Former Zambian president's memorial takes place in SA

A MEMORIAL service for Zambia's former President Edgar Chagwa Lungu was held yesterday at the Cathedral in Pretoria, under a cloud of political tension and unresolved conflict between his family and the Zambian government.

- SIFISO MAHLANGU

Mourners, including members of the Patriotic Front (PF), Lungu's former ruling party, filled the cathedral as emotional tributes were paid to the late statesman.

However, the atmosphere was not one of peace.

Instead, it reflected the deepening rift over Lungu’s legacy, his cause of death, and the government's controversial handling of his passing.

The 68-year-old former president died last Thursday in a South African hospital, where he had been undergoing treatment for an undisclosed illness.

Since his death, speculation and accusations have surfaced, with some PF leaders claiming Lungu may have been poisoned — a charge the Zambian government has not addressed publicly.