Former Zambian High Commissioner to South Africa Emmanuel Mwamba has written to South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, demanding answers over what he describes as the desecration of the mortal remains of Zambia’s sixth Republican President, Dr Edgar Chagwa Lungu.
In a letter dated Monday, April 27, 2026, Mwamba says persons identifying themselves as South African police and Zambian officials allegedly collected Lungu’s remains from Two Mountains Funeral Services in Johannesburg on Wednesday, April 22, 2026, without legal authority, family consent or the presence of relatives.
Mwamba states that the group claimed the Attorney General of Zambia was enforcing an August 2025 Gauteng High Court order requiring repatriation of the former President’s remains to Zambia for a state funeral.
He says the family later secured a fresh High Court order on the night of April 22, 2026, directing that the body be returned to Two Mountains Burial Services or another mortuary nominated by the family, but the order was allegedly ignored.
According to the letter, the remains were taken to Tshwane Forensic Services in Pretoria, where a post-mortem examination was conducted from 08:30 to 14:00 on Thursday, April 23, 2026, without the family or its lawyers present.
Mwamba also refers to a public statement by Zambia’s Attorney General, Mulilo Kabesha SC, who, according to the letter, said the post-mortem was conducted by the South African Police Service and not on the instructions of the Zambian Government.
The former envoy argues that the procedure was not authorised by the August 2025 Gauteng High Court judgment, the Randburg Magistrate Court proceedings or the Lungu family.
He says the actions violated the rights of the late former President, offended Zambian culture, disregarded the family’s wishes, abused legal process and created tensions between Zambians and the South African Government.
Mwamba asks President Ramaphosa to explain why the remains were handled in that manner by individuals allegedly acting in the name of the South African Government.
FULL LETTER AS ATTACHED
AMB.EMMANUEL MWAMBA
Monday, 27th April 2026
HIS EXCELLENCY CYRIL RAMAPHOSA
PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA
UNION BUILDINGS, GOVERNMENT AVENUE
Private Bag X1000
PRETORIA, 0001
[email protected]
Your Excellency,
SUBJECT; DESECRATION OF THE MORTAL REMAINS OF ZAMBIA’S SIXTH REPUBLICAN PRESIDENT, DR. EDGAR CHAGWA LUNGU
I am Emmanuel Mwamba. I have been privileged to have served as Zambia’s High Commissioner to South Africa, Zambia’s Ambassador to Ethiopia, and Permanent Representative to the African Union (AU).
Your Excellency, I wish to bring serious concerns regarding issues surrounding the mortal remains of Zambia’s Sixth Republican President, Dr. Edgar Chagwa Lungu, a legal dispute your government, the judiciary, the Zambian Government, and the family have been grappling with.
Of concerns however, are events that occurred on Wednesday, April 22nd, 2026, where the remains of the former President were collected from Two Mountains Funeral Services in Johannesburg by persons introducing themselves as Zambian officials and.
The removal of the remains of President Edgar Lungu was done without any legal authority, or consent, or presence of the family.
The details are that on Wednesday, 22 April 2026, persons identifying themselves as South African Police Sgt Nompilo Ngwenya of Pretoria and Zambian officials arrived at Two Mountains Funeral Services in Johannesburg, where the President’s body has been held.
They group claimed that the Attorney General of the Republic of Zambia was enforcing a high court order issued in August 2025 by Deputy Judge President, Aubrey Ledwaba of the Gauteng High Court which ordered the repatriation of President Lungu’s mortal remains to Zambia in order for the Government to conduct a state funeral, as the family’s appeal had alleged lapsed.
The group seized the body, removed it from Two Mountains, and transported it away.
When the family learnt of these serious development, and recognizing that there was a valid appeal in the Supreme Court of Appeal and the parallel application by the Progressive Forces of South Africa (PFSA) in the Randburg Magistrate Court for both inquest and postmortem, is only coming up for determination on 29th May 2026, sought urgent help from their lawyers
The family lawyers, Mashele Attorney Inc immediately sought court protection and managed to secure a high court order on the night of 22 April 2026, when the Honourable Justice Francis Subbiah granted a further Court Order directing, inter alia, that the body of the late President, Edgar Lungu be returned without any delay to the custody of Two Mountains Burial Services (Pty) Ltd or alternatively to a mortuary nominated by the family expressly interdicting the handing over of the body to SAPS, and calling upon the relevant parties to show why they should not be held in contempt of court.
Despite the previously mentioned Order being duly served on all relevant parties, and notwithstanding that receipt of such an Order was acknowledged, the body of the late President was not taken back as ordered and the court order was with impunity, totally disregarded.
