• A South African court ruled Zambia can repatriate former President Edgar Lungu for a state funeral.
• The ruling comes against the wishes of Lungu's family who wanted him buried in South Africa.
• The court emphasized national interest over personal wishes in its decision.
• The legal battle highlights existing political tensions in Zambia between Lungu and current President Hakainde Hichilema.
• Zambian Attorney General expressed hope the judgment would provide closure despite a potential appeal from the family.

A South African court has ruled that the Zambian government can repatriate the body of former President Edgar Lungu for a state funeral, despite objections from his family. Judge Aubrey Ledwaba of the Pretoria High Court stated that personal wishes should not override the public interest in honoring a former head of state, marking a significant legal victory for the Zambian government. The court emphasized that the burial of individuals of national significance is a matter of public protocol, which enables the Zambian government to conduct a state funeral for Lungu, who died in June at a hospital in South Africa, according to BBC, Africanews, Al Jazeera, and LA Times.

The family of Lungu wishes him to be buried in South Africa, expressing that he did not want current Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema to attend his funeral. However, the Zambian government argued that a state funeral is a necessary protocol for former presidents, citing prior decisions that affirmed this principle. The court's ruling prevents the family from conducting a private funeral in South Africa, reinforcing the government's stance on national burial practices for leaders like Lungu, according to BBC, Africanews, Al Jazeera, and LA Times.

The ruling underscores the ongoing political conflict between Lungu and Hichilema, marked by a history of legal confrontations, including Hichilema's imprisonment in 2017. Attorney General Mulilo Kabesha welcomed the ruling, asserting that it was sensible for Lungu to be buried in Zambia, the nation where he served as president. He expressed hope that this judgment would bring closure to the dispute, even with the family's intention to appeal the decision, according to BBC, Africanews, Al Jazeera, and LA Times.