South African court rules Edgar Lungu must be buried in Zambia • FRANCE 24 English

[Music] It’s a decision that comes as a blow to the family of former Zambian President Edgar Lungu. On Friday, a South African court ruled in favor of Lusaka’s request to repatriate his body, putting an end to two months of legal dispute. It is ordered that the applicant is entitled to repatriate the body of the late president at Galongu, the late president Lungu for a state funeral and burial. The former head of state passed away in South Africa on June 5th while receiving medical treatment. The 68-year-old’s family wanted to bury him in Johannesburg 20 days later in a private ceremony. plans which were halted just hours before the funeral was due to start after Lusaka approached the South African courts arguing he should be buried in his homeland with state honors. A state funeral is a matter of public interest such that even if a late president had expressed a desire not to be given state funeral, such a wish must be overridden by public interest. The legal dispute over Lungu’s final resting place highlights the animosity between the former head of state and the current president Hakinde Hichi Limma. Lungu’s family said he did not want his long-standing political rival and successor at his funeral. The conflict between the two men led to Hilema’s imprisonment in 2017 during Lungu’s presidency. And last year, Lungu accused Hichile Limma’s government of harassing him through law enforcement and restricting his movements. His family also said the government had initially prevented him from traveling to South Africa for treatment, a charge which the government has denied.

A South African court has ruled that the body of former Zambian president Edgar Lungu must be returned to Lusaka for a state funeral. The decision is a setback for his family, who had wanted him buried in South Africa in a private ceremony. The legal dispute with the Zambian government began in June, after Lungu died while receiving medical treatment.
#SouthAfrica #EdgarLungu #Zambia

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