Court orders Zambia to return body of ex-president Lungu to a funeral home in bizarre dispute
AP News • • world
Key Points:
- The remains of Zambia’s former President Edgar Lungu remain unburied nearly a year after his death, caught in a dispute between his family and current President Hakainde Hichilema’s government.
- The Zambian government took custody of Lungu’s body following a South African court order, but another urgent order demanded its return to the funeral home where it had been since June 2022.
- The conflict stems from the bitter political rivalry between Lungu and Hichilema, with Lungu’s family insisting that Hichilema should not preside over his funeral, contrary to the government’s plan for a state funeral.
- Lungu served as Zambia’s president from 2015 to 2021 and died in South Africa at age 68; his tenure included the arrest and treason charge of Hichilema, who later defeated Lungu in the 2021 election.
- The situation remains unresolved, with a scheduled date of May 21 set for the body to be handed over to the Zambian government, but the current location of the remains is unclear.
