By Francis Chipalo
The Lungu family today said “the pain of losing their dad is still so raw” as Zambia marked the first anniversary of former President Edgar Chagwa Lungu’s death, with the former Head of State yet to be buried.
In a Facebook post by daughter Tasila Lungu Mwansa and addressed to “Zambians and the Chawama Family”, the family reflected on 12 months without President Lungu, who died on 5th June 2025 in Pretoria, South Africa.
“There are moments when it feels just as heavy as the day we lost him. We miss him deeply – his presence, his voice, his love – and it is not easy to accept that he is no longer with us,” the family said.
The Lungus expressed gratitude for prayers, comforting words, and solidarity from citizens, Chawama residents, and churches across denominations.
“Amid this pain, your prayers, your comforting words, and the love you have shown us have carried us. They have held us together in ways we cannot fully express,” the statement read.
The family specifically thanked the Catholic Church and “many other denominations that have stood with us spiritually, showing us compassion, understanding, and kindness as we accompany dad on his final journey home”.
The family said they remain “humbled and profoundly grateful” but continue to wait “for the chance to lay Dad to rest in a manner that honours his wishes”.
“Your support means more to us than words can ever say,” Tasila Lungu Mwansa wrote, before praying that God would “continue to comfort you as you have comforted us”.
President Lungu served as Zambia’s 6th Republican President from 2015 to 2021. With general elections now two months away on 13th August 2026, calls for a dignified burial have intensified from opposition leaders, civil society, and members of the public.