Former Zambian President Edgar Lungu has died at the age of 68, just six months after a court blocked his bid to return to politics.
- Former Zambian President Edgar Lungu passed away at the age of 68.
- He succumbed to an undisclosed illness that required specialized treatment in South Africa.
- Lungu served as Zambia’s president from 2015 to 2021 before losing the election to Hakainde Hichilema.
His daughter, Tasila Lungu, a serving member of parliament, confirmed his death in a video statement shared by the Patriotic Front (PF), noting that his illness had been handled with “dignity and privacy.”
The PF also stated that Lungu had been receiving specialized treatment in South Africa for an undisclosed condition.
Lungu served as Zambia’s president for six years, from 2015 until his defeat in the 2021 election, where he lost to current President Hakainde Hichilema.
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Lungu had expressed intentions to run for president again. However, at the end of last year, Zambia’s Constitutional Court ruled him ineligible, stating he had already served the maximum two terms permitted by law.
Populist appeal and economic challenges
Lungu was born on November 11, 1956, in Ndola, in Zambia’s copperbelt. He is remembered for his populist approach and divisive leadership style.
Early in his tenure, he was commended for launching a nationwide road-building program and for constitutional reforms that initially aimed to limit presidential powers.
However, his administration later drew criticism for reversing those reforms and for overseeing a period of mounting economic distress.
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His time in office was also marred by corruption scandals involving his allies and relatives. Lungu always denied wrongdoing.
Under Lungu’s leadership, Zambia’s debt ballooned, and in 2020 it became the first African country to default on its sovereign debt during the COVID-19 era.
Lungu’s term was also marked by worsening relations with international institutions and Western donors, including a diplomatic rift with the U.S. and tensions with the IMF.
