Zambia’s 4th Republican President Rupiah Banda has died. Mr. Banda died Friday evening around 19:00 Hours at his residence.
He had been undergoing Cancer treatment after he was diagnosed with Cancer of the Colon. His eldest son Andrew has confirmed the demise of Mr. Banda.
Rupiah Banda was born on 13 February 1937 in the town of Miko, Gwanda, Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) to Zambian migrant workers. His parents, Bwezani and Sarah Banda, had come to Zimbabwe in search of job opportunities. He spent his childhood in Zimbabwe where he was initially sponsored by a local Dutch Reformed Church preacher and later by the family of B. R. Naik who helped him financially and enabled him to get a good education. The Naiks were prominent political activists and because of their association, Rupiah too became interested in politics from a young age.
He received his secondary education from Munali Secondary School where he proved to be a bright student. While at Munali, he became a member of the Zambian African National Congress (ZANC) headed by the late Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula. He earned a scholarship to study at the University of Addis Ababa in Ethiopia. Here too he excelled academically and received a scholarship from the International Union of Students to study Economic History at Sweden’s prestigious Lund University and earned the equivalent of a Bachelors degree in 1964.
His interest in politics increased with time and eventually he became disillusioned with the ZANC’s moderate approach and left it to join the youth wing of Kenneth Kaunda’s United National Independence Party (UNIP).
While studying at Sweden he also served as UNIP’s Representative to Northern Europe and helped in spreading awareness about UNIP’s cause and secured scholarships for several Zambian students. He returned to Zambia after completing his course in Sweden and enrolled at the National Institute for Public Affairs (NIPA) for a course in Diplomacy and International Relations.
At 27 years old he became Zambia’s first Ambassador to Egypt. He left that posting the year of the “six-day war” of 1967. At 30 years old he was named Zambia’s ambassador to the United States and moved to Washington DC.
In 1970, he was appointed General Manager of the National Agricultural Marketing Board (NAMBOARD), the state crop marketing company. He subsequently became head of the Rural Development Corporation (RDC), the state agricultural holding company, one the largest state conglomerates of its time.
In 1974 President Banda became the Permanent Representative of Zambia to the UN. He served as Foreign Minister of Zambia from 1975, a critical period in the history of Southern Africa. At that time, Zambian diplomacy centred on efforts to liberate Southern Africa and Zambia’s role was pivotal in the events and initiatives leading up to resolution.
Zambia’s abiding interest in the liberation of the region meant that its Foreign Minister was among the key figures in the diplomacy and events that eventually led to the emancipation of the region. As such, Banda is known by, and has interacted extensively with, many of the leaders of the region today.
He also served as President of the UN Council on Namibia which was effectively the government of Namibia while the matter of South Africa’s disputed mandate over the territory was resolved.
President Banda had been Member of Parliament for the Lusaka seat of Munali for many years. He has also held the position of Senior District Governor for Lusaka, where he was the political and administrative head of the Zambian capital.
After the 2006 general election he was tapped for the post of Vice-President in Dr. Levy Mwanawasa’s government. He took over Mwanawasa’s presidential responsibilities after Mwanawasa suffered a stroke in June 2008, and following Mwanawasa’s death in August 2008, he became acting President. As the candidate of the governing Movement for Multiparty Democracy, he won the October 2008 presidential election. Seeking re-election in September 2011, he was defeated by opposition leader Michael Sata.
I am currently in kabwe recruiting supporters for the pf. I got a call from the 4th republicans secretary informing me of this sad demise. This then followed various calls from the pf leadership confirming the sad news. I have put everything I doing on hold and I am deeply shocked and saddened by this news. Sure ba rupiah how do you leave us like this. Sir we thank you so much for your service to this great nation. You did your best and you were a wise man who I learned a lot from. As an Easterner I am proud of you. The wise men come from the east and this saying befits you. Rest in peace tata.
