Levy Mwanawasa
| Levy Patrick Mwanawasa | |
|---|---|
Mwanawasa on 16 March 2006.
|
|
| 3rd President of Zambia | |
|
In office 2 January 2002 – 19 August 2008 |
|
| Vice President |
Enoch Kavindele Nevers Mumba Lupando Mwape Rupiah Banda |
| Preceded by | Frederick Chiluba |
| Succeeded by | Rupiah Banda |
| Vice President of Zambia | |
|
In office 1991–1994 |
|
| President | Frederick Chiluba |
| Preceded by | Position vacant |
| Succeeded by | Godfrey Miyanda |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
3 September 1948 Mufulira, Zambia |
| Died | 19 August 2008 (aged 59) Paris, France |
| Political party | MMD |
| Spouse(s) | Maureen Mwanawasa |
| Children | 7 |
| Profession | Lawyer |
| Religion | Baptist |
Levy Patrick Mwanawasa (3 September 1948 – 19 August 2008) was the third Republican President of Zambia. He ruled the country from January 2002 until his death in August 2008. He is credited for having initiated a campaign to rid the country of corruption. Prior to his election, Mwanawasa served as vice-president from 1991 to 1994 whilst an elected Member of Parliament for Chifubu Constituency.
Mwanawasa was born in Mufulira, Northern Rhodesia, as the second of 10 children. He held 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 in the Zambian government but he went back to private practice in 1986.
In 1989, he led the legal defence team for Lt. Gen Christon Tembo, who was accused by the Kenneth Kaunda government of conspiracy to overthrow the government, which was judged as an act of treason worthy of the death penalty; Tembo won the case against the state, and Mwanawasa's fame among the anti-Kaunda opposition grew. After Frederick Chiluba was elected as President, he appointed Mwanawasa as Vice-President in December 1991. Mwanawasa left his firm in March 1992.
Before his party's convention in 1990, Mwanawasa was widely tipped to become the President of the Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD), but he declined the overture, citing his young age and inexperience. He opted instead to stand as a member of parliament and won with an overwhelming majority of the popular vote.
On 8 December 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 hospitalised for three months. A lasting effect of the accident was his noticeably slurred speech. A commission of inquiry was set up to investigate who was responsible for the alleged assassination attempt.
Mwanawasa served as Vice-President until he resigned in 1994. In 1996 he unsuccessfully contested Chiluba for the presidency of the Movement for Multiparty Democracy. After the loss, Mwanawasa retired from politics until the 2001 election.
...
Wikipedia