Lungu Burial Talks Adjourned, but the Family Must Guard Against a Hollow Deal- Brian Matambo

Lungu Burial Talks Adjourned, but the Family Must Guard Against a Hollow Deal

By Brian Matambo, Sandton, South Africa

The Pretoria High Court on Friday adjourned the case over the burial of former Zambian President Edgar Chagwa Lungu to Monday, as lawyers for both the state and the family said they were in discussions to resolve the dispute. Acting presiding judge, Deputy Judge President Aubrey Phago Ledwaba, remarked that there appeared to be “light at the end of the tunnel,” but warned, “we hope it is a real light, not the oncoming train in the tunnel.”

That caution captures the stakes precisely. In politically charged disputes, apparent cooperation can mask an attempt to claim the upper hand. If the Lungu family accepts an agreement that is not legally binding and airtight in its details, they risk surrendering control of their patriarch’s final rites once the body is back on Zambian soil.

The political backdrop to this case is neither abstract nor benign. In a recent livestream, opposition MP Emmanuel Jay Jay Banda condemned the government for failing to even inform traditional leaders in Eastern Province about the funeral arrangements. He described the state’s handling of the matter as disrespectful to the region’s cultural leadership, and urged that the family’s voice, not political actors, guide the process.

Attorney General Kabesha’s appearance on ZNBC’s Sunday Interview earlier this month added fuel to public mistrust. In a performance that struck many as lacking empathy, Kabesha claimed ignorance about why the family did not want President Hakainde Hichilema to attend the funeral—despite the well-documented history of hostility between the two men, and the family’s publicly stated position. His comments, dismissive in tone and selective in fact, cast the family as intransigent rather than as bereaved relatives seeking to uphold the deceased’s wishes.

These episodes reinforce the perception that the government seeks to shape the narrative to its advantage, even at the expense of compassion and dignity. Against this backdrop, any promise of cooperation must be treated with caution.

If negotiations are to produce a fair and lasting resolution, the agreement must be public, enforceable, and precise. Several conditions are essential:

• *Private Transport of the Body* – The remains should be flown from South Africa to Zambia under the family’s control, not the state’s.

• *Unrestricted Reception at the Airport* – The Patriotic Front, which Lungu led, must be allowed to receive their leader without restriction, alongside members of the public who wish to pay their respects.
• *Body to Lay in State at Chifwema* – A secure, dignified location that respects family control.

• *Quick Burial* – To minimize security risks and prevent political exploitation.
• *Exclusion of President Hichilema* – In accordance with the deceased’s and the family’s stated wishes.

• *Funeral Presided Over by Archbishop Alick Banda* – The service should be conducted without elements the family finds objectionable.

Such a framework would meet two imperatives: answering the calls for Lungu to be buried in Zambia, and granting the family the closure they deserve after years of political antagonism. It would also reduce the risk of the funeral becoming a stage for partisan grandstanding.

Monday’s hearing will determine whether the “light” seen by Judge Ledwaba marks genuine resolution or an oncoming train. The Lungu family’s challenge is to ensure that in seeking to bury their patriarch, they do not also bury their right to control the manner of his farewell.