Rupiah Bwezani Banda was a Zambian politician who served as the fourth president of Zambia from 2008 to 2011. He took over from Levy Mwanawasa who died as the sitting president.
Banda was born on February 19, 1937 in the town of Miko, Gwanda, Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) to Zambian migrant workers.
He received his second-cycle education from Munali Secondary School. While at Munali, he became a member of the Zambian African National Congress (ZANC) headed by the late Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula.
Banda graduated from Lund University in 1964.
He was an active member in politics since the presidency of Kenneth Kaunda where he held several diplomatic posts.
In October 2006, he was appointed vice-president by Mwanawasa. He became acting president, following Mwanawasa’s death in August 2008 after suffering a stroke.
Amid October 2008 by-elections, he narrowly won against opposition leader Michael Sata of the Patriotic Front and he was ultimately defeated by Sata in the September 2011 presidential election, ending his three-year presidency.
Rupiah Banda Cause Of Death
Rupiah Banda died at his residence in Lusaka on March 11, 2022, after battling colon cancer.
He had been undergoing Cancer treatment after he was diagnosed with Cancer of the Colon, according to his family.
Rupiah Banda was 85 years old at the time of his demise.
He is survived by his wife, Thandiwe Banda and 7 children.