Former President of Zambia Edgar Lungu died

Former President of Zambia Edgar Lungu died

on June 5, 2025, in South Africa. He had undergone medical treatment there. He was 68 years old. Edgar Chagwa Lungu (November 11, 1956 – June 5, 2025) was a Zambian politician and the sixth President of Zambia from January 26, 2015, to August 24, 2021. He became president following the death of Michael Sata and won a full term in 2016, narrowly defeating opposition leader Hakainde Hichilema twice before losing to him in the 2021 election. Before his presidency, Lungu held various ministerial positions, including Minister of Justice and Minister of Defense, and served as President during Sata's illness. His presidency focused on economic diversification away from copper mining, infrastructure development, and strengthening Zambia's international standing. However, it was also marked by economic challenges, rising national debt, and criticism of his government's rigorous security measures and restrictions on press freedom. After his defeat in the 2021 elections, Lungu briefly withdrew from politics but later returned, despite the Zambian Constitutional Court barring him from running again.