Zambia declares mourning after the death of former president

By NOEL SICHALWE
Associated Press

LUSAKA, Zambia (AP) — Zambia has declared a period of national mourning following the death of the country’s fourth president, Rupiah Banda, at the age of 85. His son Andrew Banda has confirmed that Banda, who was president from 2008 until 2011, died after a long battle with colon cancer. President Hakainde Hichilema declared seven days of national mourning. Hichilema had visited Banda a day before his death on Friday. Banda became president following the death of his predecessor Levy Mwanawasa who had earlier brought him out of political retirement to become vice president. Banda’s political activism began when he was a youth and was involved in demonstrations calling for Zambia’s independence from Britain, which was achieved in 1964.