A South African court has ruled that Zambia’s government can repatriate the body of former President Edgar Lungu and give him a state funeral, despite his family’s opposition.
Lungu’s family had wanted to bury him privately in South Africa, where he died in June. They were left visibly distraught by the Pretoria high court’s decision and intend to lodge an appeal.
The Zambian state welcomed the ruling, saying that while it mourned with the former statesman’s family, Lungu “belongs to the nation”.
The dispute follows a long-standing feud between Lungu and his successor, President Hakainde Hichilema, with Lungu’s family saying he had indicated that Hichilema should not attend his funeral.
Handing down the ruling, judge Aubrey Ledwaba said the Zambian government was “entitled to repatriate the body of the late president” and ordered his family to “immediately surrender” it to authorities.
Following Lungu’s death from an undisclosed illness at the age of 68, the family wanted to be in charge of the funeral arrangements, including the repatriation of his body, but the Zambian authorities sought to take control.
The government and his family later agreed he would have a state funeral before relations broke down over the precise arrangements, prompting the family to opt for a burial in South Africa.
The former president’s elder sister Bertha Lungu cried in court after the verdict was announced.
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