By Ollus Ndomu
The saga around Zambia’s former President Edgar Chagwa Lungu has become Zambia’s most confusing national story. Officially, he was declared dead on June 5, 2025. Yet more than three months later, no Zambian outside his immediate family has seen the body. The secrecy, repeated court appeals, and fresh rumours about cremation and foreign burial have fuelled growing doubt: is Edgar Lungu really dead?
A Sealed Body and Sealed Questions
According to family sources, only a tight circle including his wife Esther, daughter Tasila, and a few relatives have had access to the body. This unusual level of secrecy has raised suspicion. Typically, a former president’s passing is a national event, confirmed by government, followed by a state funeral. In this case, the family has fought to control burial arrangements privately, refusing to work with Zambian state.
The Court Battles
The fight has mostly played out in South Africa, where the body is reportedly kept. In Pretoria, the courts have repeatedly ruled against the family, affirming that Zambia has custody and the Attorney General represents the state. Judges have also dismissed claims that Lungu’s stripped benefits disqualify him from a state burial, stating that “he remains a former state president with attendant burial benefits.” Still, the family has appealed and re-appealed, dragging the matter on without resolution.
Rumours of Cremation and Zimbabwe Burial
The latest wave of speculation stems from unverified reports that the Lungu family is considering cremation or burial in Zimbabwe. This follows earlier attempts to cite a private arrangement—“FAA7”—as justification for overriding Zambia’s authority. Pretoria courts dismissed that argument, but the rumours persist, feeding public unease.
How Did He Die?
The cause of death has never been officially confirmed. In Lusaka, silence prevails. In Harare and Johannesburg, whispers circulate that Lungu may have died from gunshot wounds. No evidence has been made public to support these claims, but the vacuum of information ensures the rumours spread unchecked.
Public Doubt and Citizen Concern
Since June, The People’s Brief has received hundreds of messages from concerned citizens asking the same question: if Lungu is dead, why has the family not allowed the state to lead burial arrangements as required by law? Some believe he is alive and in hiding. Others believe he is dead but that the family is concealing the circumstances. What is clear is that the government’s silence and the family’s secrecy have created a crisis of trust.
Why This Matters
This is bigger than one man’s death. Edgar Lungu was a former Head of State. His passing, if confirmed, belongs in the open history of Zambia. To keep it shrouded undermines national institutions, insults citizens who deserve clarity, and fuels dangerous speculation.
The Pretoria court has made it plain: private deals cannot override state authority. Zambia holds custody. Yet until the body is laid to rest with full transparency, the question will remain unresolved.
Zambians deserve the truth. The people must not mourn in darkness.
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