The world may remember Zambia’s President Levy Mwanawasa, who died aged 59 at a Paris hospital on August 19, as the African leader who dared to criticise Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe. Zambians will remember him for standing up to his predecessor, Frederick Chiluba.

 He proved he was no puppet, despite being Chiluba’s chosen successor, within months of taking office in 2002, he had stripped the former president of his immunity from prosecution for corruption. He has also won plaudits from the international community for his fight against corruption and his economic policies.  

In 1994, he resigned as vice president, saying his integrity had been “put in doubt”, following a row with minister without portfolio and cabinet enforcer Michael Sata, who later challenged him for the presidency. Regionally, he broke with tradition when he spoke out about the crisis in Zimbabwe, comparing the economic situation there to “a sinking Titanic”.

Many people who worked with him like George Kunda, the former chairman of the lawyers’ association, said he did not tolerate injustice in any form and was vehemently opposed to
the death penalty.

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