Rupiah Banda

president of Zambia

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July 17, 2026

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Rupiah Banda served as the acting president of Zambia from October 2008 until January 2009, and then as president until January 2011. He assumed the presidency following the death of Levy Mwanawasa. Banda, a member of the Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD), narrowly won a special election held on October 30, 2008, to fill the remainder of Mwanawasa's term. He later lost the general election in September 2011 to Michael Sata. The current president of Zambia is Hakainde Hichilema.12

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Zambia
Zambia in the 21st century
…in the interim, Vice President Rupiah Banda (also of the MMD) served as acting president. The election, held on October 30, was contested by four candidates, including Banda and Sata. Banda won, although by only a narrow margin, and Sata, who finished a close second, alleged that the vote had…
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…in the interim, Vice President Rupiah Banda (also of the MMD) served as acting president. The election, held on October 30, was contested by four candidates, including Banda and Sata. Banda won, although by only a narrow margin, and Sata, who finished a close second, alleged that the vote had…
Read More