THE Lungu family has once again thrown the country into speculation as they made a shock announcement that the remains of former president Edgar Lungu will not arrive in the country today as expected.
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Family spokesperson Makebi Zulu abruptly called off the planned repatriation of Lungu’s remains, just hours before his scheduled return.
After nearly two weeks of tense negotiations, government briefings and cancelled flights, today was supposed to be the day Zambia finally welcomed home its former president, who died in a South African hospital on June 5.
However, that plan has now collapsed into fresh uncertainty.
Speaking at a press briefing in South Africa, Zulu announced that Lungu’s body would not be arriving in Lusaka as previously announced by government.
“It is our hope that someday his remains will be repatriated back home and buried,” said Zulu.
The dramatic U-turn came just a day after Secretary to the Cabinet Patrick Kangwa had assured the public that Lungu’s body would land at Kenneth Kaunda International Airport at 14:00 hours today, aboard a private charter flight from South Africa.
He stated that a full military honours ceremony would be conducted and that the casket would be transferred to Lungu’s private residence in Chifwema to lie in state, per the family’s request.
But the family said government had breached their agreement and taken actions that betrayed the trust needed to proceed with the solemn exercise.
According to Zulu, the family had engaged the government in good faith and agreed that all aspects of the funeral, especially the movement and treatment of the body would be jointly decided.
It was also agreed that the body would lie in state at Lungu’s residence and that decisions would be taken with full consultation between both parties.
However, Zulu said the family noted several incidents that cast doubt on the government’s willingness to honour those terms.
The first sign of trouble, he said, came when the Road Development Agency (RDA) announced on June 16 that it would begin road works on the only stretch of road leading to Lungu’s Chifwema home, just days before the body was expected to pass through.
Although the family raised concerns and the works were suspended, the seed of mistrust had been planted.
Then came a new directive from government which stated that the public would not be allowed to witness the arrival of Lungu’s body at the airport due to security concerns and only invited guests would be able to receive the body.
The family added that they were never consulted on this restriction and were not allowed to determine who would be invited if attendance was to be by invitation.
“This was never part of the agreement,” said Zulu.
Zulu stated that what followed was the release of a programme suggesting that President Hakainde Hichilema would receive Lungu’s body at the airport and later lead the public viewing on Thursday.
He added that, though the Secretary to the Cabinet later admitted the programme was released in error, another similar version was circulated shortly after and again allegedly without the family’s input.
He said the programme left the family unable to trust that government would stick to its end of the agreement.
Lungu’s death has left Zambia not only mourning but also spinning in a cycle of confusion, miscommunication and suspicion.
Last week, a seven day national mourning period declared by President Hichilema ended without a burial.
Flags flew at half mast, entertainment events were suspended and radio stations switched to solemn music but there was no body, no grave and no state funeral, just lingering questions.
Initially, the body was expected to be flown into the country on June 11 for a state funeral and interment at Embassy Park, where five of Zambia’s past presidents already rest.
But that plan disintegrated on June 10, when at a memorial service in Pretoria, Zulu announced that the family had opted for “alternative arrangements” and were struggling to reach common ground with the government.
He went further to claim that the late president did not want President Hichilema “anywhere near his body,” a statement that electrified public discourse and dragged political tension into the grieving process.
Despite the public sparring, both sides returned to the table and by June 17, yesterday, government announced that the body would arrive today.
The body was to lie in state at the Chifwema residence, with public viewing scheduled at Mulungushi International Conference Centre from Thursday to Saturday.
A state funeral was to be held on Sunday, with a special legal profession valedictory and a funeral mass planned for Monday, June 23.
But that roadmap has once again been thrown out.
The cancellation of today’s repatriation has left the nation at a standstill. No one knows when or even if the remains of Lungu will be brought back to Zambia.
President Hichilema, who last week signed the Book of Condolence at the government designated house of mourning at Belvedere Lodge, had earlier expressed hope that the family and the State would reach a resolution that honoured the dignity of the late former president.
But for now, Zambia remains a country in mourning with no burial date, no closure and no body.
By Catherine Pule
Kalemba, June 18, 2025
