October a coup d'état attempt took place, as a group of army commanders took control over the national radio station, broadcasting a message stating that Chiluba was no longer president. The coup was brought to an end by regular forces, after Chiluba had again declared a state of emergency. One person was killed during the operation. After the failed coup, the police arrested at least 84 people accused of involvement. Among these were Kenneth Kaunda and Dean Mungomba, leader of the opposition party the Zambia Democratic Congress. The arrests were condemned and criticised as illegal inside as well as outside Zambia, and accusations of torture were made as well. Kaunda was released in June the following year, but 44 of the soldiers who took part in the coup were sentenced to death in 2003. 2001 elections Prior to the elections in 2001, Chiluba tried to change the constitution to allow him to run for a third term. He was forced to step back on this point after protest from within the party as well as from the Zambian public. He attempted to alter the constitution to allow him to run for a third term in office in 2001, but stood down after huge public protests. His successor was Levy Patrick Mwanawasa. After 2008 From 2011 to 2014, Zambia's president had been Michael Sata, until Sata died on 28 October 2014. He was the second Zambian leader to die in office after Levy Mwanawasa in 2008. Rupiah Banda was the president of Zambia after the death of Mwanawasa from 2008 to 2011. He lost the election to Michael Sata in 2011. After Sata's death, Vice President Guy Scott, a Zambian of Scottish descent, became acting President of Zambia. On 24 January 2015, it was announced that Edgar Chagwa Lungu had won the election to become the 6th President in a tightly contested race. In August 2016 Zambian general election, president Edgar Lungu won re-election narrowly in the first round of the election. The opposition had allegations of fraud and the governing Patriotic Front (PF) rejected the allegations made by opposition UPND party. In August 2021 presidential election, opposition leader Hakainde Hichilema defeated the incumbent, President Edgar Lungu, by a landslide. On 24 August 2021, Hakainde Hichilema was sworn in as the new President of Zambia. See also Prime Minister of Zambia History of Africa History of Southern Africa Kazembe Kenneth Kaunda