Go bury as you wish
Zambia Accepts South African Court Ruling on Lungu Burial, Ends Legal Challenge
LUSAKA, June 23, 2026 — The Zambian Government has announced that it will not pursue any further legal action following a ruling by South Africa’s Supreme Court of Appeal concerning the burial of former Sixth Republican President, Dr Edgar Chagwa Lungu.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, Attorney General Mulilo Kabesha said Government disagreed with the judgment but had decided not to exercise its right to appeal to South Africa’s Constitutional Court.
“As a result of today’s judgment, this is now a private matter for the Lungu family to proceed with their desired burial in the Republic of South Africa,” the statement said.
Government maintained that its efforts over the past year had been guided by a desire to honour President Lungu in accordance with long-established national practice governing the burial of former Heads of State.
The statement outlined a series of precedents involving former Presidents who were accorded burial at Embassy Park in Lusaka with full state and military honours.
Government noted that former Presidents Levy Mwanawasa, Frederick Chiluba, Michael Sata, Kenneth Kaunda and Rupiah Banda were all laid to rest at Embassy Park, regardless of differing circumstances surrounding their deaths and burial arrangements.
The statement further recalled that former President Kaunda’s family had previously sought through the courts to have him buried elsewhere, but the courts upheld the decision for burial at Embassy Park in what was considered the national interest.
Government said it had hoped to honour President Lungu in a similar manner and provide Zambians with an opportunity to mourn and commemorate their former leader within the country.
“We believed that we would honour the Sixth President as we have honoured all other former Presidents, and thereby give the millions of Zambians he led an opportunity to mourn him in their own country,” the statement read.
The Government also stressed its longstanding belief that individuals should ordinarily be laid to rest in their homeland, citing Zambia’s role in facilitating the repatriation of foreign nationals and liberation heroes who had died while in exile.
According to the statement, it was in the same spirit that authorities had sought to return President Lungu’s remains to Zambia.
Despite the legal dispute, Government reiterated its condolences to the Lungu family and acknowledged the late President’s contribution to national development.
President Hakainde Hichilema had previously declared and later extended a period of national mourning following President Lungu’s death.
The statement concluded by recognising President Lungu’s service from 2015 to 2021 and affirming that his place in Zambia’s history remained secure.
“May the soul of His Excellency Dr Edgar Chagwa Lungu rest in peace,” the statement said.