On Wednesday morning, June 25, 2025, the Patriotic Front (PF) and the family of former Zambian President Edgar Chagwa Lungu are set to conduct a strictly private burial in South Africa, a move that has stirred quiet controversy as the Zambian government remains notably silent. This marks a historic and unprecedented moment in Zambia’s democratic history.
Sources close to the arrangements reveal that there will be no public viewing of the body, and access to photographs will be tightly controlled. Only a small, select group of mourners will be permitted to attend the private rites, including Archbishop Alick Banda, a longtime clerical ally of the PF during its tenure in government.
The burial plot, reportedly secured at a cost of 66,000 South African Rands (approximately R66,000), is located near the grave of the revered South African icon Winnie Madikizela-Mandela. This detail carries symbolic weight but sharply contrasts with Zambia’s traditional state burial practices. Historically, former heads of state in Zambia are laid to rest at Embassy Park, the country’s official presidential burial site. Notably, Lungu’s grave remains unoccupied there.
If carried out as planned, this will be the first time a former Zambian president is buried outside the country, breaking long-standing norms and traditions surrounding state funerals. Despite this, no official statement from the Zambian government has been released. Embassy Park remains open, and there has been no declaration of closure or announcement of a formal burial program, military parade, or public tribute. Instead, the situation has been characterized mostly by speculation and leaked screenshots circulating on social media.
The Patriotic Front’s assurance seems to rest partly on a statement issued Monday by South Africa’s Minister of International Relations, Ronald Lamola. The statement has been widely interpreted as tacit approval for the burial, yet it remains diplomatically cautious.
“A state burial in Zambia represents the most fitting tribute,” Minister Lamola stated, while acknowledging the legal obligation to respect the private wishes of the Lungu family. However, no specific mention of the burial’s location or date was made, nor was there an outright endorsement of the private South African funeral. The statement is carefully worded, reflecting a diplomatic balance rather than a direct endorsement.
Ironically, during his presidency, Edgar Lungu barred opposition leader Hakainde Hichilema from attending the funeral of Zambia’s first president, Kenneth Kaunda, in 2021, a historical detail that observers have not overlooked in light of the current burial situation.
Lungu’s family, meanwhile, has expressed a desire for state honors but simultaneously rejects the authority of the Zambian state, placing them at odds with traditional government protocols. It’s important to clarify that Zambia has not refused to bury Edgar Lungu; rather, the process appears stalled amid political tensions and the family’s insistence on a private, foreign burial.
This unfolding story highlights deep political and symbolic divides within Zambia, raising questions about national identity, tradition, and the role of government in honoring its past leaders. As the country watches in silence, the burial of Edgar Lungu in South Africa will no doubt remain a topic of debate and reflection for years to come.