LUSAKA (Reuters) – Zambian President Levy Mwanawasa died in a French hospital on Tuesday after suffering a stroke several weeks ago, Vice President Rupiah Banda said.

The Zambian leader, 59, was a favorite with Western donors for tackling corruption in the southern African country and he had been one of the strongest critics in the region of Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe.

"Fellow countrymen, with deep sorrow and grief, I would like to inform the people of Zambia that our president Dr. Levy Patrick Mwanawasa died this morning at 1030 hours (4:30 a.m. EDT)," Banda said on state television.

"I also wish to inform the nation that national mourning starts today and will be for seven days."

Banda is expected to take over as acting president according to Zambia's constitution and elections would be called.

Mwanawasa built his reputation as a lawyer for the former opposition, cultivating an earthy image, and was credited for turning copper-rich Zambia into a rare African success story.

The International Monetary Fund and other Western donors extended billions of dollars in debt relief after he curbed government spending and launched the biggest anti-corruption drive since Zambia won independence from Britain in 1964.

He had been more critical of Mugabe than the leaders of many of Zimbabwe's other neighbors and had said that Zimbabwean elections held earlier this year would bring embarrassment to Africa.

His economic policies helped usher in strong growth, which averaged 5 percent over the last six years, while inflation declined to single digits in April 2006, for the first time in over three decades.

Despite the debt relief package and major investments from China and India, Mwanawasa has battled a growing public perception that his strong fiscal record had done little to benefit most of Zambia's 11.5 million people.

Mwanawasa became vice president in 1991 after Frederick Chiluba ousted founding President Kenneth Kaunda in landmark multiparty elections.

Soon after winning the presidency in late 2001, he stunned observers by turning on Chiluba.

Mwanawasa narrowly defeated opposition leader Michael Sata in a presidential election in 2006. Sata accused Mwanawasa of selling out Zambia to Chinese and Indian companies.

(Writing by Michael Georgy; editing by Marius Bosch)


Source: http://news.yahoo.com/story//nm/20080819/wl_nm/zambia_president_dc

hmmmm

Let us pray for our own President Yar A'dull who is now in Saudi Arabia in a German hospital for treatment.

Can anyone fail to notice the pattern of African leaders failing to build good hospital in their own country and at a drop of a hat they are somewhere in another part of the world on medical check up or treatment.

Two questios, who pay for the treatment and the time taken off for such treatment.

I think it is high time that anyone who is contesting for the office of the President must submitt or provide a comprehensive medical report about their health or they are disqualified form contesting for office.

THIS IS CALLED FITNESS TO HOLD OFFICE. - on this account,  YAR A'DULL may NOT BE FIT FOR OFFICE, and should either resign or be impeached for such purpose.

But,  I can bet my top dollar on the fact that nobody has the bottle to call on the President to either resign or face impeachment based on this.

It is high time the President disclose to the nation with evidence the true state of his health before we face the Zambian embarrssement. very few Preisdent die in a foreign hospital when it is not an emergency.