(dpa) - Zambia's founding father Kenneth Kaunda Zambia on Tuesday mourned the death of the nation's popular President Levy Mwanawasa, who died Tuesday at the age of 59 in a Paris hospital where he had been receiving treatment following a stroke earlier this year.
"The death of Mwanawasa is loss for democracy. He promoted good governance and democracy and was a man with immense political courage," Kaunda said. "It is a great a shock to the nation."
Over the course of his six years as president of the former British colony, Mwanawasa crusaded against the corruption that had previously dogged the impoverished southern African country endearing him to Zambians and Western donors alike.
Kaunda said Mwanawsasa was a great human rights advocate and a true servant of the people and told Zambians to rally behind acting president Rupiah Banda in shaping the country's future.
"Give the acting president the opportunity to govern with a vision to attain quality life for the people as engineered by president Mwanawasa," he said.
Kaunda was joined by a cross section of Zambians, including opposition political parties, members of civil society, the church and ordinary citizens in the street Tuesday in acknowledging Zambia's loss.
A seven-day period of national mourning has been declared as leaders appealed to the general population to remain calm and united.
Mwanawasa's immediate predecessor Frederick Chiluba said, "It is a crisis but Zambians will emerge triumphant in peace and unity to soldier on as pioneers of democracy in this region."