Zambia President Edgar Lungu collapses at Defence Day event

The President of Zambia, Edgar Lungu has suddenly collapsed in the capital, Lusaka, during the 45th Defense Forces Day Commemoration and Investiture ceremony on Sunday, June 13.

The Private Secretary to the Zambia President, Simon Miti made it known in a statement that the President truly collapsed at the event but recovered immediately after experiencing sudden dizziness.

The statement read, “The President of the Republic of Zambia, Dr Edgar Chagwa Lungu, this afternoon experienced sudden dizziness whilst officiating at the 45th Defence Force Day Commemoration and Investiture Ceremony.

“His Excellency recovered immediately and walked to the official car and returned to his residence at State House.

“The President wishes to assure the general public and all concerned citizens and the international community that he is well and has continued to discharge his duties as Head of State, Government and Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Force.”

The four-hour ceremony took place at the Freedom Statute on Independence Avenue where the Defence Forces show-cased their military ware.

President Lungu also used the Commemoration to conduct an Investiture Ceremony to honour gallant men and women in Uniform.

The Zambian leader had a similar experience in 2015, caused by what the presidency said was an “oesophagus condition”.

Edgar Chagwa Lungu has been the President of Zambia since 25 January 2015. Under President Michael Sata, Lungu served as Minister of Justice and Minister of Defence. Following Sata’s death in October 2014, Lungu was adopted as the candidate of the ruling Patriotic Front in a Convention of the Patriotic Front in Kabwe, for the January 2015 presidential by-election, which was to determine who would serve out the remainder of Sata’s term.

In the election, he narrowly defeated opposition candidate Hakainde Hichilema and took office on 25 January 2015.