Zambian president since 2021, businessman and farmer navigating regional politics and mineral wealth
Lungu has died in a South African hospital at 68. A dispute over the former president’s burial persists between his family and President Hakainde Hichilema. Pretoria has ordered repatriation for a state ceremony, while the family seeks a South Africa burial; the South African courts have yet to rule on the matter.
The South African Supreme Court of Appeal has ruled that the Zambian government cannot override the late President Edgar Lungu’s family’s burial wishes. The decision, reported today, overturns a Gauteng High Court ruling and leaves the former leader’s body in South Africa while legal disputes continue. The family says the deceased would not have wanted a state funeral led by Hichilema.
The UN and world powers are pressing for governance reform as demand for critical minerals rises. Leaders warn that without local processing and stronger rule of law, mining profits will bypass local communities and fuel conflict. New commitments aim to channel wealth into public services and jobs amid a global scramble for cobalt, lithium, nickel and rare earths.