Levy Patrick Mwanawasa (3 September 1948 – 19 August 2008) was a Zambian politician who served as the third president of Zambia. He served as president from January 2002 until his death in August 2008. Mwanawasa is credited with having initiated a campaign to rid the corruption situation in Zambia during his term. Prior to Mwanawasa's election, he served as the fourth vice-president of Zambia from November 1991 to July 1994, whilst an elected Member of Parliament of Chifubu Constituency.
Early life and legal career Mr. 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 November 1991. Mwanawasa left his firm in March 1992.
Accident 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 for Chifubu 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.
Politics Mwanawasa served as vice-president until he resigned in July 1994. In 1996 he unsuccessfully challenged Chiluba for the presidency of the Movement for Multiparty Democracy. After the loss, Mwanawasa retired from politics until the 2001 election.
2001 election In August 2001, the National Executive Committee of MMD elected Mwanawasa as its presidential candidate for the 2001 election. He won the election, held on 27 December 2001, with 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 2 January 2002. However, the results of the elections were disputed by main opposition parties, including Mazoka's United Party for National Development. Some domestic and international election monitors cited serious irregularities with the campaign and election, including flawed voter registration, unequal and biased media coverage, and the MMD's improper use of state resources. In January 2002, three opposition candidates petitioned the Supreme Court to overturn Mwanawasa's victory. While the court agreed that the poll was flawed, it ruled in February 2005 that the irregularities did not affect the results and declined the petition.Supreme Court Upholds Mwanawasa's Election.The New Humanitarian. 17 February 2005.
First term as president In February 2002, Mwanawasa's government filed defamation charges against The Post editor Fred M'membe and opposition lawmaker Dipak Patel for an article in which M'membe quoted Patel as calling Mwanawasa a "cabbage", an apparent reference to his injuries.
However, in a move Mwanawasa described as an attempt to promote "national reconciliation", Mwanawasa appointed a number of opposition lawmakers to his cabinet in February 2003, including Patel of the FDD as Minister of Trade, Commerce, and Industry, and Sylvia Masebo of the ZRP as Local Government Minister. However, Godfrey Miyanda, himself also belonging to the opposition, opposed the move and threatened to file a lawsuit over it.
In January 2005, Mwanawasa apologised to the nation for failing to tackle Zambian poverty. About 75% of the country's population lived on less than $1 a day,"I failed Zambia, says president", BBC News, 10 January 2005. the United Nations' indicator of absolute poverty.
He was elected as president of the MMD for a five-year term in 2005.James Butty, , VOA News, 21 July 2008.
2006 election Mwanawasa ran for a second term in the presidential election held on 28 September 2006. Michael Sata of the Patriotic Front was considered his main challenger. His re-election was confirmed on 2 October; according to official results, he received 42.98% of the vote. He was sworn in for another term on 3 October.Joseph J. Schatz, "Mwanawasa Sworn in As Zambia President", Associated Press, 3 October 2006. A few days later, he named a new cabinet and appointed Rupiah Banda as vice-president.Shapi Shacinda, "Mwanawasa warns challenger, names new cabinet", Reuters (IOL), 9 October 2006.
Policies
Foreign investors liked Mwanawasa, owing partly to his anti-corruption drive. During his presidency, Zambia received foreign investment. The main driver of economic growth was minerals. Mwanawasa's policies helped to lower inflation and spread some benefits to the poor. Tourists and white farmers diverted from Zimbabwe and helped Zambian economy. Mwanawasa turned the Zambian town of Livingstone, near Victoria Falls, into a tourist hub.Levy Mwanawasa The Telegraph Zambia received a relatively large amount of aid and debt relief because of liberalisation and Mwanawasa's "stolid efforts". Overall, economic growth increased to about 6% per year.Zambia: Why Africa needs more cabbage The Economist
Mwanawasa criticised President Robert Mugabe of neighbouring Zimbabwe. Mwanawasa was one of the first African leaders to publicly do so. When Mwanawasa died, Zimbabwean opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai was among the first to publicly express grief.
Mwanawasa sold off Konkola Copper Mines to Vedanta for $25m despite an initial asking price of $400m. An amount (i.e. $25m) the company made back in around 3 months and was later making a minimum of $500m in profit per year despite its environmental pollutions of the local community.
Mwanawasa was open to accepting climate immigrants from Kiribati into Zambia, telling Anote Tong that the country had "plenty of room", but a deal was not finalized.