Saddened
I am currently in kabwe recrulting supp0rters for the pf. I got a call from the 4th repubIicans secretary inf0rming me of this sad demlse. This then followed various calls from the pf Ieadership confirming the sad news. I have put everything I am doing on hold and I am deeply sh0cked and saddened by this news. Sure ba rupiah how do you leave us like this. Sir we thank you so much for your service to this great nation. You did your best and you were a wise man who I learned a lot from. As an Easterner I am proud of you. The wise men come from the east and this saying befits you. Rest in peace tata.
Saddened
I just want to add that I don’t think he was well taken care of under this upnd government. Why was he evacuated so late and returned so early. He was well taken care of under pf. Why are there so many deaths in this govt. Rip I am very upset
Whilst the 4th republican president was dying, hh was busy giving a useless arrogant speech. Very disrespectful and insulting to a former president. Manners clearly can’t be bought with stolen privatisation money.
To all upnd bloggers here don’t even try to comment or reply because I am not in mood and I will shower you with insults
Too bad. May he rest in peace. Condolences to the family.
Good old Rupiah Bwezani Banda is no more. Condolences to his wife Thandiwe, Andrew and the rest of the Banda boys.
MHSRIP
Ba “Alah B” – kaput, only time will tell! Rest in peace mukwai…
Sad ?
Imfwa isafye apali ponse bululu stop pointing fingers on others that’s hatred
That’s tribalism Zulu wilatinya abantu ati you will shower ? them with insults………. you think that bena tabaishiba ukutukana
Be careful with what you are posting publicly
RIP Mr president…….
Sincere condolences to the whole banda family…….
RB was by far a better president than sata and lungu combined……….
Very underestimated president who saw to 7.5 GDP growth and road building without the colossal loans PF needed…….
Go well mudala bwenzani
In hindsight looking back to 2009 -2010 when I was very active then on social media both on LT and FB…I campaigned against RB and MMD in support of Sata we never listened when he told us Sata was not presidential meterial…we are in a mess today because of the reckless decisions of the old man ending up with Lungu. the economy was in good hands under RB.
MHSRIP
Imagine being that guy thats politicking before the body has gone cold. Already completely irrelevant and sidelined when Lungu was still seated. Nothing will be heard of him when his time of passing has come.
Sad news indeed. May Your Soul RIP,
Not time for cheap politics.
Zulu you are just a big fool,respect the President.
RIP my president
Rupiah Banda gave Zambia its 6.5% economic expansion,record forex reserves then PF came and ruined it all.They even persecuted him with false charges and passport withholding.
R.I.P Bwezani Banda your short tenure was very bright.
KZ alway a D.I.C.K
Well RB has run his race and the One that decides when the race ends has made the decision. Journey in peace RB and find deserved rest with Him that has called you. The sudden stop to life will ever remain a mystery and we all need to accept the call when it comes, how we exit is what hurts to mortals. Is it not time that the health care facilities were seriously looked into and given attention? It’s no surprise that the “privileged” few are already faulting government for “evacuation” failure instead of questioning why improvements in national health institutions for specialized treatment remain “suspended” with every government in office.
He really was a jolly good gentleman this man. He steered away from pettiness that has engulfed most of our leaders. Go well big man… enjoyed your time at FAZ.
RIP RB, President for all Zambians
WE ALL HAVE TO DIE GET OVER IT
INDEED VERY SAD FOR THE FAMILY
HISTORY WILL RECORD HIS SUCCESSC AND FAILURES
NOT SOME STUPID BL00GGERS ON HERE
BY THE WAY D.I.C.K is too kind for the impoaster
Sorry the Banda family for your loss.
RIP Mr Banda… your legacy for accepting defeat and peacefully handing over power to Mr Sata and PF, as well as convincing Mr Lungu to accept his own defeat and peacefully hand over power to Mr Hichilema shall never be forgotten. Lungu owes his freedom to you too for negotiating his immunity conditions from corruption prosecution. Farewell Mr RB.
