Former Zambian President Edgar Lungu has passed away at the age of 68. His death occurred on Thursday, June 5, while he was undergoing specialised medical treatment at Mediclinic Medforum Hospital in Pretoria, South Africa. The news was confirmed by his political party, the Patriotic Front (PF), through a statement on Facebook, and also by his daughter, Tasila Lungu, a member of parliament in Zambia, in an emotional video statement. Tasila Lungu mentioned that her father had been under medical supervision in recent weeks and that his condition was managed with dignity and privacy, though the specific illness was not disclosed.

Edgar Lungu, a trained lawyer, had a significant political career in Zambia. He held key cabinet positions, including Minister of Defence and Minister of Justice, before ascending to the presidency. He first assumed the office of head of state in 2015, following the death of the then-president, Michael Sata. Lungu was subsequently officially elected in the August 2016 general elections and served as Zambia's president until 2021.

In the 2021 general election, Lungu was defeated by Hakainde Hichilema, a long-time opposition leader. Following this electoral loss, Lungu initially announced his retirement and withdrew from the political scene. However, he staged a political comeback in 2023 and was reinstated as the leader of the Patriotic Front and its presidential candidate for a new alliance. Despite this return, his aspirations to reclaim the presidency were curtailed in December 2024 when Zambia’s Constitutional Court ruled that he was constitutionally barred from running for another term, effectively ending his political ambitions.