Row Over Lungu’s Remains Triggers Diplomatic Protest to South Africa
Last update: April 27, 2026
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Dispute over handling of Edgar Lungu’s body deepens, raising legal and diplomatic tensions between Zambia and South Africa.
A diplomatic row has emerged between Zambia and South Africa following allegations surrounding the handling of the remains of former Zambian president Edgar Lungu, nearly 11 months after his death.
CBI News notes that former Zambian ambassador to South Africa, Emmanuel Mwamba, has formally written to South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, raising concerns over what he described as the “desecration” of Lungu’s body amid an ongoing legal dispute involving the late leader’s family and the Zambian government.
In his correspondence, Mwamba alleged that the former president’s remains were removed on 22 April from a funeral facility in Johannesburg by individuals said to be Zambian officials, accompanied by members of the South African Police Service. The action, he said, was carried out on the basis of a Gauteng High Court order authorising repatriation of the body to Zambia for a state funeral.
However, Mwamba contends that the removal proceeded without the consent of Lungu’s family and while legal proceedings were still active, including an appeal before the Supreme Court of Appeal and a related matter at the Randburg Magistrate's Court.
He further alleged that the remains were subsequently transferred to a forensic facility in Pretoria, where a post-mortem examination was conducted without family authorisation, despite a later court directive reportedly ordering that the body be returned to funeral custody.
According to Mwamba, these developments represent a breach of court processes, cultural norms, and the rights of the deceased’s family. He also accused authorities of failing to adhere to judicial instructions issued after the contested removal.
The Zambian government has maintained that it is acting within the law in arranging a state funeral, while the Lungu family insists on its right to determine burial arrangements, positions that have fuelled a protracted legal and political standoff.
The dispute has now taken on a cross-border dimension, with calls for clarity from Pretoria over the enforcement of court orders and the conduct of officials involved. Observers say the episode risks straining diplomatic relations if not swiftly resolved through legal and diplomatic channels.
