Edgar Lungu facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Edgar Lungu
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Lungu in 2019
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| 6th President of Zambia | |
| In office 26 January 2015 – 24 August 2021 |
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| Vice President | Inonge Wina |
| Preceded by | Guy Scott (acting) |
| Succeeded by | Hakainde Hichilema |
| Minister of Defence of Zambia | |
| In office 23 December 2013 – 25 January 2015 |
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| President | Michael Sata Guy Scott |
| Preceded by | Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba |
| Succeeded by | Davies Chama |
| Member of the National Assembly for Chawama | |
| In office September 2011 – 25 January 2015 |
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| Preceded by | Violet Sampa-Bredt |
| Succeeded by | Lawrence Sichalwe |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Edgar Chagwa Lungu
11 November 1956 Ndola, Loangwa, Northern Rhodesia, Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland (present-day Copperbelt Province, Zambia) |
| Died | 5 June 2025 (aged 68) Pretoria, South Africa |
| Political party | Patriotic Front |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 6 |
| Alma mater | University of Zambia |
Edgar Chagwa Lungu (born 11 November 1956 – died 5 June 2025) was an important Zambian politician. He served as the sixth president of Zambia from January 2015 to August 2021.
Before becoming president, Mr. Lungu worked as a lawyer. He also held several important government jobs under President Michael Sata, including Minister of Justice and Minister of Defence. After President Sata passed away in October 2014, Edgar Lungu was chosen to run for president for the Patriotic Front party.
In the special election held in January 2015, he won by a small number of votes against Hakainde Hichilema. He then became president on 25 January 2015, finishing the rest of President Sata's term.
Mr. Lungu was elected for a full presidential term in August 2016. He again won against Hakainde Hichilema, though the results were first challenged. The court later confirmed his victory, and he was sworn in on 13 September 2016. In the 2021 election, he was defeated by Hakainde Hichilema. Edgar Lungu passed away in June 2025 in South Africa after a surgery.
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Early Life and Education
Edgar Lungu was born on 11 November 1956 in Ndola Central Hospital. He studied law at the University of Zambia and earned his law degree in 1981. After that, he worked at a law firm in Lusaka. He also received military training in Kabwe before returning to his law career. Later, he decided to enter politics.
In 2010, Mr. Lungu's license to practice law was temporarily stopped by the Law Association of Zambia because of a professional issue.
Political Journey
Mr. Lungu first ran for a seat in parliament in 1996 as an independent candidate for the Chawama area. He did not win that election. He later joined the United Party for National Development party when it was formed in 1998.
In 2001, he joined the Patriotic Front party and ran for the Chawama seat again, but he did not win.
He finally won the parliamentary seat for Chawama in the 2011 general election. After his party, the Patriotic Front, won the election, Mr. Lungu became a junior minister in the Vice-President's office. He was later promoted to Minister of Home Affairs in 2012. In 2013, he became Minister of Defence. He also served as Acting President when President Michael Sata was unwell. He held important roles within his party, including being the Secretary General and Minister of Justice.
When President Sata went for medical treatment in October 2014, Mr. Lungu was left in charge of the country. After President Sata's death, Mr. Lungu was seen as a strong candidate to become the next president.
On 3 November 2014, the Acting President, Dr. Guy Scott, removed Mr. Lungu from his role as Secretary-General of the Patriotic Front. However, the very next day, Dr. Scott gave him the position back. On 30 November, Mr. Lungu was chosen as the President of the Patriotic Front party at a meeting in Kabwe.
On 20 January 2015, Mr. Lungu ran in the special presidential election. He won against his main opponent, Hakainde Hichilema, by a small margin. The Electoral Commission of Zambia announced him as the winner on 24 January.
First Term as President (2015–2016)
Edgar Lungu was sworn in as President of Zambia on 26 January 2015 in Lusaka. Soon after, he appointed Inonge Wina as Zambia's first female Vice-President.
In March 2015, Mr. Lungu had a health issue while giving a speech. After a short time in a Zambian hospital, he had an operation in South Africa. On 16 July 2015, he changed the death penalties of 332 prisoners to life in prison. He also spoke about the very crowded conditions in prisons, saying it was not fair to human dignity.
In October 2015, President Lungu called for a national day of prayer to help the country's economy. Many religious and political leaders took part. This day, 18 October, was later made an official public holiday in Zambia. President Lungu also asked the media to report "truthfully."
He focused on making Zambia's economy less dependent on copper mining. He wanted to grow other areas like agriculture and energy. He met with leaders from other countries, including French President François Hollande and Pope Francis.
Second Term as President (2016–2021)
Mr. Lungu ran for a full term in the August 2016 presidential election. It was another close race against Hakainde Hichilema. Mr. Lungu won with just over 50% of the votes. Mr. Hichilema challenged the results, but the court dismissed the case. Mr. Lungu was then sworn in for his full five-year term on 13 September 2016.
In the August 2021 general election, Mr. Lungu ran again but lost to Hakainde Hichilema. He accepted his defeat, and Mr. Hichilema was declared the winner on 16 August 2021.
After His Presidency
After the 2021 election, Edgar Lungu decided to step back from active politics for a while. However, he announced his return to active politics on 28 October 2023, taking back his role as leader of the Patriotic Front party.
There was some discussion about whether Mr. Lungu could run for president again, as he had already served two terms. The Constitutional Court decided on 10 December 2024 that he could not run for president again because he had already served the maximum two terms allowed. Despite this ruling, he remained the leader of his part of the Patriotic Front and an alliance chairperson.
On 1 May 2025, the different parts of the Patriotic Front party reunited, and Mr. Lungu became the party president again.
Personal Life and Passing
Edgar Lungu married Esther Lungu in 1986, and they had six children. His daughter, Tasila Lungu, was elected as a Member of Parliament in 2021. He and his family were Baptists.
In 2015, it was shared that Mr. Lungu was receiving treatment for a health condition called achalasia. In June 2021, he had a brief collapse during a public event due to a related health issue.
In early 2025, Mr. Lungu traveled to South Africa for special medical treatment. On the morning of 5 June 2025, he passed away in Pretoria, South Africa, due to heart problems after a surgery. He was 68 years old. The Zambian government announced seven days of mourning for him.
His family and party initially did not want a state funeral in Zambia, but after discussions, they agreed for President Hichilema to lead a state funeral on 22 June. However, the burial was later suspended, and his family announced that he would be buried in South Africa.
Books
A book about Edgar Lungu's life, called Against All Odds, was written by Anthony Mukwita. It was published in January 2017. This book was special because it was the first Zambian book to be sold at a major bookstore like Barnes & Noble and featured at the London Book Fair.
See also
In Spanish: Edgar Lungu para niños
