Zambian President Mwanawasa Buried

Mwanawasa, 59, died in a French military hospital last month after suffering a stroke in June.

Thousands of Zambians mourned late President Levy Mwanawasa on Wednesday as he was buried in the southern African country that he had made a rare success story on the continent.

Regional leaders also attended the ceremony for Mwanawasa, who pleased donors and investors with financial reforms in the copper producing state and took a stronger stand on the crisis in neighbouring Zimbabwe than many of his counterparts.

Mwanawasa, 59, died in a French military hospital last month after suffering a stroke in June. He had led Zambia since 2001 and was re-elected in 2006.

The thousands of mourners sat in tents at the parliamentary complex in the capital Lusaka. Flags flew at half mast. Millions of Zambians watched the burial broadcast live on state television. Businesses, banks and shops closed.

Five air force jets flew overhead and a 21-gun salute honoured Mwanawasa as he was lowered into his grave in a copper-plated coffin. Family members wailed.

"The flag has been lowered and a gallant fighter is gone, but Zambia must pick up the bits and pieces and forge ahead so that his legacy can live on," said Peter Ndhlovu, a prominent Lusaka pastor.

Vice President Rupiah Banda is acting president and among over a dozen candidates jostling to become the ruling Movement for Multiparty Democracy's election candidate in November. The scramble has increased political uncertainty.

Among African leaders at the funeral was Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe. He had come under harsher criticism from Mwanawasa than from other presidents in the region over the turmoil in Zimbabwe and widely condemned elections.

"Mwanawasa was a very courageous leader. He was very frank and wanted to change not only his country but the entire southern African region. We will greatly miss him," Zambian state radio quoted Mugabe as saying on arrival in Lusaka.

UNCERTAINTY

South African President Thabo Mbeki, Botswana's leader Seretse Khama Ian Khama and the presidents of Namibia, Mozambique and Malawi also attended the funeral. Mbeki said Mwanawasa's death was a loss to Africa.

Zambia, Africa's biggest copper producer, now faces political and economic uncertainty.

Rifts are widening in the ruling party, which only narrowly beat the opposition at the last election, raising questions over policies appreciated by donors and investors. In addition to Banda, Finance Minister Ng'andu Magande is a leading candidate.

Magande has been praised for his economic policies, but analysts say he does not have enough grassroots support. Banda is not a party insider, however.

Mwanawasa's tough stance against corruption endeared him to donor countries and his policies won the country billions of dollars in debt relief. His economic management helped produce strong growth averaging 5 percent annually over the last six years, though many Zambians still live in poverty.

Mwanawasa's widow Maureen told mourners at the funeral that she felt sorry most of all for the orphans Mwanawasa took care of through his local Baptist church.

"He was the father of all. It is the orphans he took care of that bring pain to my throat, they are orphaned again".