Eight months after the death of Zambia’s former president Edgar Lungu, his body remained unburied — a striking and largely unexplained standoff that East Africa correspondent Rodney Muhumuza set out to unravel.
Muhumuza traveled to Lusaka to investigate what lay behind the impasse and uncovered an unexpected dimension: a deeply rooted spiritual and political struggle between Lungu and his successor, President Hakainde Hichilema. Through interviews with religious leaders, scholars and even a cemetery manager, Muhumuza revealed how cultural beliefs and spiritual symbolism have shaped the dispute between Lungu’s family and the state.
His reporting illuminated how burial sites in Zambia can carry powerful political meaning, and how questions of legacy, last wishes and state protocol intersect with religious traditions. Drawing on his extensive regional network, Muhumuza placed the dispute within a broader African context, examining how faith and politics often intertwine in leadership rivalries.
The resulting story offered analysis and nuance that no other outlet had captured, presenting a complex and culturally sensitive issue with clarity and authority.
Judges praised the piece as a unique and insightful exploration of politics, culture and power.
For delivering a distinctive and globally resonant story, Rodney Muhumuza wins this week’s Best of AP — Second Winner.
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