Rupiah Banda, Zambia's Former President Dies At 85

Banda was born on February 19, 1937, in the little village of Gwanda, then the British territory of Southern Rhodesia, in neighboring Zimbabwe.

Banda, Zambia's fourth president, served from 2008 to 2011. He was diagnosed with cancer two years ago and was undergoing treatment.

"He died at 1900 hours today," Andrew, Banda's second eldest child, told Reuters when asked about his father's death.

President Hakainde Hichilema paid respect to his predecessor in a special broadcast address to the nation.

"We remember his long and illustrious career in public service with fondness, and we value his service to the country," Hichilema added.

As many listened in to Hichilema's address in the capital city of Lusaka, where Banda had his family home, a gloomy tone hovered over various eateries and pubs.

Banda served in senior diplomatic positions under President Kenneth Kaunda before being appointed vice president by then-President Levy Mwanawasa in 2006.

He was the proprietor of KB Davis, a company that supplied mining equipment in Zambia's north-central copper-belt region, and he oversaw various state-run companies under Kaunda.

He also dabbled in sports, serving as vice-president of the Zambian Football Association at one point.

Despite his triumphs, Banda maintained his image as a people's leader.

When Mwanawasa suffered a stroke in mid-2008, Banda took over as acting president. On a ruling party platform, Banda narrowly won elections in October of the same year.

Banda's reign was tarnished by bribery charges, and in 2013, Zambia's parliament removed his immunity from prosecution, allowing investigators to prosecute him for corruption-related offenses.

During his presidency, Banda was accused of abuse of power, corrupt acquisition of public property, and misuse of public funds totaling more than $11 million, although he was never convicted in a court of law and served no jail time.