🇿🇲 Zambia in Mourning — and Division — Over Late President Edgar Lungu’s Funeral
💔 Politics Overshadows Farewell to a Former President
What should have been a solemn national moment has turned into a politically charged standoff in Zambia. The funeral of former President Edgar Lungu, who passed away on June 5, has been clouded by deep personal and political divisions — particularly between his family and current President Hakainde Hichilema.
🚫 “Keep Him Away From My Body”
According to the Lungu family, one of the late leader’s final wishes was crystal clear: he did not want President Hichilema anywhere near his body.
This final request has derailed government funeral plans, shattered national unity efforts, and sparked widespread public debate.
“The personal has become painfully political,” noted one Lusaka political commentator.
🕊 Funeral Plans in Disarray
Originally, Sunday was set aside for a state funeral at Lusaka’s International Conference Centre — a high-profile event expected to draw dignitaries and citizens alike.
Instead:
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❌ No official state funeral
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❌ No foreign dignitaries attending
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❌ Planned venue to remain empty
This marks an extraordinary turn for a man who once held Zambia’s highest office from 2015 to 2021.
📹 A Daughter’s Farewell
Shortly after his death, Lungu’s daughter Tasila Lungu delivered an emotional message via Facebook:
Dressed in black and visibly heartbroken, she revealed her father passed away in a South African hospital, where he was being treated with “dignity and privacy.”
⚖️ A Nation Reflects
The feud between Lungu and Hichilema was long-standing and often bitter — marked by political arrests, legal battles, and deep mistrust.
Now, even in death, the division endures — denying the country a unifying moment of national closure.