Zambia’s President Hakainde Hichilema has abruptly ended the national mourning period for former President Edgar Lungu, amid an escalating standoff between the family and authorities over his burial plans.
The government had extended the mourning period until June 23, with flags flying at half-mast and radio stations playing solemn music.
However, Lungu’s family cancelled the repatriation of his remains from South Africad on Wednesday, citing the government’s alleged reneging on an agreement over funeral plans.
The family had planned to fly Lungu’s body back home on a private charter plane, but2 the move was blocked.
In a televised address, Hichilema said the government had done everything possible to engage with Lungu’s family, but a decision had to be made to end the mourning period. “The government has reached a point where a clear decision has to be made,” he said. “The country cannot afford a state of indefinite mourning.”
The opposition Patriotic Front, led by Lungu, has backed the family’s position, accusing the government of turning a solemn occasion into a “political game”.
Civil society groups have called for an urgent resolution to the matter, with some religious leaders appealing for humility and dialogue to honour the memory of the former president.
