Former Zambian President Edgar Lungu, who served as the leader of the southern African nation from 2015-2021 has been pronounced dead by medical experts at age 68.
As gathered, Lungu was pronounced death at a South African Hospital, where he was receiving specialized treatment for an undisclosed ailment.
There was no mention of what he was suffering from, but a decade ago the former president underwent throat surgery abroad. At the time his office said he was suffering from a narrowing of the oesophagus.
Lungu’s death was announced by his daughter Tasila Lungu-Mwansa in a video posted on the official facebook page of his political party, the Patriotic Front on Thursday.
According to the former leader daughter, he died in a hospital in South Africa after having been under “medical supervision” in recent weeks.
Lungu led Zambia for six years from 2015, losing the 2021 election to the current President Hakainde Hichilema by a large margin.
Lungu had sought to challenge Hichilema in next year’s presidential election, but a court last year barred him from standing.
The court ruled his time as president from 2015-2016 counted as a full term and said he had, therefore, served the maximum length of two terms.
Lungu alleged there was political interference in the court ruling. His wife and other family members have faced corruption allegations.
Lungu claimed last year that his movements were being monitored by police and he had effectively been placed under house arrest to restrict his return to politics.
However, the Police responded that it was standard to monitor former presidents for their safety.
