Zambia’s ex-president Rupiah Banda to be buried on March 18

Zambia’s fourth president Rupiah Banda, who died Friday, will be laid to rest on March 18 at the Presidential Burial Site, Embassy Park in the capital Lusaka, the government has announced.

Zambia president Hakainde Hichilema has declared seven days of national mourning in honour of the former president in recognition of his immense contribution to the nation.

Prior to the burial, the government will host a state funeral on Thursday, March 17, at the Lusaka showground which heads of state and government are expected to be attended.

Mr Banda, who ruled the country between 2008 and 2011 before the late Michael Sata of the Patriotic Front took over, was diagnosed with colon cancer two years ago.

Born in the then Southern Rhodesia, Banda entered the political fray at a tender age. He participated in Zambia’s struggle for independence.

Imprisoned by colonialists

He used to narrate how colonialists cornered him and imprisoned him for delivering mails to liberation fighters.

After Zambia’s independence from Britain in 1964, he would land a series of diplomatic posts.

Zambia’s founding president Kenneth Kaunda appointed him Zambia’s first ambassador to Egypt at the age of 27. At the age of 30, he was appointed Zambia’s ambassador to the United States.

After the 2006 general election, he was appointed Zambia’s vice-president by the late president Levy Mwanawasa.

He would ascend to Mwanawasa's presidential responsibilities after the then incumbent suffered a stroke in June 2008 while on assignment in Egypt.

Following Mwanawasa's death in August 2008, Banda became acting president. He narrowly beat Mr Micheal Sata in a snap election. Sata, however, beat him in the September 2011 polls.