A lingering dispute over the late former President Edgar Lungu continues to cast a long shadow over Zambia’s general election campaign, according to media reports, as voters prepare to head to the polls on Thursday.
Lungu, who passed away in South Africa in June 2025, remains unburied following a protracted legal and political standoff between his family and the government of President Hakainde Hichilema over funeral and burial arrangements. The controversy has significantly heightened political tensions across the nation.
The rift has energised opposition support, particularly for the National Reconciliation Party for Unity and Prosperity (NRPUP) in the northern region, traditionally a stronghold of Lungu’s Patriotic Front (PF). Opposition voters increasingly view the party as their most viable vehicle to challenge the incumbent administration.
Meanwhile, according to political observers, the situation has complicated President Hichilema’s bid for a second term. While his ruling United Party for National Development (UPND) maintains strong backing in its traditional strongholds across the south, west, and northwest, the burial dispute has created hurdles in its efforts to broaden national appeal.
–ChannelAfrica–
