Ex-Zambian president Edgar Lungu dies at 68

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Former Zambia president, Edgar Lungu, who led the nation from 2015 until his electoral defeat in 2021, has died at the age of 68.

His family and the Patriotic Front, the political party he once led, confirmed his passing on Thursday.

Lungu died in a hospital in Pretoria, South Africa, where he had been undergoing specialist medical care.

In a video message shared on social media, his daughter, Tasila Lungu-Mwansa, revealed, “My father had been under medical supervision in recent weeks. His condition was managed with dignity and privacy with support from all well-wishers.” She did not disclose the exact cause of death.

The Patriotic Front noted that the late president had been receiving treatment at a Pretoria clinic, following health complications related to achalasia, a condition that narrows the oesophagus and had plagued him for years.

Before entering politics, Lungu trained as both a military officer and a lawyer. He assumed office in 2015 after the sudden death of then-President Michael Sata.

He stepped down in 2021 after losing to Hakainde Hichilema in a landslide victory. Despite his exit, Lungu had expressed interest in contesting the presidency again in 2026.

Throughout his career, Lungu often referred to himself as an “ordinary Zambian of humble beginnings.”

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