Health In April 2006, Mwanawasa experienced a mild stroke.Liu Jinhai, "News Analysis: Zambia faces vital political reshuffle as president dies" , Xinhua, 19 August 2008."Ailing Mwanawasa heading to France", Reuters (IOL), 2 July 2008.
On 29 June 2008, while in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, for an African Union summit, Mwanawasa was hospitalised due to a second stroke. On 1 July, International SOS evacuated him by air ambulance to France for further treatment."'Mwanawasa in semi-coma'", Sapa-Associated Press (IOL), 2 July 2008. The head of the Egyptian hospital to which Mwanawasa was taken said that the doctors there had stopped the brain haemorrhage and that he was in a semi-comatose state. Vice-President Banda said that his condition was stable, and Minister of Information Mike Mulongoti noted that Mwanawasa had previously suffered from hypertension; Mulongoti also said that Mwanawasa was a "very hard working man" and said that this may have been a factor.James Butty, "Zambian President Has Had a History of Hypertension, Says Information Minister" , VOA News, 2 July 2008.
Due to Mwanawasa's incapacitation, Banda became acting president.
Death reports On 3 July 2008 news outlets began reporting that Mwanawasa had died in a Paris hospital due to his stroke. The story originated at the Johannesburg-based 702 Talk Radio, which cited Malone Zaza, who claimed to be the head of protocol at Zambia's High Commission in Pretoria, South Africa; however, the commission denied having someone employed at the embassy with that name. Mulongoti, speaking for the government, said the news of Mwanawasa's death was "false", and he urged the South African media to show more restraint in its reporting. As the reports were spreading, South African President Thabo Mbeki called for a moment of silence in Mwanawasa's memory; the South African government quickly expressed regret over this misunderstanding and expressed Mbeki's hopes for Mwanawasa's recovery."False death reports cover globe", Sapa (IOL), 3 July 2008.
Treatment in France Mwanawasa was hospitalised at the Percy Military Hospital in Clamart, near Paris. In a statement on 7 July 2008, Banda said that Mwanawasa "remain[ed] in a stable condition" but had to undergo surgery, which Banda described as minor, to correct a breathing problem."President Mwanawasa undergoes medical review" , Zambian Presidency website, 7 July 2008. Banda said on 8 July that this operation was successful."DR MWANAWASA, SC HAD A SUCCESSFUL OPERATION" , Zambian Presidency website, 8 July 2008. On 11 July, Banda said that Mwanawasa's condition was stable and that his doctors were "satisfied with [his] current status"."Medical team satisfied with President Mwanawasa's current status" , Zambian Presidency website, 8 July 2008.
Benny Tetamashimba, the MMD's chairman for Information and Publicity, subsequently said that the MMD "should begin looking for a successor" to Mwanawasa"Successor for Mwanawasa? Not yet, says Zambia", The Mercury (IOL), 15 July 2008, page 6. as president of the MMD. Mulongoti, speaking on state radio on 14 July, said that Tetamashimba's suggestion did not represent the government's views. United Party for National Development leader Hakainde Hichilema said that Mwanawasa's incapacitation had paralysed the functioning of the government. On 15 July, Patriotic Front leader Michael Sata questioned the official claims about Mwanawasa's health, and he called for a team of doctors to be sent by the Cabinet to examine Mwanawasa; this team would then disclose Mwanawasa's actual condition."Is Mwanawasa fit to rule?", Sapa-AFP (IOL), 15 July 2008. On 17 July, the MMD announced that Tetamashimba was facing potential disciplinary action, including the possibility of expulsion from the party."Official calls for Mwanawasa's successor", Sapa-AFP (IOL), 17 July 2008. Tetamashimba argued that he had been misunderstood. He also said that Mwanawasa's condition was improving and that he was "responding to treatment", while asserting that the government was functioning smoothly and criticising the opposition call for a team of doctors to report on Mwanawasa's health.
Banda gave another update of Mwanawasa's condition on 24 July, saying that he was making "steady progress … in his recovery"."UPDATE REPORT ON THE CONDITION OF HIS EXCELLENCY THE PRESIDENT, DR LEVY P MWANAWASA, SC" , Zambian Presidency website, 24 July 2008."Mwanawasa's condition 'promising'", Sapa-AFP (IOL), 25 July 2008. Skepticism regarding Banda's optimistic updates was reportedly widespread. Minister of Health Brian Chituwo, speaking before the National Assembly on 8 August, said that Mwanawasa's "healing process will indeed be long" due to the "serious nature of [his] illness"."Zambia president 'facing long recuperation'", Sapa-AFP, 8 August 2008.
Death