President Levy Patrick Mwanawasa, of Zambia, passed away this morning in a French military hospital. My sincere condolences go out to his family and all Africans who may be mourning this tragic loss.
Since hearing news of his death, I have struggled to allocate an appropriate box in my mind to store Levy Mwanawasa’s legacy. In a continent full of enigmatic heads of state and government, it is not surprising that his is a profile difficult to define. Anti-corruption crusader, darling of the IMF (International Monetary Fund), critic of the Zimbabwean government, father of six, the brunt of jokes (his intelligence was often challenged in the press), high profile lawyer, Chiluba‘s nemesis – the list is as wide as it is endless.
President Mwanawasa’s unassuming persona and soft-spoken nature, were two traits about him that even his foes cannot dispute in retrospect. These characteristics were often mistakenly perceived as signs of weakness. It was with this backdrop that his firm stance against political events in Harare came almost as a surprise to non-Zambians. Many of us had assumed he was yet another African leader unwilling to express a divergent view on Zimbabwe. It is ironic that his death came at a time when his voice was increasingly gaining gravitas beyond Zambia’s borders.
Within Zambia, Levy Mwanawasa was not without his detractors. A sore point was the fallout with the opposition after election irregularities in 2001 – an election which he won. There was also a general perception that he did not do enough to pull his poorest fellow citizens out of poverty during his presidency. On the other hand, he can be credited with a strong fiscal record during his tenure at the helm. It was his commitment to a free market economy, coupled with his drive against corruption, that earned him the favour of Western governments.
Ultimately, my search continues – I am still looking for a box to package Mwanawasa’s place in history. For now, Africa mourns the loss of yet another son. Differences are cast aside as we allow his family to grieve.
African Aspects 
My brother in-law and I were actually talking about his unprecedented example as an astute, upright no nonsense African leader just this weekend and how sad it was that his health was worsening. It trully is an immense tragedy….
Zah – thanks for stopping by and thanks for your thoughts. The most intriguing thing about him is that he’s left us wondering if the course of history, as we know it, would have been any different if he were alive today. His loss comes at a pivotal time in Southern Africa’s journey to achieving unconditional democracy.
Not trying to sound callous, after reading articles about how his health has been failing progressively since a horrific 1991 accident and how he suffered from diabetes, had a stroke a couple of years ago etc, I wondered if this served to embolden him and encourage him to work on leaving a legacy. Because before him it was uncharacteristic of a Southern African leader to castigate Bob; and even Zuma was very diplomatic in doing so. In any case whether or not his moral compass was shifted by his ailing health, his efforts are commendable and he set an exceptional precedent. Look at how Ian Khama has taken the baton. Hope is his demise will spearhead our search for an incorruptible leader in Southern Africa.
Kuda – Interesting perspective, and yeah, callous lol. Isn’t it fascinating how legacy is such an issue for many of these politicians. Even our mate George Dubya has been scurrying about trying to make an impression in his final months of office. Legacy at the end of the day is what people REALLY think about a leader in the privacy of their minds. Thanks for the insight.
The question you pose in your article about his growing international influence and whether a longer life would have changed current events really interests me. One is often tempted by events such as these into taking flights of fancy. But in this case the facts of Mwanawasa’s previous actions suggest real change could have been achieved, particularly with reference to Zimbabwe. This at least is how I have seen it in my earlier article during his health’s decline, at http://www.gwlewis.wordpress.com
gwlewis – thanks for stopping by. I’ve read your article and found it perceptive, particularly considering you wrote it prior to Mwanawasa’s death. Well worth a read!
Hey guyz thanks for the visit.Am enjoying ur articles….
Sinqobile – it was fantastic seeing you folks. Thanks a lot for making the time to read some of the random ramblings here. Warm regards to your “boys”.