LUSAKA: Zambian Vice President Rupiah Banda, a prominent businessman, has taken over as head of government after the death of President Levy Mwanawasa and will call early elections, officials said on Wednesday.

Mwanawasa, 59, died in a French military hospital on Tuesday after suffering a stroke in June. He was a favourite of donors for tackling corruption and turning the southern African nation into one of the continent's economic success stories.

Cabinet Secretary Joshua Kanganja said that Banda, 72, was now running the country.

Banda, a former foreign minister who has a degree in economics, was appointed as Mwanawasa's deputy in 2006 and is seen as a possible successor.

Attorney-General Mumba Malila said the government would set out Banda's role and powers as acting president.

Under Zambia's constitution, an election must be called within 90 days of the presidential office becoming vacant. The presidential term is five years.

Global Insight analyst Gus Selassie suggested the ruling MMD party and opposition parties might agree to delay the vote because none of them was prepared for a ballot.

"Irrespective of the timing of the election, Mwanawasa's untimely death has undoubtedly created a power vacuum both within his government and the ruling MMD, with the late president failing to groom an obvious successor," he said.


Source : Reuters