Zambia Government Takes Custody of Former President Edgar Lungu’s Remains Following Court Order

The Government of Zambia has officially taken custody of the remains of former president Edgar Chagwa Lungu following a ruling by the High Court in Pretoria, South Africa.

In a statement released on April 22, 2026, Zambia’s Attorney General Mulilo Kabesha confirmed that the court had formally transferred the remains to the Zambian Government.

The development follows the family’s inability to proceed with their case before the South African Supreme Court of Appeal, which had delayed the repatriation process.

According to the statement, the remains have since been moved from Two Mountains Burial Services to a facility managed by the South African Government.

Kabesha noted that the High Court had earlier ruled on August 8, 2025, that the remains be released to the Zambian Government to allow for preparations for repatriation and burial in Zambia.

He added that the government will now engage the late president’s family to finalize burial arrangements, with further details expected to be communicated to the public in due course.

Lungu, Zambia’s sixth Republican president, died at the age of 68 in Pretoria.