Levy suffers stroke

Levy suffers stroke
By Chibaula Silwamba
Monday June 30, 2008 [12:46]

PRESIDENT Levy Mwanawasa has suffered a stroke, Vice-President Rupiah Banda disclosed today. In a press statement issued in Lusaka, Vice-President Banda said President Mwanawasa's condition has since improved after being attended to by doctors in Egypt.

"As a further update on the condition of the President, Dr Levy Patrick Mwanawasa, I wish to inform the nation that the President had suffered a stroke. However, upon being attended to by doctors, his condition has been described as stable," Vice-President Banda said.

He urged the nation to pray for President Mwanawasa's quick recovery. Vice-President Banda also disclosed that Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak visited President Mwanawasa at the hospital in Egypt last night.

President Mwanawasa fell sick in the city of Sharm-el-Sheikh in Egypt where he was attending an African Union (AU) heads of state summit.

In March 2006, President Mwanawasa suffered a minor stroke and was flown to London for specialist treatment.

Before travelling to Egypt, President Mwanawasa had a strenuous trip to Milanzi constituency in Eastern Province, where he went to campaign for the MMD parliamentary candidate in the by-election.

The AU summit in Egypt is expected to discuss the controversial presidential runoff election in Zimbabwe in which President Robert Mugabe emerged victorious.