GOVT WON’T APPEAL TODAY’S LUNGU’S BODY BURIAL COURT MATTER BUT WISHES HIS FAMILY WELL IN HIS BURIAL PROCESSES AS PER THEIR WISHES.
Government says it only wanted Lungu to be buried like other former Presidents but since the family refused and the today’s court ruling, there will be no further involvement by government.
*Statement from the Zambian government below*
REPUBLIC OF ZAMBIA
MINISTRY OF JUSTICE
OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL
P.O. BOX 50106
RIDGEWAY
LUSAKA
Telephone: +260 211 250438
Fax: +260 211 253695
E-mail: [email protected]
PRESS STATEMENT
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
23rd June 2026
STATEMENT ON THE JUDGMENT OF THE SUPREME COURT OF APPEAL OF SOUTH AFRICA ON THE BURIAL OF THE LATE SIXTH REPUBLICAN PRESIDENT, HIS EXCELLENCY DR EDGAR CHAGWA LUNGU
1. The Government of the Republic of Zambia notes today’s judgment of the Supreme Court of Appeal of South Africa on the burial of our late Sixth Republican President, His Excellency Dr Edgar Chagwa Lungu.
2. Although we disagree with today’s judgment, we will not be taking this matter any further. We will not be exercising our right to appeal to the Constitutional Court of South Africa.
3. In line with the judgment today, this is now a private matter for the Lungu family to proceed with their desired burial in the Republic of South Africa.
4. Government’s purpose throughout the last 12 months has been to honour the Sixth President in line with the precedent of how previous Presidents have been honoured. A clear set of national customs and culture has been established. That conviction was held in utmost good faith.
5. The nation will recall the facts below.
6. The first President to pass away was President Levy Mwanawasa, who was then buried at Embassy Park under the leadership of Acting President Rupiah Banda of the MMD in September 2008. In his last Will and Testament, President Mwanawasa had indicated a desire to be buried at his farm in Palabana. The then Government, however, resolved that it was right for him to be laid to rest at Embassy Park, thereby enabling the Zambian people to honour him at the time and in the future at the most suitable and accessible resting place. The then Government, acting in the national interest, thereby established a precedent.
7. The Second President, Frederick Chiluba, was buried at Embassy Park in June 2011, again under the leadership of President Rupiah Banda of the MMD.
8. The Fifth President, Michael Sata, was buried at Embassy Park in November 2014, under the leadership of Acting President Guy Scott of the PF.
9. Our First Republican President, Dr Kenneth Kaunda, was buried at Embassy Park in July 2021, under the leadership of President Edgar Lungu of the PF. On that occasion, members of the Kaunda family went to court seeking that he be buried next to his late wife, in keeping with what they held to be his wish. The courts declined that application and upheld burial at Embassy Park, and President Kaunda was laid to rest there with full honours, in the national interest.
10. The Fourth President, Rupiah Banda, was buried at Embassy Park in March 2022, under the leadership of President Hakainde Hichilema of the UPND.
11. All of these former Presidents were buried at Embassy Park with full military honours, in line with the dignity of the office they held, regardless of the issues at hand. They were all buried according to national culture and practice.
12. We believed that we would honour the Sixth President as we have honoured all other former Presidents, and thereby give the millions of Zambians he led an opportunity to mourn him in their own country. Unfortunately, this is not to be, as the family have decided to bury him in South Africa.
13. Our nation has always understood the profound importance of a final resting place among one’s own people. As a compassionate and sovereign nation, Zambia has consistently facilitated the repatriation of those who passed away on our soil, so that they may return home to their families and communities.
14. Only recently, we supported and worked alongside the Government of the Republic of South Africa to return its liberation heroes and other nationals who had died in exile here in Lusaka, so that they could at last be laid to rest in their homeland. It was in that same spirit, and out of that same conviction, that we wished to bring our Sixth President home to Zambia.
15. Having said that, we maintain our message of condolences to the Lungu family, as we have done since the Sixth President’s death.
16. As the nation may recall, President Hichilema declared a period of national mourning, and then extended that period.
17. President Lungu served this nation from 2015 to 2021, and his place in our history is firmly secure.
18. We thank him for his service to the nation, and encourage all Zambians to remember his contribution with respect.
19. May the soul of His Excellency Dr Edgar Chagwa Lungu rest in peace.
Issued by:
Mulilo D. Kabesha, SC
ATTORNEY GENERAL
No need to pursue the matter further. Let the family do as they please.
The government has done its best to accord the former president a befitting burial.
We have more pressing matters to attend to than playing chess over the remains of the former president.
The actions taken by the Lungu family appear to have been influenced by strong emotions that developed over time. Now that the South African Supreme Court has ruled in their favour, it is their right to proceed in accordance with the court’s decision. Undoubtedly, this legal victory may bring them a sense of satisfaction and validation, alongside their legal representatives, including Makebi Zulu.
However, as events unfold, the family may face challenges that extend beyond the courtroom. Those who supported and advised them throughout the legal process may not be directly involved in the practical and emotional responsibilities associated with laying the late President Edgar Chagwa Lungu to rest. It is my hope that all parties will approach the next steps with a spirit of reconciliation and understanding, as prolonged grievances and resentment can make it difficult to move forward and may contribute to emotional and psychological strain.
Regarding the UPND government, it sought to act in what it believed to be the best interests of the nation and in accordance with its responsibilities. Allegations that the late President Edgar Chagwa Lungu was mistreated remain matters of differing opinion, with supporters of the government maintaining that such claims are largely based on perceptions and political differences, particularly in relation to President Hakainde Hichilema.
At this sensitive moment, it is important for all stakeholders to prioritise unity, mutual respect, and the dignity of the late President, while allowing the family the space to make decisions they believe are in his best interest.
Government says it only wanted Lungu to be buried like other former Presidents but since the family refused and the today’s court ruling, there will be no further involvement by government.