Government has welcomed the Constitutional Court of South Africa’s ruling on the application regarding the repatriation and burial of late President Edgar Lungu’s remains in Zambia.
Secretary to the Cabinet, Patrick Kangwa, said in a statement made available to ZANIS that government respects the court’s decision and remains committed to working with the Lungu family to reach an arrangement that considers their wishes, while upholding the rights of the state.
“The Government of the Republic of Zambia has taken note of the Constitutional Court of South Africa’s ruling concerning the burial of the Sixth President, Dr. Edgar Chagwa Lungu. On behalf of the government, we want to thank the court for its timely consideration of the matter,” Mr Kangwa stated.
He expressed gratitude to Zambians for their understanding during the impasse and for avoiding inflammatory comments.
Mr Kangwa urged citizens to keep the Lungu family in their prayers as the country continues to mourn the former President.
He emphasized that in keeping with the stature of the high office, government’s wish is for the late President to be accorded a dignified funeral.
The statement follows the South African Constitutional Court’s dismissal earlier today of an application by the Lungu family to appeal against the Gauteng High Court ruling that ordered the repatriation of the former President’s remains to Zambia.
According to the order contained in a statement from the Constitutional Court Acting Registrar Dumisani Mathiba, to the concerned parties, the Constitutional Court has considered the application for leave to appeal directly to it and has concluded that no case has been made out for a direct appeal, and that leave to appeal must be refused.
“The Constitutional Court has considered the application for leave to appeal directly to it and has concluded that no case has been made out for a direct appeal. Consequently, leave to appeal must be refused,” read the court order.
President Lungu died in South Africa on June 5, 2025 after an illness.
On 17th August 2025, the Gauteng High Court ruled that the remains of the former president be repatriated to Zambia for a state funeral.
However, the Lungu family applied for leave to appeal to the Constitutional Court.
Just stop informing us until a final decision is made. We are tired. Let’s move on please.
You handled this shockingly from day one so dont try and explicate in four favuor
Remember what goes around comes around
Can’t we see court ruling one after the other as
This should give us some direction.
This impasse tells us a lot of the reasons why Africa is still in the 17th century.
You right
Let 2026 be a new beginning if only without HH
Again, this is not a winner or loser but putting end to an embarrassment. Now is the time to inspect the corpse and then bring the late to the burial country.
Comment:As we comment,let’s mindful of our comment,let’s help quench the fire between govt and family.having said that,our President to shouldn’t be commenting becoz of the enemity against him,let PS cabinent and his team try their best but silent he should be in touch with the negotiating team.NGANA BAKWI KUTA ICILI CONSE WINGALANDA, CIBI.
Get it right GRZ acting of behalf of HH
ECL wharever he was or did loved the zambian people
I feel there is no winning in this please let all parties involved to sit down once again… and just lay this matter to rest let us allow ECL to be buried at home…let him be flown in a pvt jet if it is so willed…but please let him rest near the other late Presidents. Even if full military honors are not rolled out we just want our President to rest…he is not at peace.. Courts can only go so far but humanity must take precedence…I pray it is not too late…
@Mate…is the body in there?
This prolonged impasse is all bcoz enmity/hatred reigns supreme.
Fake “Christian nation” indeed bcoz we don’t hold those values and principles dear.
Comment:Following the demand by family for President to retract his sentiments over lungu unwilling to handover power to HH, I said and am saying if President HH want this issue to be settled,he shouldn’t say anything on lungu and over the burial,he should leave everything to the negotiating team. PLIZ TWAPAPATA BAKATEKA.PLEASE MENTION THE NAME LUNGU ANYWHERE.AM NOT AGAINST BUT JUST A PLEA.
Comment:I mean don’t mention the name lungu anywhere,anyhow.
Why can’t they just ket the family do their own thing? Why are we spending millions bribing judges in South Africa for a matter that’s totally a family affair? Nshamonapo umuntu uulwila ichitumbi chamunankwe. Takwaba ubukaka bwamusango uyu. Kwati buloshi.
Family issue? It’s public national thing and issue. Yes, when you die, as a very very private person, such a thing of public interest will never arise.but for ane who had served as republican president, issues are different.
It reminds me of that old TV show “the money or the box” where the contestants had to make a choice of either cash or a box with unknown contents, and then the game was over. It seems someone wants to have both the box and also the money and never ending the game. Denial is not a river in Egypt
The COSTLY