Zambia’s former president, Edgar Lungu, has died at the age of 68 while receiving medical treatment in South Africa, his family and the Patriotic Front party announced on Thursday.

Lungu passed away in a Pretoria clinic where he had been receiving specialised care. “My father had been under medical supervision in recent weeks,” his daughter, Tasila Lungu-Mwansa, said in a video shared on social media, adding that his condition was managed “with dignity and privacy.”

Though the cause of death was not disclosed, Lungu had suffered from recurring achalasia, a condition affecting the oesophagus, for which he had previously received treatment in South Africa.

A former military officer and lawyer, Lungu served as Zambia’s president from 2015 to 2021, taking office after the death of President Michael Sata. He stepped down after losing the 2021 election to current president Hakainde Hichilema, but had expressed intentions to run again in 2026.