Levy Mwanawasa
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| Levy Patrick Mwanawasa | |
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| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office 02 January 2002 |
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| Vice President | Enoch Kavindele Nevers Mumba Lupando Mwape Rupiah Banda |
| Preceded by | Frederick Chiluba |
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| Born | 3 September 1948 Mufulira, Zambia |
| Political party | MMD |
| Spouse | Maureen Mwanawasa |
| Profession | Lawyer |
| Religion | Protestant |
Levy Patrick Mwanawasa (born September 3, 1948) is the incumbent President of Zambia since 2002.
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[edit] Early life
Mwanawasa was born in Mufulira, the second of 10 children. He 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 in the Zambian government but he went back to private practice in 1986. President Frederick Chiluba appointed Mwanawasa Vice-President in December 1991. He left his firm in March 1992.
[edit] Accident
It has been argued that due to his high profile as a lawyer, he would have been the obvious choice to succeed President Kenneth Kaunda. Before his party convention in 1990 he was widely tipped to be the Movement for Multi-Party Democracy (MMD) President, he declined the overture citing his young age and inexperience, however he opted to stand as a Member of Parliament and won with an overwhelming majority of the popular vote. Political opponents within his party have been suspected of orchestrating an assassination on his life. 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 hospitalized for three months. A lasting effect of the accident is his noticeably slurred speech. The accident involved a government driver. A commission of inquiry was set up to investigate who was responsible for the assassination attempt. Visiting investigators from Scotland Yard concluded that there had been, in fact, no plot to speak of.
[edit] Politics
Mwanawasa served as vice-president until he resigned in 1994, citing gross abuse of office and corruption by some leaders and insubordination to him by some colleagues. In 1996 he unsuccessfully contested Chiluba for the presidency of the Movement for Multiparty Democracy. He lost. He retired from active politics again.
[edit] 2001 elections
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. However, the results of the elections were disputed by main opposition parties, including Mazoka's United Party for National Development, which many observers claim had actually won the elections.[1] Both domestic and international election monitors cited serious irregularities with the campaign and election, including vote rigging, 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.[2]
In January 2005, Mwanawasa apologized to the nation for failing to tackle Zambian poverty. About 75% of the country's population live on less than $1 a day,[3] the United Nations' indicator of absolute poverty.
[edit] 2006 elections
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.[4] A few days later, he named a new cabinet and appointed Rupiah Banda as vice-president.[5]
[edit] Personal life
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.[6] His wife was a baptized member of the Jehovah's Witnesses but has since been disfellowshiped, because of her active role in politics. It is against the faith of Jehovah's Witnesses to take part or sides in politics.
In March 2005, Mwanawasa was baptised by Southern Baptist missionaries.[7]
[edit] See also
- Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD-IV), 2008.
[edit] References
- ^ Zambia's Fourth Democratic Elections: A Country of Minority Governments--By Tiens Kahenya, UPND Secretary General
- ^ Freedom in the World - Zambia (2006).
- ^ "I failed Zambia, says president", BBC News, January 10, 2005.
- ^ Joseph J. Schatz, "Mwanawasa Sworn in As Zambia President", Associated Press, October 3, 2006.
- ^ Shapi Shacinda, "Mwanawasa warns challenger, names new cabinet", Reuters, October 9, 2006.
- ^ H.E. LEVY P. MWANAWASA: President of the Republic of Zambia
- ^ [1]
| Political offices | ||
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| Preceded by Frederick Chiluba |
President of Zambia 2002 – present |
Incumbent |
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| Persondata | |
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| 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 | |
