Zambian President Michael Sata, who was nicknamed “King Cobra” for his fiery tongue and larger-than-life personality, has died, the country’s national radio said Wednesday morning.
Officials did not disclose the cause
of his death. But Sata had traveled to London for unspecified medical treatment
last week.
He died in a hospital there
Tuesday evening, the government-owned Zambia Daily Mail said.
Sata took office in September
2011 after the incumbent President tearfully conceded in a televised speech, a
rare moment in a continent known for volatile elections and leaders fighting
their defeat tooth-and-nail.
Analysts hailed his election as
an example of an African nation with a vibrant democracy. But not too long
after he took office, speculation swirled over his lack of visibility — which
especially stood out for a man who loves the spotlight.
Aides said his absence was a
result of private international visits, and maintained those trips had nothing
to do with medical treatment.
The nation’s bloggers have
frequently criticized what they describe as “absence of leadership,” leading
him to make a surprise appearance in parliament last month and declare that he
was not dead.
Sata was born in the Zambian
town of Mpika in 1936, and worked as police officer during the colonial
administration. He later trained as a pilot in Russia before returning home and
helping develop housing projects in the nation.
During Zambia’s struggle for
independence from Britain, he jumped into politics, and later founded the
Patriotic Front — then an opposition party. His campaign events electrified
crowds drawn to his extroverted nature and fight for the average man.
Sata, who narrowly lost to his
predecessor Rupiah Banda in 2008, was a major critic of Chinese investment in
the nation’s copper industry. He especially targeted foreign companies that
mistreat Zambian workers, making him popular among the nation’s miners who
accused the Chinese of deplorable work conditions.
While in office, he warned foreign
companies that while their investment is crucial to his nation, they must abide
by the labor laws.
The veteran politician has
served in other positions, including city council, member of parliament and
cabinet minister for local government.
Before his election, the tiny,
copper-rich nation in southern Africa had been ruled by the same party for
decades.
R.I.P