with official burial protocols.
For now, the final resting place of Zambia’s sixth president remains uncertain, months after his death.