Levy Patrick Mwanawasa (born September 3, 1948 in Mufulira, Zambia — died August 19, 2008 in Paris, France) was a Zambian politician.

He was the President of Zambia from January 2002 to his death.

Levy Mwanawasa, 59, has died in a Paris hospital after suffering a stroke in June.

Zambia’s vice-President Rupiah Banda, who is expected to take over as acting leader, made the announcement today on state TV.

President Mwanawasa suffered a stroke at an African Union summit in Egypt and was then flown to France, where he had remained in hospital.

He came to prominence recently for being one of the African leaders most critical of the violence in Zimbabwe.

Mr Mwanawasa’s health was an issue during his presidency.

In April 2006, he suffered a minor stroke four months before general elections.

“Fellow countrymen, with deep sorrow and grief, I would like to inform the people of Zambia that our President Dr Levy Patrick Mwanawasa died this morning at 1030 hours [0830 GMT],” Reuters news agency quotes Mr Banda as saying.

Mwanawasa will be remembered as a man who described Zimbabwe as a sinking tatinic whose people are failing to jump.