1997 Zambian coup d'état attempt

The 1997 Zambian coup d'état attempt was a military coup d'état attempt that took place in Zambia on 28 October 1997. The coup lasted no more than 3 hours and took place between 6 and 9 A.M. when the coup's leader, Captain Solo (Steven Lungu) of the Zambian Army,[1] announced via the ZNBC (national radio station) that a coup had taken place and that the then President, Frederick Chiluba, needed to step down.[2][3]

1997 Zambian coup d'état attempt
A CIA WFB map of Zambia
Date28 October 1997
LocationLusaka, Zambia
TypeMilitary coup
MotiveRegime change
Organised byCaptain Solo (Steven Lungu)
OutcomeCoup fails

Some international media organizations could not resist joking about the "aptly named" coup leader (Solo) whose demand that the President resign could be heard accompanied by laughter from radio journalists who were in the radio station at the time of the coup attempt.[4] Captain Solo would spend the next 13 years in prison for committing treason and was released only when it became clear that he was terminally ill.[1]

See also

References
  1. "Captain Solo dies". Lusaka Times. 12 August 2012. Retrieved 10 June 2020.
  2. Donald G. McNeil Jr. (29 October 1997). "Zambia Says a Coup Is Over In 3 Hours, Without Injury". The New York Times. Retrieved 27 January 2019.
  3. "Fracasa un chapucero golpe de Estado en Zambia contra el presidente Chiluba" (in Spanish). El País. 29 October 1997. Retrieved 10 June 2020.
  4. "Captain Solo's angel-inspired Zambian coup ends in giggle". Indepedent. 29 October 1997. Retrieved 10 June 2020.
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