Levy Mwanawasa

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Levy Mwanawasa
Levy Mwanawasa on March 16, 2006
3rd President of Zambia
Incumbent
Assumed office  January 2, 2002
Preceded by	Frederick Chiluba
Born	September 3, 1948 Mufulira, Zambia
Political party	Movement for Multiparty Democracy
Spouse	Maureen Mwanawasa
Profession	Lawyer

Levy Patrick Mwanawasa (born September 3, 1948) is the third President of Zambia (in office since 2002).

Mwanawasa was born in Mufulira, the second of 10 children, and holds a law degree from the University of Zambia. He worked in private law firms from 1974 until 1978 when he formed his own firm Mwanawasa & Company. In 1985, Mwanawasa served as Solicitor General of the Republic of Zambia but went back to private practice the following year. He was named as Vice-President of Zambia in December 1991 by the newly elected President Frederick Chiluba and left his firm in March 1992.

On December 8, 1991, Mwanawasa was involved in a serious traffic accident in which his aide died on the spot. He suffered multiple body injuries and was flown to Johannesburg, South Africa for medical treatment. He remained in hospital for 3 months. A lasting effect of the accident is his noticeably slurred speech.

Mwanawasa served as Zambia's vice-president until his resignation in 1994, citing gross abuse of office and corruption by some leaders and insubordination to him by some colleagues. In 1996, he contested Chiluba for the presidency of his party, the Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD), but lost. He retired from active politics again.

In August 2000, the National Executive Committee of MMD elected Mwanawasa as its presidential candidate for the 2001 election. He won the election, held on December 27, 2001, with only 29% due to Zambia's first past the post system, beating 10 other candidates including two other former vice presidents (Godfrey Miyanda and Gen. Christon Tembo); Anderson Mazoka came in a close second with 27%, according to official results. Mwanawasa took office on January 2, 2002. The results of the elections were, however, disputed by main opposition parties, including Mazoka's United Party for National Development, which many observers claim had actually won the elections. A court petition to nullify the results of the elections citing many irregularities was overturned under controversial circumstances.

In January 2005, Mwanawasa apologised to the nation for failing to tackle Zambian poverty. About 75% of the country's population live on less than $1 a day, the United Nations' indicator of absolute poverty. He declined to apologize for rejecting GM crops.

Mwanawasa ran for a second term in the presidential election held on September 28, 2006; Michael Sata was considered his main challenger. His re-election was confirmed on October 2; according to official results, he received 43% of the vote. He was sworn in for another term on October 3.^[1] A few days later, he named a new cabinet and appointed Rupiah Banda as vice-president.^[2]

Mwanawasa is married to Maureen Mwanawasa and they have four children: Chipokota, Matolo, Lubona and Ntembe. He also has two other children (Miriam and Patrick) from his first marriage. His wife was a baptized member of the Jehovah's Witnesses but has since been disfellowshiped.

[edit] References

1. ^ Joseph J. Schatz, "Mwanawasa Sworn in As Zambia President", Associated Press, October 3, 2006.
2. ^ Shapi Shacinda, "Mwanawasa warns challenger, names new cabinet", Reuters, October 9, 2006.

Mwanawasa Presidency has been dogged by rumours about ill health. Principle among these has been a reported chronic Prostrate Cancer condition and inadvertent attacks of epilepsy. Mwanawasa is also said to have sufferred more than one stroke which has impaired movement in the left side of his body. His tendancy to foregt things when giving press briefings has not helped to quell the rumour mill. In April 2006, Mwanawasa sufferred what was reported as a minor stroke. As a result of the stroke, Mwanawasa was hospitalised in London for upwards of one month. Following his hospitalisation, he returned to "light duties" in May 2006. He was only finally passed fit to resume national duties in July 2006. His health held up through the two month campaigning period before General Elections in September 2006 and in their aftermath. However, whilst on his way back from a China-Africa summit, Mwanawasa had a prolonged stopover in London, ostensibly on an official visit. This explanation is hard to believe because official visits are public events done at the invitation of the host government. There is as yet no official record of him having received an invitation from the British Government for an official visit. Unofficial reports claim that he is undergoing continued therapy for the stroke he sufferred in May 2006.

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Preceded by Frederick Chiluba

President of Zambia January 2, 2002–present

Succeeded by Incumbent

Presidents of Zambia
Kenneth Kaunda • Frederick Chiluba • Levy Mwanawasa

Persondata
NAME	Mwanawasa, Levy Patrick
ALTERNATIVE NAMES
SHORT DESCRIPTION	President of Zambia
DATE OF BIRTH	September 3, 1948
PLACE OF BIRTH	Mufulira, Zambia
DATE OF DEATH	living
PLACE OF DEATH