Calls Grow for Former President Edgar Lungu to Be Buried in Zambia

The debate over the final resting place of Zambia’s Sixth Republican President, Edgar Lungu, continues, as the government and his family have yet to reach an agreement on burial arrangements. While the late president’s family has expressed a wish for a private burial in South Africa, growing voices from traditional leaders, religious figures and citizens in the Southern Province is calling for him to be buried in Zambia, his homeland.

“He is supposed to be buried in Zambia. He is a president for Zambians,” said a resident of Choma, echoing widespread sentiment among the public.

Chairperson of the House of Chiefs, Chief Choongo, added his voice to the debate, stressing that President Lungu should be laid to rest in the country he led and called home.

“Our position has always been that the former president should retire here in Zambia, nowhere else. He is the son of this soil,” Chief Choongo said.

Religious leaders have also urged the family to reconsider, calling for a dignified and unifying burial that reflects President Lungu’s national stature. They emphasised that a funeral held on Zambian soil would not only honour his legacy but also foster national unity and healing.

“It’s very important for such a statesman to be mourned with dignity in this great nation of Zambia,” said Bishop Eridge Simukanzye. “Mourning such a great leader brings unity to a nation like ours.”

As the discussions continue, many across the country are hoping for a resolution that balances the wishes of the family with the public’s desire to pay their final respects to a leader who played a significant role in Zambia’s recent political history.