News24 | Lungu saga: Zambia’s Hichilema maintains ex-president should be buried in his homeland

Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema.

• The Zambian government’s dispute with former president Edgar Lungu’s family over his state funeral led to his remains staying in South Africa after his death earlier this month.
• Last week, Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema apologised to President Cyril Ramaphosa and the government for the inconvenience.
• On Sunday, Hichilema reiterated his stance that Lungu should be buried in his homeland.

The Zambian government has confirmed that Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Ronald Lamola met with President Hakainde Hichilema to discuss the impasse over the repatriation of former president Edgar Lungu’s remains.

On Sunday, Hichilema took to his Facebook page to share that Lamola paid him a courtesy call where he again expressed his condolences to the Zambian nation following Lungu’s death while receiving treatment in Pretoria.

Lungu died at the age of 68 on 5 June.

Hichilema said, “We held a meaningful and respectful discussion regarding the burial of the late president, during which we reaffirmed our firm position that His Excellency Mr Lungu should be laid to rest in his homeland, the Republic of Zambia.

“We extend our sincere gratitude to the president of South Africa for the care extended to our late president during his period of illness. We also express our apologies to the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) for the unexpected challenges surrounding the repatriation of the late president’s remains on Wednesday, 18 June 2025.”

Last week Wednesday, the South African government found itself in a predicament when it was set to hand over Lungu’s remains to the Zambian government but the family decided not to release his remains at the last minute.

News24 reported that the delay stemmed from an impasse between Lungu’s family and the Zambian government over preparations for the late president’s state funeral.

READ | Zambian ex-president to be buried in South Africa after funeral row

Lungu’s remains were initially scheduled to be handed over to the Zambian government during a formal ceremony at Lanseria International Airport on Wednesday.

However, the event did not proceed as planned.

The red carpet was rolled out, and the SANDF generals were ready to give Lungu a presidential send-off.

Instead, the family released a statement citing its displeasure with how the government had managed the arrangements for the state funeral.

The family accused the Zambian government of making key decisions, including that Hichilema was going to receive Lungu’s remains, without consulting them.

During his Thursday address to the nation, Hichilema apologised to President Cyril Ramaphosa and his government for the inconvenience caused.

He also announced the abrupt ending of the mourning period, which was set to end on 23 June.

In response to Hichilema’s address, the family said they would bury Lungu in a private ceremony in South Africa.

A breakdown in the relationship between Lungu and Hichilema was at the heart of the dispute.

Relations between the two had soured to such an extent that while he was alive, an ailing Lungu apparently indicated that he did not want Hichilema to receive his remains in Zambia.

After Lungu announced that he would contest Hichilema in the 2026 elections, the latter stripped him of his presidential privileges, including access to healthcare.

South Africa intervened and allowed Lungu to receive treatment.