Former Zambian leader Edgar Lungu will have his final resting place in South Africa rather than his home country. His family and Zambia's current government could not agree on funeral arrangements after he passed away from illness at a South African hospital. The family specifically asked that President Hakainde Hichilema stay away from the burial ceremony. Family lawyer Makebi Zulu announced they wanted a private funeral service away from political drama. South African officials agreed to support the family's decision to hold the burial there.
President Hichilema ended the 16-day mourning period he had declared earlier. He told citizens on television that the country could not stay in endless mourning. The president said his government tried everything to work with Lungu's relatives but reached a dead end. He also said sorry to South Africa for any trouble the situation caused. The two politicians had been enemies for years before Lungu died at age 68.
Lungu ran Zambia from 2015 until 2021 when Hichilema beat him in elections. Their feud got worse when Hichilema went to prison in 2017 for treason charges. Lungu recently accused the current government of using police to bother him and stop his travel plans.
President Hichilema ended the 16-day mourning period he had declared earlier. He told citizens on television that the country could not stay in endless mourning. The president said his government tried everything to work with Lungu's relatives but reached a dead end. He also said sorry to South Africa for any trouble the situation caused. The two politicians had been enemies for years before Lungu died at age 68.
Lungu ran Zambia from 2015 until 2021 when Hichilema beat him in elections. Their feud got worse when Hichilema went to prison in 2017 for treason charges. Lungu recently accused the current government of using police to bother him and stop his travel plans.
