President William Ruto has led Kenya in mourning the former Zambian President Edgar Lungu, who passed away on Thursday, June 5.
In a statement on X, President Ruto eulogised the former president as a leader who served his people with zeal and commitment, sending the Zambians a message of condolences.
"Our condolences to the family and the people of Zambia for the untimely death of Former President Edgar Lungu," part of the statement read.
"President Lungu was a progressive and outstanding leader who served the people of Zambia with zeal and commitment. May God grant the people of Zambia strength and comfort during this painful time. Rest In Peace."
At the time of his passing, President Lungu was 68 and was receiving specialised treatment in South Africa for an undisclosed illness, according to his party, the Patriotic Front (PF).
His daughter also shared a short video, revealing that the late president had been under medical supervision in recent weeks before he died at a clinic in South Africa's capital, Pretoria, at 6:00 am.
"In this moment of grief, we invoke the spirit of 'One Zambia, One Nation' – the timeless creed that guided President Lungu's service to our country," she shared in the tribute.
Although his condition was not mentioned, the former president underwent throat surgery abroad about a decade ago, with his office saying that he was suffering from a narrowing of the oesophagus.
Lungu had been in the top seat between 2015 and 2021, when he lost to the current president, Hakainde Hichilema, by a large margin.
After his loss, Lungu disappeared from the political field for a short time before returning with vigorous opposition and became a top critic of President Hichilema.
In fact, he had even demonstrated a willingness to recapture his seat before he was barred by the Constitutional Court in 2024, as he had already served the maximum two terms allowed by law.
His six-year administration was marred by many injustices, including several corruption scandals and the intimidation of opposition supporters.
