Court order stops a former Zambian president’s burial in South Africa on the day of his funeral

The Zambian government has succeeded in getting a court order to stop the private burial of former President Edgar Lungu in South Africa today after it filed a last-minute case that was heard on the day of the funeral. Members of Lungu’s family were forced to delay their appearance at the burial service and instead attend a courtroom hearing in the South African capital dressed in black funeral attire to hear the case. The Pretoria High Court ruled that both parties had agreed after consultations that Lungu would not be buried until the case over where his funeral would be held was decided. The judge set an August 4 date for another hearing. The legal challenge by the Zambian government against Lungus burial in South Africa was the latest development in a nearly monthlong dispute with Lungus family over the details of his funeral and final resting place. The Zambian government wants Lungu to have a state funeral at home, something Lungus family have refused to allow because of his bitter political feud with current Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema. Lungu, who was Zambias leader from 2015 to 2021, died of an undisclosed illness in a South African hospital on June 5 at the age of 68. A state funeral for him in Zambia was cancelled twice because of disagreements over the details. His family and lawyers said he left specific instructions that Hichilema should not attend his funeral, while the Zambian government said Hichilema was due to preside over the state funeral. Zambias Attorney General, Mulilo Kabesha, filed papers in the South African court on Tuesday seeking an urgent injunction to stop Wednesdays funeral, according to Zambias national broadcaster ZNBC. The court papers demanded that the former president be buried in Zambia with full military honours, as mandated by Zambian law and in keeping with the public interest, ZNBC reported. Zambias government said it had already prepared a grave for Lungu at a cemetery where all presidents are traditionally buried. It added that any personal wishes must give way to the national interest. Lungus family had decided against repatriating his body and arranged their own funeral service and a private burial. Top members of Lungus political party travelled to South Africa for the funeral. The hearing in Pretoria began around an hour before Lungu’s funeral service was due to begin. Mourners arrived for the service at a Johannesburg church around 60 kilometres (37 miles) away while the case was being heard. A memorial service later went ahead, but the court order prevented the family from burying the former president before a final ruling. The post Court order stops a former Zambian presidents burial in South Africa on the dayofhisfuneral appeared first on Linda Ikeji Blog.