Mwanawasa's body back in Zambia

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The body of the late Zambian President, Levy Mwanawasa, has been flown back to the country's capital, Lusaka, where it was met by a military honour guard.

President Mwanawasa died in France on Tuesday, having suffered a stroke in June from which he never recovered.

His body will lie in state in Lusaka over the weekend before being taken on tour to a number of provincial cities.

He will be given a state funeral on 3 September, on what would have been his 60th birthday.

Zambian dignitaries had gathered at Lusaka airport to wait for the arrival of a French military plane carrying President Mwanawasa's body.

After the aircraft landed, a guard of honour fired a salute over the coffin, as a military band played and fighter jets flew overhead.

President Mwanawasa's brother, Sanshika, thanked the Zambian people "for their generous support in this our hour of need".

"Without this support the burden would have been too heavy to bear", he said.

"He is irreplaceable", said Charles Mwape, a member of the ruling Movement for Multiparty democracy.

"We have lost a great leader and it will be difficult to fill the gap."

Levy Mwanawasa became president in 2001 and was re-relected in 2006.

Until recently, he was the chairman of the 14-nation Southern African Development Community, and one of the few African leaders to criticise Zimbabwe's President, Robert Mugabe.

Vice-President Rupiah Banda has taken over interim leadership of the country, but elections must be held within 90 days to decide who will succeed Mr Mwanawasa.