Former Vice-President Lupando Mwape, who died in South Africa yesterday, will be accorded a State funeral.
President Edgar Lungu has instructed Cabinet Office to proceed with preparations for the national funeral in honour of Mr Mwape, who died aged 69.

This is according to the statement issued yesterday by Special Assistant to the President for Press and Public Relations Amos Chanda. Mr Chanda said President Lungu has received Mr Mwape’s death with deep regret and has conveyed his condolences to the bereaved family. “The President prays that God Almighty will grant the bereaved family solace and fortitude as they mourn their beloved,” Mr Chanda said.

Last week, then acting President Inonge Wina authorised the evacuation of Mr Mwape to South Africa for specialist treatment. Mr Mwape died yesterday around 06:05 hours at Arwyp Medical Centre in Pretoria, South Africa. Secretary to the Cabinet Roland Msiska, who confirmed Mr Mwape’s death in a statement yesterday, said Government is making arrangements to repatriate the body from South Africa.

Dr Msiska said members of the public will be informed about the funeral details. Meanwhile, Patriotic Front secretary general Davies Mwila has described the passing away of Mr Mwape as a blow not only to the family but the country. “On behalf of the Patriotic Front’s central committee and general membership, I wish to express our heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family as we mourn the passing away of our former Republican Vice-President under the MMD Government of President Levy Mwanawasa.

“We shall remember him for his wisdom and simplicity when he served in Government. We join his family in mourning his death. May God comfort them during this trying moment,” Mr Mwila said in a statement issued by PF media director Sunday Chanda. Former First Lady Maureen Mwanawasa described Mr Mwape’s death as a terrible loss to the nation.

She said Mr Mwape was a hard worker with a heart for the people. Dr Mwanawasa thanked Government for doing everything humanly possible, including evacuating him to South Africa for specialist treatment, to save Mr Mwape’s life.

She urged Zambians to mourn Mr Mwape with dignity. “His leadership qualities were identified when he was just a Member of Parliament. It is those quality attributes that led to his appointment as Vice-President,” she said.  Dr Mwanawasa sent her condolences to the bereaved family and urged them to be strong and look to God for comfort.

Former Vice-President Nevers Mumba said Mr Mwape served the nation with diligence. Dr Mumba said in a statement that he (Mr Mwape) spearheaded the re-election campaign of President Levy Mwanawasa in 2006. He said he will miss Mr Mwape’s friendliness, humility and wisdom.
Another former Vice-President, Enoch Kavindele, received the death of Mr Mwape with shock saying he was sure that Mr Mwape would recover after visiting him at UTH last week.

“I am very sorry to hear of the passing on of a comrade, he seemed to be recovering,” he said. United Party for National Development (UPND) secretary general Stephen Katuka said the opposition party will remember Mr Mwape as a hard worker and jovial person. Mr Katuka said the UPND, which received news of the late former Vice-President’s death with remorse, wished the bereaved family God’s comfort during the trying moment.
“I was so sure he would recover after I visited him last week. This is really sad,” he said.

MMD faction president Felix Mutati said Mr Mwape will be remembered as a freedom fighter who fought hard to ensure that the former ruling party-MMD-delivered to the expectations of Zambians. Mr Mutati said after being dropped as Vice-President, Mr Mwape continued supporting government because he believed his interests were subordinate to those of the people.

MMD national secretary Raphael Nakacinda said Mr Mwape’s death is devastating and that his contribution to the country as Vice-President will be cherished forever. Veteran politician Vernon Mwaanga said Mr Mwape was a humble man who served the nation with humility and integrity.
Mr Mwaanga said in a statement that Mr Mwape believed in the spirit of ‘One Zambia One Nation motto’.

The late former Vice-President was admitted to UTH for nine days before he was flown to South Africa on Thursday last week. While recuperating in hospital, Mr Mwape thanked President Lungu and Mrs Wina for the love and care shown to him. Speaking when Minister of Health Chitalu Chilufya visited him, Mr Mwape also urged Zambians to continue living in peace and uphold the One Zambia One Nation motto.

The late former Vice-President’s political career started in September 2000 when he was elected Member of Parliament for Lukashya constituency in Northern Province. In May 2001, he was appointed Minister of Transport and Communication, a position he concurrently served with that of chairman of Africa Telecommunication Union.

He also served as a member of the Zambia National Tender Board and co-chaired the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority council of ministers and became chairperson of the council from 2002-2003. Between June and October 2004, Mr Mwape was Northern Province minister.
At party level, he was co-opted MMD Northern Province vice-chairman and eventually became chairman in April 2003.

In July 2004, Mr Mwape was elected as the former ruling party’s national trustee, the position he held until November 2006. Mr Mwape served as Vice-President of Zambia from 2004 to 2006 under President Levy Mwanawasa. He also served as resident Ambassador to China from 2007-2009 and was also a Non-Residential Ambassador to Korea, Kingdoms of Thailand and Cambodia.

Other countries he served were Mongolia, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Vietnam, Pakistan and Afghanistan.