The rules of the South African court according to which Zambia can repatriate the body of the former president

A South African court held that the Zambian government can repatriate the organization of former president Edgar Lungu and give it state funerals, despite the opposition of his family.

The High Court of Pretoria ruled in favor of the Zambian state, which had previously applied itself to block the family’s plans to bury it in private in South Africa, where it died in June.

At the time, lawyers for the Zambian state argued that personal wishes should not prevail over the greatest public interest.

The dispute follows a longtime quarrel between Lungu and his successor, President Hakande Hichilema, with Lungu’s family saying that he had indicated that Hichilema should not attend his funeral.

Giving the decision, judge Aubrey Ledwaba said the Zambian government had “the right to repatriate the body of the fire to the president” and ordered his family to “restore it” to the authorities.

No order was made on the costs of the urgent request.

After Lungu’s death of an unknown disease at the age of 68, the family wanted to be in charge of funeral arrangements, including the repatriation of their body, but the Zambian authorities sought to take control.

The government and his family later agreed that he would have state funerals before relations decompose precise arrangements, inciting the family to opt for a burial in South Africa.

Lungu led Zambia from 2015 to 2021, the date on which he lost the elections in Hichilema by a large margin.

After this defeat, he fell from politics but later returned to the fray.