The e Zambian government, through its legal representatives in South Africa, has formally requested permission to identify and authenticate the body of former President Edgar Lungu, currently held at a funeral parlour.
In a letter dated July 29, 2025, VFV Attorneys, representing the state, asked the Lungu family to allow the process to take place any day from today until Friday, August 1, 2025, at a mutually agreeable time.
The attorneys emphasized that the request is a respectful and necessary step intended to clarify a matter of both public and private concern.
They further warned that if the family fails or refuses to grant consent, the government will question the legitimacy of the family’s claims and will be forced to seek intervention from the court for appropriate relief.
This latest development follows a South African court order issued on June 25, 2025, which limited access to Mr. Lungu’s remains to family members and designated individuals only.
Attorney General Mulilo Kabesha is petitioning the South African High Court to repatriate Mr. Lungu’s body to Zambia, a move being opposed by the Lungu family.
The former president died on June 5, 2025, while in South Africa. His body remains unburied due to an ongoing dispute between the family and the Zambian government.
