Former Zambian President Edgar Lungu appears set to finally “rest in peace” after the Zambian government confirmed it will not pursue any further legal challenge over his burial, effectively ending a bitter dispute that has lasted more than a year.

The decision follows a ruling by South Africa’s Supreme Court of Appeal, clearing the way for Lungu to be buried in South Africa under arrangements led by his family, bringing closure to a highly emotional and politically charged saga.

Although the Zambian government says it disagrees with the judgment, the Ministry of Justice has confirmed it will not take the matter to the Constitutional Court, signalling acceptance of the court outcome.

In a development that has stirred public reflection across the region, supporters have described the conclusion of the dispute as Lungu “ghost smiling at last,” as his remains are finally allowed to be laid to rest after months of legal and political deadlock.

At the centre of the dispute was Lungu’s reported final wish that current President Hakainde Hichilema should neither receive his body nor attend his funeral — a condition that complicated negotiations between the family and the state and ultimately collapsed efforts to repatriate his remains to Zambia.

The breakdown in talks led the family to opt for a burial in South Africa, where they reside, rather than a state funeral in Zambia.

Lungu died at the age of 68 at Mediclinic Medforum Hospital in Pretoria on 5 June 2025, reportedly from complications linked to a heart condition. He served as Zambia’s sixth president from 2015, succeeding Michael Sata.

The dispute over his burial escalated into a legal battle after the family resisted government efforts to repatriate the body, accusing authorities of having ulterior motives and raising concerns over the handling of his remains.

At one stage, allegations were even made in court suggesting fears that state officials could perform rituals on the late president’s body — claims the government strongly rejected.

With the latest ruling now standing, Zambia’s Ministry of Justice says the matter is closed, insisting it acted in good faith and in line with tradition for former heads of state.

The end of the legal fight brings closure to a deeply divisive chapter between the state and the Lungu family, with the former president now expected to be laid to rest in South Africa, far from the official ceremonies once planned in his homeland.