The mystery around Edgar Chagwa Lungu’s death is mysterious
By Francis Chipalo
The almost – fading conversations by Zambians on the ‘purpoted’ death of former President Edgar Chagwa Lungu, who was fondly known as ECL shows signs that citizens have become fatiqued with this mystery as the ‘burial’ still remains mysterious.
Now, I am writing this article as scribe based on my personal obervations over this matter, and the interactions I’ve had with the common citizens, members of the clergy as well as political figures – both ruling and the oppostion, among others.
On the morning of 5 June 2025, Lungu was reported to have died on reports that he suffered cardiac complications from a surgery he was undergoing at the Mediclinic Medforum in Pretoria, South Africa. He was 68 years old.
October 5th, 2025 marked four months since the reported death of Lungu, whose remains are yet to be raid to rest, God knows where since the matter still remains a mystery following the legal battle between his ‘supposed’ family and the Zambian government of President Hakainde Hichilema.
I will not bore you with details about the ‘beef’ between the ECL family which includes members of the former ruling party, the Patriotic Front (PF) and the ruling United Party for National Development (UPND).
It is common knowledge that there is serious ‘hatred’ among the trio which is purely ‘political’ in my view.
Various stakeholders, including the ‘common Zambian citizen have commented on the matter, calling for reconcilliation between government and the ECL family so that the ‘reportedly’ late President could be ‘burried’ in his home country Zambia – calls which appear to have fallen on deaf ears from the ECL family. The family has stated that it doesn’t want government or President Hichilema near ECL’s ‘reported’ dead body, a statement which vice President Mutale Nalumango warned that it amounted to serious crimes according to the Zambian ‘constitution’.
Like earlier stated, I don’t want to bore with a long article on this matter which has seemingly become ‘boring’ to citizens, at least from my observations as a journalist, who also liked ECL’s ‘sense of humour’ as a person away from the office he held.
Just a few questions; the ‘reported dead ECL’ was accorded a memorial service in South Africa, with a casket paraded. I watched closely the video clips of his supposed body viewing , but was not able to see the former President in the coffin. Did you?
Was it that ‘private’ like the family claimed such that the camera’s could not capture the ‘late’ who was a former ‘Head of State?’
Many people I have interacted shared this similar question too.
The Zambian government has made numerous efforts to have officials see ECL’s ‘body’, requests that have been denied by his family. By the way, need I remind you that his grave awaits him at Embassy park in Lusaka which is designated burial site for former Presidents, him inclusive in an event that he answered God’s call.
Did ECL really picked God’s call – is the question that many Zambians have continued asking, or could this be PLAN – B in motion?
If it were up to me, I would challenge the family to allow me or any person see ECL’s body being my former President.
Four months now ECL is yet to be laid to rest amidst a legal battle in a foreign court, but the general feeling back home is that people have moved on with this all issue due to the seemingly – fading conversation over the matter.
Edgar Lungu, Zambia’s sixth president, passed away on June 5, 2025, in South Africa, where he was undergoing medical treatment for complications related to swallowing and surgery.
The 68-year-old former president’s death has sparked a mystery surrounding his burial, with his family and the government at odds over funeral arrangements.
The family has refused to repatriate Lungu’s body, citing breaches of agreements with the government regarding the funeral process.
The government had declared a state funeral and offered to cover medical expenses, but the family remains skeptical.
Lungu served as president from 2016 to 2021, leaving a complex legacy marked by infrastructure development and economic challenges. He lost power to Hakainde Hichilema in 2021, with many attributing his loss to caderism, among others.
What is your observation though?
The author (Francis Chipalo) squatting centre during an interaction with the former president who is standing in black truck suit.
