BREAKING NEWS
Family to Repatriate President Edgar Lungu Privately After Rift with Government
Lusaka, Zambia — 7 June 2025 (SMART EAGLES)
The family of the late Sixth Republican President, Edgar Chagwa Lungu, has announced that it will proceed with a private repatriation of his remains from South Africa, citing mistrust and mistreatment by the current government.
Family spokesperson Makebi Zulu made the announcement during a press briefing, revealing that while the Zambian government had expressed interest in participating in the funeral arrangements, the former president’s family had decided to honor his personal wishes and manage the process independently.
“The family wished to respect the wishes of the former president,” said Zulu. “He made it clear that he wanted to be buried in Zambia, his homeland, and that the Zambian people should mourn him with dignity.”
Zulu noted that President Lungu, who died on Thursday in South Africa, was aware of how he had been treated during his post-presidency.
“He was cognizant of the mistreatment he underwent under this government,” Zulu stated. “He knew the state did not treat him as it ought to have.”
According to Zulu, President Lungu had repeatedly requested to travel abroad for medical attention first in 2022 and again in 2023 but was denied by the government.
“In 2022, he made a formal request to travel for medicals in South Africa. The state denied it. In 2023, he repeated the request. The response was that there were no resources. He offered to use his own resources, and even then, they said no,” Zulu said.
“This was not a vacation. This was for his life. Yet a letter dated 7th September 2023 stated clearly: denied.”
Zulu criticized the state for being aware of the president’s health condition due to his service in State House, but allegedly still choosing to restrict his movements.
“They knew his condition better than anyone. Yet they acted with indifference. His rights were denied while he was still receiving a former president’s salary,” Zulu emphasized.
When his condition worsened in 2025, Zulu said doctors flew into Zambia and advised urgent evacuation.
“At that point, he had been stripped of all his privileges. He traveled as an ordinary citizen, booked a last-minute ticket to avoid interception, and boarded just 30 minutes before departure,” said Zulu. “Those who showed him courtesy at the airport have since been fired.”
Upon his arrival in South Africa, medical professionals expressed that earlier travel could have saved his life.
“The doctors said, ‘Had he come earlier, we could have done more.’ Those words haunt us,” Zulu said solemnly.
Despite the government’s attempts to take part in ceremonial arrangements, Zulu explained that the family had declined state-led repatriation of the body
“We told them: this would dishonor him. He left Zambia quietly, and he will return quietly privately. That is the wish of the family.”
Zulu added that the family had attempted to reach common ground but was met with resistance from the government.
“Our engagement with the government today has fallen on deaf ears,” Zulu said. “They want to impose how he should be buried, who should lead the prayers, where the funeral should be. We say: no.”
“The state will not impose faith or ceremonial control on President Edgar Chagwa Lungu. His faith, his values, and his family’s wishes will be respected.”
The spokesperson concluded with a plea for national unity during the mourning period.
“This is not the time for division. We call for unity. We call for sobriety. And above all, we call for introspection,” he said.
“Any position from the government that goes against the desires of the family will not be accepted. However, we remain open to a win-win solution that respects the dignity of our late president.”
President Edgar Chagwa Lungu served as Zambia’s Sixth President from 2015 to 2021. The details regarding funeral services, burial location, and public memorials are expected to be made public by the family in the coming days.
This boy Makebii zulu is also very irresponsible. ECL has passed on, you will not see him in this life again. His end has reached.
Now that ECL is not even burried and still in the mortuary, you pretenders think you are something yet not, youare just creating problems. Think of Micheal Sata, you think of him not, Lupiya Bwezan Banda you think of him not, Titus Jacob Chiluba you think of him not what about Lungu. This foolish behaviour you have exhibited during the death of a person who once held the office of Zambian republican president is totally unacceptable. Show maturity and remorse please. Give chance to his chikdren and wife room for a quiet send off please.
MHSRIP Former republican president Edgar Chagwa Lungu.
Something has gone terribly wrong in our country. Our country is full of bitterness and the situation is very toxic. We need to get back to the Zambia we had before. Truly these are not politics at all.
So you think KK was a fool to give us the advice he gave us?
DO NOT BE FOOLED.
DO NOT BE A FOOL.
VOTE FOR CHANGE IN 2026.
Personally, I blame the family for allowing such people close to them and giving them wrong advice all the time. They are the same people who misled the former president to come back to politics when they knew that his health was not very good, but they did not care, and now here we are, he is no more. Now, the Lungu family still seems to allow the same people to continue to mislead them. When will the family realize that these people don’t mean well for them, but it’s about their selfish gain?
This is method of killing people by denying them access to specialist medical treatment is very evil. Murder is murder.
First it was Nawakwi, now ECL.
This regime only seem to let people travel abroad once they are sure that their demise is imminent. We can only speak of what has happened. This is the real graph, showing proven methods by Kasongo.
VOTE FOR CHANGE IN 2026.
Nawakwi and ECL were evacuated to SA and died there while GBM never saw the airplane door to SA but treated at Maina Soko and he is recovering. Let’s change our mindset, death can not be prevented or avoided. The fact that we live today is not because it’s our plan and we can avoid death nooo
Mr. Bean,
So you are saying that both Nawakwi and ECL were not stopped from seeking medical attention abroad when they requested to travel?
Let us learn to tell the truth, or is telling the truth not part of your DNA?
VOTE FOR CHANGE IN 2026.
HaaIndigo Tyrol must be crying shit because all his thieving friends are dead
Iwe Blackteeth HaaLungu, just behave yourself. You people are rejoicing as if yours will not die because he is surrounded by sangomas. Just be patient, he will soon die too, as we all shall. Only an idiot, or a birthright brigade members, celebrate the death of a Zambian just because the dead person is not a birthright citizen. Enjoy your moment you heartless wicked people.
VOTE FOR CHANGE IN 2026
President Lungu had wrong people around him including this lawyer by the name of Makebi.These are the wrong people who misled the former president from the day he was in charge of this great nation.Lungu followed the wrong chaps.The issue of arresting HH was fabricated and created by the same people.Lungu was not a bad guy but the people around him were evil, manipulating him for their own survival.
Having advisors like Kiezer Zulu,people like Kampyongo,Mundubila,Nakachinda,Lubinda,Bull dozer,Mwamba around him was a wrong move for ba Lungu.People like Malanji are serious criminals.All these belong in jail given a chance
Do not politicize Lungu’s death. No man, no system can serve a fellow person from dying apart from God himself. Our beloved former President died according to God’s time.
Lungu was a state property as a former President. Politics aside. He was on oath with government. Let the government take control.
Questions: is ba Zulu offering free charges as family spokesperson or taking advantage of abaice bena Tasila for some political gains. Am not in support of the family repatriating Lungu a former President using family money. You are not helping anything.
Let government incar all expenses. The family can use that repatriation expenses it wants to spend for other family engagements. Let’s be realistic.
Our man has gone to meet with the Lord. The loss is for the family and the nation. No politicking can reverse the loss.
Why should the family handle a funeral for a former President. We are all engaged because he was once our President.
Let our loved former President be buried under his oaths.