Just hours after Zambia’s government announced it had taken custody of former president Edgar Lungu’s body, a South African court reversed the move, ordering...

Just hours after Zambia’s government announced it had taken custody of former president Edgar Lungu’s body, a South African court reversed the move, ordering that his remains be returned pending further legal proceedings. The dramatic development marks the latest twist in a months-long dispute between Lungu’s family and the Zambian authorities over his funeral arrangements—an issue shaped by his long-standing political feud with current President Hakainde Hichilema. The government has insisted that Lungu, who led Zambia from 2015 to 2021, should receive full state honours and be buried at the presidential burial site in Lusaka alongside other former leaders. However, his family has pushed for a private funeral, saying negotiations with the state broke down. Last August, a...