Former Zambian President Edgar Lungu has passed away at the age of 68, his party, the Patriotic Front (PF), announced in a statement. Lungu died at a clinic in South Africa’s capital, Pretoria, at 06:00 (04:00 GMT) on Thursday, after receiving specialized treatment for an undisclosed illness.
According to his daughter, Tasila Lungu, the former head of state had been under medical supervision in recent weeks. In an emotional statement, she said, “In this moment of grief, we invoke the spirit of ‘One Zambia, One Nation’ – the timeless creed that guided President Lungu’s service to our country”.
Lungu’s Presidency and Legacy
Lungu led Zambia for six years, from 2015 to 2021, when he lost the election to current President Hakainde Hichilema by a large margin. During his presidency, he encouraged Chinese investment and enlisted the country’s help in infrastructure development. However, his time in office was marred by corruption scandals involving his allies and relatives, which he always denied. His party’s youth wing was also accused of harassing opposition supporters and the population at large.
Return to Politics and Harassment Claims
After stepping back from politics following his defeat, Lungu returned to the fray in 2023, despite being barred from running for another term in office by the Constitutional Court. He complained of police harassment, alleging that he was “virtually under house arrest” and had been barred from attending a conference abroad and from traveling for medical treatment. The government denied these claims, stating that Lungu was free to exercise his rights.
Early Life and Career
Lungu was born on November 11, 1956, and graduated with a law degree from the University of Zambia in 1981. He underwent military training at the Miltez army college in Kabwe and later worked at Andre Masiye and Company Advocates, Barclays Bank, and Zambia Consolidated Copper Mines. A close friend described Lungu as a “good foot-soldier, lawyer, and politician, father, husband, and grandparent”.