Presidential state funerals

Embassy Park
Location	Indpendance Avenue oppsite Cabinet Office
Area	106.01 acres (42.90 ha)
Visitors	21,031 (in 2015)
Governing body	National Park Service
Official name: Embassy park/ Presidential park memorial site
Designated	September, 2008

Embassy Park is the official presidential memorial site. It is located along Independence Avenue opposite Cabinet Office and bordered on the other side by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and various foreign embassies. The site has its significance cause its is the first ever site where the a Zambian President, sitting or past is buried. At the moment the site is a burial place for the second, third and fifth presidents of the Republic of Zambia Frederick Chiluba, Levy Mwanawasa and Michael Sata. These are great sons of the nation who had rendered serevice to Zambia during their living.

Levy Mwanawasa 2008

President Levy Mwanawasa died in office in 2008 while on national duty. In April 2006, Mwanawasa experienced a mild stroke. On 29 June 2008, while in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, for an African Union summit, Mwanawasa was hospitalised due to a second stroke. On 1 July, International SOS evacuated him by air ambulance to France for further treatment. The head of the Egyptian hospital to which Mwanawasa was taken said that the doctors there had stopped the brain haemorrhage and that he was in a semi-comatose state. Vice-President Banda said that his condition was stable, and Minister of Information Mike Mulongoti noted that Mwanawasa had previously suffered from hypertension; Mulongoti also said that Mwanawasa was a "very hard working man" and said that this may have been a factor.

Funeral

Acting President Banda announced state funeral arrangements for Mwanawasa on 21 August. According to this programme, after Mwanawasa's body was returned to Zambia, it would first lie in state at Mulungushi International Conference Centre in Lusaka, the capital. The body would then be moved to different provincial capitals from 25 to 29 August, after which it would again lie in state at Mulungushi International Conference Centre until 2 September. His burial, planned for 3 September, was intended to coincide with his birthday; Mwanawasa would have turned 60 years old on that date.

Mwanawasa's body arrived in Lusaka from France aboard a French military aircraft on 23 August. It was received with full military honours; Banda and Kaunda were present for the ceremony, which featured a 21-gun salute and jet fighter planes in the sky. It was then taken to all provincial capitals of Zambia, where members of the public had an opportunity to pay their respects. The body was accompanied by both the opposition and the ruling party leaders beside the first family during the tour.

The burial of Mwanawasa occurred on 3 September at Embassy Park opposite the Zambian Cabinet Office. The funeral was attended by heads of 14 African states, including Mbeki, Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe, and Tanzania's Jakaya Kikwete. In her eulogy at the funeral, Maureen Mwanawasa said of her husband: "Typical of you, you died on duty. You died a sad man as no one seemed to appreciate your sacrifices. Had you been with us today, I am sure these accolades could have made you happy."