Zambian former President Edgar Lungu’s retirement payments and privileges have been revoked by the Zambian government due to his choice to resume active political participation.
After six years in power, Lungu announced his retirement in 2021 after losing the presidential election to Hakainde Hichilema. However, he made the decision to go back into politics, which contributed to set the stage for a brutal 2026 presidential contest.
According to government spokesperson Cornelius Mweetwa, the former president has already been informed that his retirement perks and privileges would be immediately withdrawn.
He said that the law made it very clear that previous presidents would no longer be eligible for benefits if they entered politics again.
Upon his retirement as President, Mr. Lungu was eligible for a number of benefits including a furnished home, three state cars, a diplomatic passport, three security guards, health insurance, and burial costs at his death. His immunity from prosecution was another benefit.
The former leader will now be treated with “equality of the law,” according to Mr. Mweetwa, during a news conference on Wednesday, meaning that he will be treated like any other senior citizen in the nation.
Under his successor, Lungu hopes to take advantage of the nation’s mounting discontent with the ongoing economic problems.
Concerning what they perceived as the “shrinking” of human rights freedoms in the nation, civil society organizations have also voiced their worries.
Lungu declared last week that he was making a political comeback and that his goal was to uphold and protect democracy in the nation. He also promised to prevent the downfall of his fragmented, once-ruling Patriotic Front party.
The spokesperson for the government refuted Mr. Lungu’s recent claim that he was being targeted by UPND supporters, the party in power. The former leader was as safe “as any other citizen,” he said, dismissing Mr. Lungu’s claims that his life had been endangered as a “mere false alarm.”
However, Lungu received a warning against using aggressive tactics against President Hichilema’s administration.
It is unclear if Lungu’s immunity from prosecution would be lifted, even though Zambia’s parliament has withdrawn the privilege to immunity for two past presidents: Frederick Chiluba in 2002 and Rupiah Banda in 2013.
A few UPND lawmakers have been demanding that his immunity be revoked and that he be prosecuted for suspected corruption committed while in power. However, Lungu said the accusations have political motivations.
Ozioma Samuel-Ugwuezi
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