Rest In Peace Elder Statesman
Disgusting to see the insults from upnd bloggers here. It is evident of your lack of manners and uncivilised behaviour. You are all a cursed bunch and the truth hurts hence your reaction. Your president supposedly visited rb a day before his death and must have known he was in critical condition. Any sane man would have cancelled all engagements to put in every effort into saving his life. No, not hh. He went on to give a useless speech in parliament which we have all already forgotten
My condolences to the former President’s family. We shall remain thankful for all services you rendered to the Zambian people and indeed the entire human family. Go in peace Mr President.
Condolences to the family. Otherwise, we would have preferred that the corrupt tribal leader we had goes first. M sure no one would miss that tribalist former president
I have been wondering why RB was so good in administration and managing economy. So it was vast experience and education. In his time as president, the economy was very stable and good. Political violence was minimized… He was a great leader
When this man who was overseeing a successful economy told us old man Sata and PF were not ruling govt material we laughed at him and kicked him out..10 years on we are in a mess. His biggest mistake was to give Lazy Lungu Eastern Province and his MPs Dora and Vincent Mwale thereby killing off MMD. If he had helped consolidate MMD instead of destroying it MMD would have been in a better position to bounce back come 2026. This is where he failed as Statesman.
RIP
Please ignore the UK based Impostor its posts like this it craves for attention…you should know this UK based fraud by now!!
Mambala wakantu! Tekukonda ngako weo! Farewell sir! You ran your race and did your bit…
RB was a hilarious and generous man… will never forget about those funny moments that were caught on camera- such moments as kani tundila or the ndalama za nyoko and that other clip were he went like ndine mwana wako kikikiki. RIP
Chi Mudala chatusha chaya mukutuusha. I still remember you shikulu ba RB in 1990 at City Airport. We were waiting for the body of late Archbishop Elias Mutale to be put on a ZAF helicopter before departing for Kasama for burial. You were, as Governor of Lusaka, with family of the late Archbishop and and some lay people, Catholic Priests, Nuns and friends there at City Airport providing emotional support with your imposing physical stature, cracking voice and well combed grey hair and in dark glasses. RIP SHIKULU.
We thank God for the life of our 4th president late Rupia Bwezani Banda. He served our nation well without malice or vindication – MHSRIP.
Farewell & Thank You. What a Resume. No one is perfect. You did your part to serve the nation.
1. A Permanent Representative UN Nations.
2. Ambassador to Egypt.
3. Ambassador to the United States (US).
4. Businessman & Commercial Farmer
5. Degree in Economics from Sweden
6. CEO- Rural Development Corporation.
7. Executive Member – Football Association of Zambia.
8. Founder & owned of first Zambian Private Bank (African Commercial Bank) ***
9. General manager NAMBOARD.
10. Governor of Lusaka
Cont….
Cont…..
11. Invited and lectured a Circuit, at Boston University USA in 2012, after losing to Sata in 2011
12. Jailed by President Chiluba and yet forgave Chiluba ***
13. Member of Parliament for Munali/Lusaka.
14. Minister of Foreign Affairs.
15. Minister of State for Mines.
16. President – Vice President
17. President for Nations Council on Namibia. Which means he was President of Namibia and run the nation before its independence ***
18. President Of Zambia ***
19. Promoted boxing legend (Lottie Mwale) to Europe & USA.
20. Sports Promoter who helped – Kalusha Bwalya, Charles Musonda to play in Europe.
21. Etc…Etc….
Good afternoon Mr. Kaizar Zulu. Please you are an adult. Try to think twice before
you can write anything. Zambians are ignoring you. We say never argue with a fool.
Because people may not notice the difference.
Rest in paradise Mr President. Till we meet again. My condolences to the family.
Rupiah Banda was a Zambian statesman with a long legacy of exemplary public service.He will be mourned along with the sick economy left by PF.