The passing of former Zambian President Edgar Lungu on 5 June 2025 was expected to unite the nation in mourning. Instead, it exposed the depth of a long-standing political feud between Lungu and his successor, President Hakainde Hichilema one that has persisted even beyond the grave.
Lungu, who served as president from 2015 to 2021, died in South Africa while undergoing treatment. But the days following his death were marked by tension and silence. His daughter, Tasila, broke the news on Facebook, invoking national unity, while President Hichilema remained quiet for hours, sparking criticism and suspicion.
The two leaders shared a bitter history, with roots in the 2017 treason charges that saw Hichilema, then an opposition leader, detained for over 100 days under what he described as inhumane conditions. Their animosity only deepened after Hichilema defeated Lungu in the 2021 election.
In 2023, Lungu returned to active politics amid growing public frustration with Hichilema’s leadership. The government responded by revoking Lungu’s retirement benefits and increasing legal scrutiny of his family—moves his supporters saw as persecution. Lungu alleged restrictions on his movements, claiming he was barred from travel, a claim denied by the government.
Lungu’s family insists that one of his dying wishes was for Hichilema not to attend his funeral. Despite efforts to coordinate a state funeral, tensions flared when the government released a programme that the family claimed gave Hichilema more prominence than agreed.
As a result, funeral plans in Zambia were cancelled. The ceremony will now be held in South Africa, with no dignitaries and without the presence of the sitting president.
What should have been a moment of national reflection has turned into a symbol of unresolved political hostility. Zambians, hoping for reconciliation between the two leaders, are left with a sense of disappointment and division. In the end, Edgar Lungu’s death has become not a bridge, but a battleground underscoring how personal enmity continues to shape Zambia’s political landscape.
