LUSAKA, ZAMBIA (News of The South) – The death of Zambia’s former President, Edgar Lungu, in South Africa has ignited a deeply rooted cultural debate across Africa, particularly in his home country. While reports confirm Lungu’s wish for current President Hakainde Hichilema to not be involved in his burial, the decision to inter him far from Zambian soil is raising significant concerns among many, citing traditional beliefs and the potential for dire spiritual repercussions.
In African cultures, the resting place of the deceased holds profound significance. Tradition dictates that individuals, regardless of their social or political standing, are laid to rest at home. This practice is believed to ensure the peaceful transition of the spirit and to maintain a connection with the family and ancestral lineage. For chiefs and kings, these customs are even more stringent, with specific burial sites and rituals observed to honor their elevated status and protect the community.
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The controversy surrounding former President Lungu’s burial stems from the announcement by his family that he will be interred in South Africa. This decision, reportedly made due to an ongoing feud with the Zambian government over funeral arrangements, has been met with apprehension and dismay by many Zambians and Africans.
“It is a fundamental principle in our culture that when someone dies, they must be brought home,” expressed a concerned elder from a prominent Zambian chieftaincy, who wished to remain anonymous due to the sensitivity of the matter. “The spirit of the departed needs to be at peace in their ancestral land. To bury him so far away, away from his family and the land of his forefathers, goes against everything we believe in.”
African traditional beliefs emphasize the strong bond between the living and the dead. It is widely held that those who die away from home, or whose burial wishes are not honored, can become restless spirits – often referred to as “avenging spirits” or “ngozi” – that can bring misfortune upon their living relatives. The concept of the deceased communicating their wishes to their families, even from beyond the grave, and leading them to their remains for proper burial, is deeply ingrained in many African societies.
“We have heard countless stories of families facing hardship and unexplained calamities because a loved one was not buried according to tradition,” shared a traditional healer from the Copperbelt Province. “The spirit of the late president, if not appeased and laid to rest in Zambia, could bring a heavy burden upon the Lungu family. They must reconsider this decision.”
While the family of the late Lungu has cited his wish for President Hichilema not to preside over his funeral, it remains unclear whether Lungu himself requested to be buried in South Africa, or if this is a family decision born out of the political impasse. Many question why the family, if largely based in Zambia, would choose such a distant burial site.
“Respecting the wishes of the deceased is paramount,” noted a Lusaka resident. “However, if his true wish was to be buried in South Africa, that needs to be clarified. Otherwise, the family bears a heavy responsibility for the potential spiritual ramifications.”
The debate has extended to social media, with many Africans voicing concerns that burying a former head of state outside his homeland is an affront to tradition and an injustice to his legacy. Calls are mounting for Zambian traditional leaders to weigh in on the matter, to provide guidance and ensure that the cultural protocols for a deceased leader are upheld.
As the nation mourns the loss of its former president, the cultural implications of his burial loom large, serving as a poignant reminder of the enduring power of tradition and the spiritual connection between the living and the dead in African societies. The coming days will reveal whether the Lungu family will heed the advice of concerned citizens and traditional elders, or if the former president’s resting place will continue to be a source of national and cultural contention.
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