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Zambian President Michael Sata dies in London Zambian President Michael Sata dies in London
(35 minutes later)
Zambian President Michael Sata has died in London, where he had been receiving treatment for an undisclosed illness, a government source in Africa's second-largest copper producer said on Wednesday. Zambian President Michael Sata has died in London, where he had been receiving treatment for an undisclosed illness, a government source confirmed today.
The private Muzi television station and the Zambia Reports and Zambian Watchdog websites said the southern African nation's 77-year-old leader died on Tuesday evening at London's King Edward VII hospital. The nation's 77-year-old leader died on Tuesday evening at King Edward VII hospital in Regent's Park, London.
“It is true. We lost the President. The acting president will make a statement soon,” the source told Reuters. Sata left Zambia for medical treatment on 19 October with his wife and family members, according to a brief government statement which gave no further details regarding health.
Sata is likely to be succeeded on an interim basis by defence minister Edgar Lungu, who stood in recently as acting president, or vice-president Guy Scott, who would become Africa's first white head of state since South Africa's FW de Klerk in 1994. He disappeared from the public eye in June and concerns over his illness increased as he was then reported to have sought medical care in Israel.
A Zambian government source told Reuters: “It is true. We lost the President. The acting president will make a statement soon.”
An interim president is likely to succeed Sata and two candidates include defence minister Edgar Lungu, who stood in recently as acting president, and vice-president Guy Scott, who would become Africa's first white head of state since South Africa's FW de Klerk in 1994.
The constitution says a new presidential election must be held within 90 days, with most analysts saying Scott is unlikely to run because of citizenship restrictions.The constitution says a new presidential election must be held within 90 days, with most analysts saying Scott is unlikely to run because of citizenship restrictions.
The Zambian kwacha was largely unchanged. The Zambian kwacha currency was largely unchanged by the events and "everything should still be on track", one trader said in the capital city Lusaka.
“Obviously there will be a sentimental temptation to go long dollars, but I'm also quite confident the central bank will do everything it can to protect the currency,” one Lusaka-based trader said. “In terms of the economy, everything should still be on track.” While being treated for his illness, Sata missed out on the landlocked south African nation's 50th anniversary of independence from Britain last week, which was instead led by Lungu, secretary general of Sata's Patriotic Front party.
Sata left Zambia for medical treatment abroad on 19 October accompanied by his wife and family members, according to a brief government statement at the time that gave no further details. Sata also missed a scheduled speech at the UN General Assembly in September amid reports that he had fallen ill in his New York hotel.
There was no official update on his condition and Lungu, secretary general of Sata's Patriotic Front party, had to lead celebrations last week to mark the landlocked nation's 50th anniversary of independence from Britain. A few days before that, he had attended the opening of parliament in Lusaka, joking: “I am not dead.”
Concern over Sata's health had been mounting since June when he disappeared from the public eye without explanation and was then reported to be getting medical treatment in Israel.
He missed a scheduled speech at the UN General Assembly in September amid reports that he had fallen ill in his New York hotel. A few days before that, he had attended the opening of parliament in Lusaka, joking: “I am not dead.”
Sata has not been seen in public since he returned to Zambia from New York in late September.Sata has not been seen in public since he returned to Zambia from New York in late September.
Reuters