LUSAKA — Zambia’s former Vice President Guy Scott, who briefly served as acting president in 2014 and became Africa’s first white head of state in two decades,...
LUSAKA — Zambia’s former Vice President Guy Scott, who briefly served as acting president in 2014 and became Africa’s first white head of state in two decades, has died at the age of 82.
The Zambian government announced on Wednesday that Scott died at his farm in the Leopards Hill area of Lusaka following an illness.
President Hakainde Hichilema has accorded Scott a state funeral in recognition of his service to the nation, according to a government statement.
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Scott served as Zambia’s vice president under President Michael Sata from 2011 until Sata’s death in October 2014. Following the president’s passing, Scott assumed the role of acting president in line with the country’s constitutional provisions and remained in office until January 2015, when a presidential election was held.
His appointment as acting president was historically significant, making him Africa’s first white head of state in two decades since former South African President F.W. de Klerk left office in 1994.
Born on June 1, 1944, Guy Lindsay Scott was the son of Scottish immigrants who settled in what was then Northern Rhodesia, now Zambia. He studied economics at the University of Cambridge before returning to Zambia, where he pursued a career in farming and public service.
Scott entered politics in the early years after Zambia gained independence. He served as Member of Parliament for Lusaka Central and later held the position of Minister of Agriculture during the Movement for Multi-Party Democracy (MMD) government in the 1990s. During his time as agriculture minister, he was involved in developing policies aimed at improving the country’s agricultural sector.
In 2001, Scott became one of the founding members of the Patriotic Front alongside Michael Sata. The party grew into one of Zambia’s major political movements and won the 2011 general election, leading to Scott’s appointment as vice president.
As vice president, Scott worked closely with President Sata on government programmes and represented the country at regional and international events. Following Sata’s death, he oversaw the transition of power until the election that brought Edgar Lungu to office in January 2015.
Although Scott served as acting president, Zambia’s Constitution at the time did not allow him to contest the presidency because his parents were not Zambian by birth, a constitutional requirement that existed then.
Following his departure from government, Scott remained active in public life, occasionally commenting on national affairs and governance issues while continuing to reside in Zambia.
Messages of condolence are expected from political leaders and regional figures following the announcement of his death. The government has not yet announced the full programme for the state funeral.
Scott is remembered as one of Zambia’s most recognisable political figures, having served in government over several decades and becoming part of the country’s political history through his brief tenure as acting president.
