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Edgar Lungu, Zambia’s former president, has died at age 68.
The former lawyer, who was in office from 2015 to 2021, had attempted to run for the top job again but was barred by a court ruling six months ago. His party, the Patriotic Front, said Lungu passed away at a medical center in South Africa where he had been receiving treatment for an undisclosed illness. Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema, a longtime rival of Lungu’s, declared a period of national mourning.
Lungu’s legacy has been widely described as checkered. He oversaw an ambitious infrastructure push as president, in partnership with Chinese state-backed firms, but also racked up billions of dollars in debt: In November 2020, Zambia became the first African country to default on its loans during the global pandemic. “He will be remembered for tolerating thuggery by his supporters although he also represented a brand of politicians who interacted across class,” a political analyst at the University of Zambia told Reuters.
