The BBC reports that Zambia’s late former President, Edgar Lungu, who died last week at the age of 68, left explicit instructions barring his successor, President Hakainde Hichilema, from attending any events involving his body, according to a family spokesperson.
This revelation adds a new layer of tension to an already fraught situation surrounding Lungu’s funeral arrangements. The former president died in South Africa, where he had been receiving what his party, the Patriotic Front (PF), described as “specialised treatment” for an undisclosed illness.
Plans by the Zambian government to repatriate Lungu’s body on Wednesday were suspended amid disagreements with his family and the PF over how the mourning and burial should be conducted.
The strained relations between Lungu and Hichilema date back years. After multiple unsuccessful bids, Hichilema defeated Lungu in the 2021 presidential election, ending Lungu’s time in office.
The PF has accused the government of previously restricting Lungu from traveling abroad for medical care, implying that earlier intervention might have extended his life. However, the government has firmly denied these claims.
The dispute underscores the deep political divisions in Zambia, even in death, as the nation grapples with how to honour a controversial yet significant former leader.