09/02/2026
LUNGU FAMILY VOWS NOT TO DEFAULT APPEAL AGAINST REPATRIATION ORDER
By Nelson Zulu
The family of former late President Edgar Lungu has disclosed that it will not default on filing its appeal in the Supreme Court of South Africa challenging the earlier High Court judgement last year that ordered the repatriation of his remains to Zambia.
In an interview with Phoenix News, family spokesperson Makebi Zulu has confirmed that preparations are underway to lodge the appeal on or before the 11 February, 2026 deadline and that the family remains committed to pursuing avenues that will secure a dignified burial for the former President.
The appeal follows a December 23, 2025 decision by the South African Court of Appeal granting the family permission to challenge the earlier Pretoria High Court judgement by Judge Aubrey Ledwaba that ordered Mr. Lungu’s repatriation, after rejecting the family’s request to bury the former President in South Africa and initial denial of permission to appeal on the basis that there was no reasonable prospect of success.
The case has since evolved into an eight-month long legal and political standoff, set against a backdrop of a long-running feud between Mr. Lungu and his successor, President Hakainde Hichilema, and the family’s assertion that the late President expressed wishes about attendees at his funeral.
Credit: 📸 PHOENIX NEWS
