By EditorZambia
The accumulation of extraordinary wealth by the family of former president Edgar Chagwa Lungu now stands as one of the clearest illustrations of how public office can be abused for private gain.
Recent rulings by Zambia’s courts have stripped away political rhetoric and emotional appeals, replacing them with hard facts grounded in law, evidence, and judicial reasoning. What has emerged is not a story of political persecution but a disturbing pattern of unexplained wealth accumulation that fits squarely within the definition of proceeds of crime. 
The Lusaka High Court and the Economic and Financial Crimes Court have ordered the forfeiture to the State of assets linked to the Lungu family on a scale rarely seen in Zambia’s history. These include 79 motor vehicles, 23 properties, a filling station, luxury apartments, executive residences, and farms worth tens of millions of Kwacha. The courts were unequivocal. The assets were acquired using funds whose lawful sources could not be reasonably explained.
In one of the most striking rulings, the High Court ordered the forfeiture of 79 vehicles and 23 properties gifted by Edgar Lungu to his son Dalitso Lungu. When asked to explain how he acquired such immense wealth, Dalitso could offer no business records, no bank transfers, no tax filings, and no documentary trail. His sole explanation was that the assets were gifts from his father. The court found this insufficient and legally untenable.
The judges examined Dalitso Lungu’s employment history in detail. Records showed brief employment at a beverage company in 2012 earning just over five thousand Kwacha, followed by about three years at the Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) with total earnings of approximately K132,000 while servicing a personal loan. The court concluded that these earnings could not, even remotely, justify ownership of dozens of vehicles, multiple properties, and commercial enterprises.
Similar conclusions were reached in cases involving other members of the Lungu family. The Economic and Financial Crimes Court ordered the forfeiture of 15 luxury flats valued at 66 million Kwacha belonging to former first lady Esther Nyawa Lungu. She failed to provide evidence that the properties were acquired through legitimate means. Her claim that the former president financed the construction collapsed under scrutiny due to a complete absence of supporting documentation.
Former first daughter Tasila Lungu also lost a farm in Sinda District valued at between eight and nine million Kwacha after the court found a glaring discrepancy between her known income and the value of the property. Between 2015 and 2021, Tasila’s documented income amounted to just over one hundred and fifty thousand Kwacha, a figure the court found wholly inconsistent with the acquisition and development of such a farm. Her application for permission to appeal was dismissed, reinforcing the court’s stance on unexplained wealth.These rulings dismantle the narrative that the Lungu family is being targeted for political reasons. The forfeiture proceedings were non conviction based, as provided for under the Forfeiture of Proceeds of Crime Act. The State was only required to show reasonable grounds that the property was tainted. Once that threshold was met, the burden shifted to the property holders to prove lawful acquisition. They failed to do so.
What makes this case particularly troubling is the scale and brazenness of the accumulation. Edgar Lungu entered office, having declared assets reportedly in the region of K20 million. Yet within seven years, his immediate and extended family members were swimming in unspeakable wealth with properties, vehicles, and cash that were allegedly distributed across family lines for safekeeping. When asked to explain, the uniform answer was that everything came from the president.
This is the heart of the problem. A country where many citizens still live without running water, electricity, decent roads, or quality schools cannot morally justify a situation where the family of a sitting president amasses such wealth without explanation. This was not subtle corruption. It was merciless, gluttonous, and remorseless.
Those who cry political persecution in the face of these facts are misguided. Courts of law are not political rallies. Judges are not party cadres. They deal in evidence, not slogans. The judgments against the Lungu family were delivered by different courts, supported by financial records, tax data, and investigative findings. They represent the rule of law at work.
The New Dawn fight should not be perceived as witch hunting as some people have hastily concluded.The lesson from the Lungu family saga is clear. Public office is a position of trust, not a licence to loot. Wealth accumulated without lawful explanation will eventually attract scrutiny. When it does, no amount of political noise from the opposition can shield the truth.
In Zambia, as these judgments have shown, crime does not pay, and stolen wealth, no matter how grand, ultimately belongs to the people.
