Zambian Former Vice President Guy Scott Dies At 82

Former Zambian Vice President Guy Scott, who briefly became Africa’s only white head of state after the end of apartheid, has died at the age of 82.

The Zambian government announced his death on Wednesday, stating that the former acting president passed away at his farm in Lusaka, the country’s capital, after a short illness.

Secretary to the Cabinet, Patrick Kangwa, confirmed Scott’s death in a statement, describing the development as a loss to the nation.

Scott, an economist born in Zambia to Scottish parents, served as vice president of the southern African nation from 2011 to 2014 under former President Michael Sata.

Following Sata’s death in 2014, Scott assumed the role of acting president, becoming the first white leader to head an African country since South Africa’s FW de Klerk.

He served as Zambia’s acting president for nearly three months before constitutional restrictions prevented him from contesting the presidency. The law barred him from running because his parents were not born in Zambia.

Scott was later succeeded by Edgar Lungu, who governed Zambia from 2015 to 2021.

His death comes ahead of Zambia’s general elections scheduled for next month, with the country preparing for another major political contest.

Scott, who was also a long-time politician and academic, remained a notable figure in Zambia’s political history, particularly for his brief leadership of the country during a transitional period.