- Was a Zambian politician who was President of Zambia from 2008 to 2011.
- Banda was born in the town of Miko, Gwanda, Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe); his parents had come from Northern Rhodesia to find employment prior to his birth, and he was sponsored by a local Dutch Reformed Church preacher.
- He became involved in politics when he joined the youth wing of the UNIP in 1960.
- He was the UNIP’s representative in Northern Europe in the early 1960s.
- In 1965 he was appointed as Zambia’s Ambassador to Egypt (the United Arab Republic).
- Banda became Ambassador to the United States on 7 April 1967.
- He married his first wife, Hope Mwansa Makulu, in 1966 and the couple had three sons together.
- Banda was elected as a Member of Parliament for Munali Constituency in 1978 and lost the seat to Mr Simeon Kampata in 1983.
- After Mwanawasa suffered a stroke while attending an African Union summit in Egypt on 29 June 2008, Banda became acting President
- As President, Rupiah Banda was focused on economic development,
traveling abroad to promote Zambian trade to other world leaders.
10 things you didn’t know about Rupiah Bwezani Banda
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