ZAMBIA: President Levy Mwanawasa's body returned to Lusaka, ahead of state burial

Record ID: 454899

  • Title: ZAMBIA: President Levy Mwanawasa's body returned to Lusaka, ahead of state burial
  • Date: 29th August 2008
  • Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (English) SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY MINISTER, PETER DAKA, SAYING: "God will give us guidance to ensure that we usher in the new president without many squabbles." ACTING PRESIDENT, RUPHIA BANDA WALKING WITH FORMER FIRST LADY, MAUREEN MWANAWASA (SOUNDBITE) (English) FORMER ZAMBIA MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT, DONALD CHILUFYA, SAYING: "Zambians, they should vote wisely otherwise if they mess up, it will be their own problem."
  • Embargoed: 13th September 2008 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Zambia
  • Country: Zambia
  • Topics: Obituaries,Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA40Z2OM358KHO98GV0ZICJIOW0
  • Story Text: Late Zambian President Levy Mwanawasa's body arrives back in Lusaka for a state burial, after touring the country's nine provincial capitals.
    The late Zambian President Levy Mwanawasa's body returned to the capital, Lusaka on Friday (August 29) ahead of a state funeral expected to be held on Wednesday (September 3).
    Mwanawasa died in Paris on Tuesday (August 19), after suffering his second stroke in late June.
    His body returned home on Saturday (August 23) and left on Monday (August 25) to tour the country's nine provincial capitals where members of the public were able to pay their last respects.
    In Mongu, scuffles broke out between police and mourners as police tried to control the numbers queuing to see the President's body.
    Lusaka residents, who did not have an opportunity to pay their last respects to the late president, will have an opportunity on Saturday (August 30) and Sunday (August 31).
    As the country mourned its late president, many looked ahead to the upcoming elections to find Mwanawasa's replacement.
    "God will give us guidance to ensure that we usher in the new president without many squabbles," Peter Daka, Science and Technology minister said, who was among government officials who accompanied the body of the late President to the provincial capitals.
    "Zambians, they should vote wisely otherwise if they mess up, it will be their own problem," added Donald Chilufya, a former member of parliament in one of the constituencies in Lusaka.
    Vice President Rupiah Banda is acting as president until new elections are called. Under Zambia's constitution, an election must be called within 90 days of the presidential office becoming vacant. The presidential term is five years.
    Zambia has appointed a new elections chief ahead of the presidential vote and the ruling Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) will choose its presidential candidate on Friday (September 5).
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