Facts have since emerged that show that the body was transported from Two Mountains to Tshwane Forensic Services in Pretoria where a post-mortem examination, without any legal basis or family presence, was conducted from 08:30 to 14:00 on Thursday, 23 April 2026, led by a person identified as MS Shirley Jena Stuart, Chief Specialist, Head of Clinical Department at Gauteng Department of Health, Forensic Pathology Services.
In this regard, the Attorney General of Zambia, Mr. Mulilo Kabesha SC, has since issued a public statement claiming that the illegal postmortem was conducted by the South African Police Services and was not done at the behest or instructions of the Zambian Government.
This raises a serious matter as the postmortem procedure was never authorized by the 25 August 2025 Gauteng high court judgement, or by the proceedings of the Randburg Magistrate Court, and was not authorized or witnessed by any family member of the Lungu family, or their lawyers.
These actions have violated the rights of President Edgar Lungu, violently offended our culture, disregarded the wishes of the Lungu family, abused the legal process, desecrated the remains of the late President, and has raised serious tensions between our people in Zambia and the Government of South Africa.
Your Excellency, I and many Zambians are demanding answers why the remains of the late President have been violated and desecrated in this manner by individuals acting in the name of your government.
Your response to this serious matter will be appreciated.
Amb. Emmanuel Mwamba
Former Zambia’s High Commissioner to South Africa
Former Ambassador to Ethiopia
Former Permanent Representative to the African Union.
If it wasn’t so tragic, it would be comedic. You have nothing to demand of the SA govt. You cooked this soup, now time to slurp it.
Oh so hh can sit back and relax is that your thoughts
Still addressing himself as ambassador, very delusional this guy
Muamba/Mwamba is a pure munachusa from Tanzania.He got used eating free Zambian money and looting.He is a danger to the country.He should never be allowed near any government in the future
This Hamusonda guy is so xenophobic someone needs to remind him that Zambia is surrounded by 8 countries.
And that not a single Zambian drew any part of Zambia’s borders so Zambians are bound to have relations with all their neighbors. Because of that everyone is from somewhere else.
Mwamba who speaks fluent Bemba is as Zambian as HH or you. When Mwamba and HH’s ancestors left Congo/Angola for hinterland Africa in the 14th century there was no Zambia or Tanzania or Zimbabwe so stop xenophobically assigning citizens to African countries of modern times. Even if he were to come from Tanzania so what? Everyone is from somewhere.
@Emmanuel, you may want to revise the letter to include a clear address so the recipient can easily contact you. Also, the tone and cadence seem slightly different from your usual style, so aligning it more closely with your typical writing may improve its effectiveness
Mwamba has more intelligence in his little finger than hh entire family and upnd put together
Bakalamba awe you know Mwamba very well that nikelenka.Intelligency awe bamudala.As for you we know that you are from the street fighting your own wars Kaizer we know.
in what capacity
Yes SA government should quickly explain the results of the DNA and autopsy so we stop wasting time. Or do they now need a DNA sample from his children which means another 50 years of this story
Mwamba thinks he is a tall man, kikikik. Very delusional.
He’s a puppy born with teeth.
He may have served as an ambassador but Emmanuel Mwamba doesn’t understand international relations. The Lungu family is ably represented by a law firm of their choice in South Africa. Cyril Ramaphosa will not dignify Mwamba’s letter by sending a reply.
One wonders how much the law firm, funeral parlour etc. is costing and where all the money came from as if by magic
There’s quite a lot of “do you know me” in this letter making demands of a head of state. The answer is no, Ramaphosa does not know you, and doesn’t care about demands from Zambian has-been non-entities
President Ramsphosa knows Mwamba.Remember that he worked in South Africa as the Zambian ambassador for almost 4yrs.He knows that he is also a lie and a crook
This Ka tenzebantu also, he will never learn to shut up!
@Fwebaku Kola Mwamba is a fugitive. I do not need to exhibit xenophobia to highlight that he lacks any genuine interest in the success of Zambia. He may be able to communicate in various languages, but his origins are in Tanzania, period. Why should Tanzanians hold positions in our government 60 years post-Independence? You are merely a tribalist residing in the UK, much like Mwamba, who has been tarnishing the reputation of Zambia. I suspect you might also be Congolese.You are welcome but leave Zambians to fight their own wars
Hanusonda just zip up, the tribalist is you who poses as a Bemba when you are not. Attack Mwamba from your correct identity not hiding behind his tribe wabe tole. Iam a very proud Zambian who will never be cowed by tribal lttle nitwit savages like you.
You won’t post Zambians to your dreamt up foreign abodes. Mwamba may be a fugitive from ratminded bloodthirsty primitive pursuers like you but he will come back to Zambia victorious soon cos no oppressor lasts.
Elyo nkakukumanye mu Lusaka nkakuponona nshakakusheko! We koswe we!