Former First Lady, Maureen Mwanawasa, dies. Six things to remember about her

Former First Lady, Maureen Kakubo Mwanawasa, has died following a brief illness.

Family Spokesperson and Nephew, Stanley Kakubo, confirmed her death in a statement posted on his official Facebook handle on Tuesday.

Maureen died at Maina Soko Medical Centre.

Here are key facts about Maureen Kakubo Mwanawasa:

1. Early Life: Born on April 28, 1963, in Kabwe, Central Province, Maureen was the eighth of ten children to Jeniya Lupumpaula Chilunga Kakubo and Lupumpaula Buluwayo Kakubo. She began her education at Raphael Kombe Primary School in 1970 and later attended St. Mary’s Secondary School in Maramba, Livingstone, graduating in 1981.

2. Family and Marriage: Maureen married Levy Mwanawasa on May 7, 1987, in Kabwe. The couple had four children together: three daughters and one son.

3. Political and Public Life: During her husband’s presidency, Maureen was an active campaigner. She was seen as a potential presidential candidate in 2006 but did not run after her husband’s death. She was involved in a notable incident with Michael Sata at her husband’s funeral.

4. Achievements: Maureen was the president of the Organisation of African First Ladies against HIV/AIDS and founded the Maureen Mwanawasa Community Initiative (MMCI) in 2002. She also co-owned Mwanawasa & Company, her husband’s law firm, and was awarded the International Hope Award by World Vision in 2006.

5. Political Aspirations: In 2016, Maureen ran for Executive Mayor of Lusaka under the United Party for National Development (UPND) but lost to Wilson Kalumba of the Patriotic Front.

6. Community Involvement: She was a member of the Association of Women Lawyers in the UK, served on the Law Association of Zambia’s Women’s Rights Committee, and was Vice Chairperson of the Habitat for Humanity Zambia Board. Maureen was also the Patron of the Breakthrough Cancer Trust and the Child Care and Adoption Society of Zambia.

Maureen Kakubo Mwanawasa died on August 13, 2024, just a month before the memorial of her late husband, Patrick Levy Mwanawasa.

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