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“A Body Between Two Nations”: Dr. Sishuwa Unpacks the Political Breakdown Behind Lungu’s Unfinished Funeral

What should have been a solemn, unifying farewell for Zambia’s sixth Republican President has unraveled into a deeply personal and politically charged standoff. The failure to repatriate Edgar Lungu’s remains from South Africa, following his death in exile earlier this month, has exposed a rupture between state and family, history and healing and in the words of historian Dr. Sishuwa Sishuwa, it didn’t begin this week. It began long before.

In a wide-ranging, detailed interview on South Africa’s Newzroom Afrika, Zambian historian and Stellenbosch University lecturer Dr. Sishuwa Sishuwa laid out a timeline not only of failed funeral arrangements, but of failed relationships, deliberate legal maneuvering, and a lingering political cold war between President Hakainde Hichilema and his predecessor.

“It Didn’t Start Here”: Treason, Arrest, and a Relationship That Never Healed

“When Lungu won the 2016 election a disputed one  Hichilema refused to recognize the result,” Dr. Sishuwa recalled. “For the next five years, he contested Lungu’s legitimacy.” Not once, he noted, did Hichilema call Lungu “President” during his time in office  a symbol of the deep refusal to acknowledge the presidency or its institution.

In April 2017, the rivalry escalated into one of Zambia’s most infamous political flashpoints. Hichilema’s convoy allegedly refused to give way to Lungu’s presidential motorcade  a move that, in most nations, would be deemed a direct threat to a sitting head of state. In some societies the racing vehicle would have been disabled or worse. Lungu reportedly instructed his men not to shoot down the vehicle. Instead, Hichilema was charged with treason  an unprecedented act. He was detained for four months, without trial. The case was ultimately discharged.

“That episode set the tone for the animosity that followed,” Sishuwa said. “It framed how each man saw the other  as not just a rival, but an enemy of the state.”

Entitlements Denied, Immunity Untouched

When Hichilema won the 2021 election, Lungu became a former president  and should have received full constitutional benefits under the law. But that didn’t happen.

“Lungu requested medical travel support to South Africa in 2022 and again in 2023,” Sishuwa revealed. “The first time, the government claimed they had no money. The second time, they didn’t even offer an explanation.”

These were not discretionary favours. Under the Former Presidents’ Benefits Act, Lungu was legally entitled to annual medical travel, insurance, and other protections. “These are not political handouts. These are legal guarantees,” said Sishuwa.

In October 2023, with no state support and mounting pressure on his family, Lungu returned to active politics. The government’s response was swift: his party leadership was stripped and handed to state-aligned figures. Soon after, his wife and children were arrested on corruption allegations.

“There was no attempt to lift Lungu’s immunity,” Sishuwa noted. “The government didn’t have the numbers in Parliament. So instead, they targeted his family. People saw it as going after him by proxy.”

Then came another sharp move: the Constitutional Court, which had earlier ruled Lungu eligible to contest the 2021 election, reversed itself in 2024, after President Hichilema fired three judges involved in the earlier ruling and replaced them with new appointees.

“The reversal had serious implications. It created the perception of judicial manipulation. It added to the idea that the state was systematically dismantling Lungu’s legacy,” Sishuwa said.

Death in Exile, Disagreement at Home

In January 2025, Lungu quietly left for South Africa to seek medical treatment. He died there earlier this month. No state support had been given for his treatment, despite his status as a former head of state.

After weeks of tense silence, the Zambian government and the Lungu family announced a joint agreement: the body would be returned to Lusaka on Wednesday. But on the day of the flight, the family withdrew.

“They cited two main breaches,” said Sishuwa. First, the state had restricted access to the airport reception, allowing only select invitees chosen unilaterally. “Lungu was not just a former president. He was leader of the main opposition. His supporters had a right to receive him,” Sishuwa emphasized.

Second, the state added a church service at the airport  a service the family neither requested nor approved. “They didn’t know the officiants. They hadn’t agreed to the ceremony,” he said.

The family felt betrayed  again.

A President Who Wouldn’t Step Aside

According to Sishuwa, the family also revealed something deeply personal: before his death, Lungu expressed that he did not want President Hichilema present at his funeral.

Rather than honour that wish, Hichilema continued to assert his central role, citing his position as Head of State. “But there’s no Zambian law that says the President must preside over a state funeral,” Sishuwa clarified. “John McCain told Donald Trump not to attend his funeral. Trump stayed away. Why couldn’t HH show the same respect?”

The refusal to step aside became the final fracture. “The family viewed it as a hijack of their mourning,” Sishuwa said. “They pulled back.”

When Hichilema addressed the nation late yesterday evening, June 19, he offered no apology to the family. He canceled national mourning instead a signal that the state was done.

The Danger of Burial in Exile

If the family chooses to bury Lungu in South Africa, it will be the first time a Zambian president is laid to rest in exile. The political fallout, Sishuwa warned, will be severe.

“It could become a campaign issue. The opposition could say: ‘Lungu couldn’t even return home to be buried. If you want him to rest in peace, vote the government out.’”

He stressed that the loss belongs most to the family  not the state. “This isn’t about patriotism. It’s about grief. The body belongs to them.”

A Missed Opportunity for Healing

Sishuwa lamented the absence of emotional leadership. “President Hichilema apologized to South Africa, but not to the Lungu family. That’s where compassion was needed most.”

He called on the state to form a trusted negotiation team, respected by both parties. “At the moment, trust is gone. The family fears being tricked into bringing the body to Zambia, only to lose control.”

If no breakthrough is reached, a burial abroad is likely, he said.

This was not just an interview  it was a historical reckoning. Dr. Sishuwa reminded Zambia that this moment will define how it treats its past, manages its pain, and respects the thin line between political rivalry and human dignity.

“A family is grieving. A nation is watching. And history is recording.”

Source: Full interview with Dr. Sishuwa Sishuwa on Newzroom Afrika, June 2025.