The family of the former president of Zambia, Edgar Lungu, has welcomed the decision issued by the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) on Tuesday, which confirmed their right to keep the late leader buried in South Africa.
Lungu, who was president of Zambia from 2015 to 2021, died in Johannesburg in June 2025 while undergoing treatment. His passing sparked a huge controversy over burial arrangements, with the Zambian government demanding that his remains be repatriated and buried by the government in his homeland.
Initially, the High Court of Gauteng, in Pretoria, sided with the Zambian government, agreeing to the effort to return him to his homeland.
However, Lungu’s family, led by his wife, Esther Lungu, did not agree, and filed a petition against the decision of the High Court, saying that this decision violates the family’s rights and Lungu’s last wishes.