The highly anticipated repatriation of former Zambian president Edgar Lungu’s remains from South Africa was abruptly halted on Wednesday after his family accused President Hakainde Hichilema’s government of breaching a prior agreement on funeral arrangements.
Lungu’s body was scheduled to arrive in Lusaka aboard a private charter flight, with Hichilema expected to receive the casket at Kenneth Kaunda International Airport.
However, family spokesperson Makebi Zulu announced from South Africa that the return had been suspended, citing a lack of consultation and deviations from the agreed funeral programme.
“Sadly so, the mortal remains of President Edgar Chagwa Lungu will not return today,” Zulu said, adding that the family had lost confidence in the government’s commitment to the terms previously negotiated.
The impasse marks the second time the family has blocked the repatriation, deepening a rift that has overshadowed national mourning.
The opposition Patriotic Front, which Lungu led until his death, accused the government of politicising the funeral.
Lungu, who served as Zambia’s sixth president from 2015 to 2021, died earlier this month in South Africa while receiving treatment for an undisclosed illness.
Tensions between the Lungu family and the government have simmered since his death.
According to the family, Lungu had instructed that Hichilema – his long-time political rival – not be involved in his funeral.
A compromise was reportedly reached allowing Hichilema to preside over a state funeral on 22 June, but the latest developments suggest that agreement may have unravelled.
Lungu remained a powerful figure in Zambian politics even after his 2021 electoral defeat.
JN/APA