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World mourns Mwanawasa
By SSI staff writer
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia- messages of condolences are pouring in from all corners of the world following the death of Zambian President Levy Mwanawasa who passed away on Tuesday August 19, 2008.
“As Vice-President and later President, Mr. Mwanawasa was at the forefront of Zambian politics at a time of exceptional challenges and change in his country and in the southern African region as a whole. His periods in office ranged from Zambia’s crucial role in the struggle to end apartheid in South Africa, to his firm stance, as SADC Chairman, on the post-election crisis in Zimbabwe. In the latter context, the Secretary-General greatly valued his frequent interaction with him over the past few months”, reads the message from UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon.
Jean Ping, AU chairperson expressed his condolences to the family of the late President and to the people of Zambia, and expressed his solidarity and that of the African people to the people of Zambia during this difficult period.
Jean Ping in his message said: “The passing of President Mwanawasa is a great loss not only to the people of Zambia, but also to the Southern African region and the entire African continent”. The chairperson also recalled President Mwanawasa’s commitment to democratic values, his contribution to conflict resolution on the continent, as well as his commitment to African development and unity and to the principles and objectives of the African Union
President of the republic of Somaliland Dahir Rayaale Kahin sent a message of condolence to the government and people of Zambia stating that he and the people of Somaliland share the sorrow of the people of Zambia and wish them to stay calm and mourn their president’s passing
Rayaale also noted that the death of president Mwanawasa was a dark day for all African friends of Zambia.
Secretary Condoleezza Rice, US Secretary of State for her part said: “President Mwanawasa’s passing is a great loss for Zambia and Africa. He served his country well at the highest levels of government for many years and was a trusted and key partner of the United States in the region. His spirited leadership of the Southern African Development Community over the past year was critical to that organization’s efforts to address the crisis in Zimbabwe. President Mwanawasa was also a staunch ally in the fight against HIV/AIDS and malaria. The United States valued President Mwanawasa’s friendship, his dedication to improving the welfare of the Zambian people, and his outspoken promotion of democratic values and human rights in the region. He will be dearly missed”.
Mwanawasa, 59, had been in hospital in Paris after having a stroke at the end of June during the African Union Summit in Egypt. Mwanawasa, first came to prominence as a leader of the Multi-party Movement for Democracy (MMD) which ended the one-party rule of founding president Kenneth Kaunda in 1991. Mwanawasa became Zambia’s third president on January 2, 2002. |
Profiling the late President Levry Mwanawasa
Some facts about Mwanawasa:
· Mwanawasa was a favorite of the International Monetary Fund and other Western donors who extended billions of dollars in debt relief in the wake of his crackdown on government spending and launch of a massive anti-graft drive.
· He was one of the region's strongest critics of Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe, saying Zimbabwean elections would bring embarrassment to Africa.
· Born on September 3 1948, Mwanawasa built his reputation as a lawyer for the former opposition, cultivating an earthy image in the process.
· He became vice president in 1991 after Frederick Chiluba ousted founding President Kenneth Kaunda in landmark multiparty elections.
· He stunned observers soon after winning the presidency in late 2001 by turning on Chiluba and then won vocal Western support for launching the biggest anti-corruption drive since Zambia won independence from Britain in 1964.
· He narrowly defeated opposition leader Michael Sata in a presidential election in 2006.
· Despite the debt relief package and major investments from China and India, Mwanawasa battled a growing public perception that his strong fiscal record had done little to benefit most of the 11.5 million people in the copper-rich nation.
· Mwanawasa had a minor stroke in April 2006 that prompted him to seek treatment in Britain, but in June 2006 he declared himself fit for office. He had another stroke at the African Union summit in Egypt last June
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