Thousands of Zambians mourned their president Levy Mwanawasa today when his body was returned home after he died in France five days ago.
His body was flown back to Zambia on a French aircraft and as the plane - escorted by three Zambia Air force fighter jets - touched down, several women clad in black mourning dress, broke into uncontrollable wailing.
"Bye, bye Levy," the women chorused, as a 21-gun salute was fired and Mr Mwanawasa's body in a casket draped in Zambia's national colours of green, orange, black and red, was laid on a gun carriage.
Thousands of Zambians gathered at the airport while others lined the 20 kilometres stretch to a conference centre in the capital Lusaka where the body will lie in state.
Mr Mwanawasa died in Paris on Tuesday, after suffering his second stroke in late June. He will be buried on September 3rd.
He was a favourite of donor countries for tackling corruption and turning the southern African nation into one of the continent's economic success stories. He had had led Zambia, Africa's biggest copper producer, since 2001, winning re-election in 2006.
Vice president Rupiah Banda is acting as president until new elections are called. Under Zambia's constitution, an election must be called within 90 days of the presidential office becoming vacant. The presidential term is five years.
Zambia has appointed a new elections chief ahead of the presidential vote and the ruling Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) will choose its presidential candidate on September 5th.
Reuters