Former Zambian President Edgar Lungu has taken legal action in the High Court of Lusaka, challenging the authorities’ decision to deny him permission to travel to South Korea for a world peace conference. Lungu was prevented from boarding a plane on Saturday and informed that he lacked the necessary clearance from the Cabinet. He and his wife, Esther Lungu, were scheduled to travel to South Korea via Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, but were unexpectedly informed of the cancellation of their trip by a protocol officer.

A spokesperson for the Zambian opposition Patriotic Front (PF), Emmanuel Mwamba, described the incident, stating that Lungu was removed from the plane despite receiving clearance and a boarding pass. Mwamba was quoted saying:

They were cleared properly, and bags were checked in. Boarding passes were issued, but afterwards, there was an uncomfortable delay.

Shortly, a protocol officer approached President Lungu and told him the trip had been cancelled.

Lungu has named Zambia’s Attorney General as the respondent in this matter. Lungu is pursuing an order which invalidates the decision made by the Director General of Zambia’s Department of Immigration, which denied him permission to leave the country for South Korea. Additionally, he seeks an order to suspend the Director General’s decision and a refund for the expenses incurred for the air tickets. The High Court, presided by Judge Charles Zulu, will hear Lungu’s application on Monday 18 September 2023 in Lusaka.

Lungu served as Zambia’s sixth president until August 2021 when he was defeated by incumbent President Hakainde Hichilema in the country’s election.