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LUSAKA, Oct. 29 (Xinhua) -- Zambian President Michael Sata has died of undisclosed illness in London after medical check-up, the Zambian government said on Wednesday.

The file photo taken on Jan. 31, 2014 shows Zambian President Michael Sata attending the closing ceremonoy of the 22nd Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.  (Xinhua/Meng Chenguang)

Sata, who flew to London on Oct. 20 for medical check-up, died at around 2300 GMT at London's King Edward VII Hospital after months of speculations¹ on his health, according to Secretary to the Cabinet Roland Msiska.

"However, it is with a very heavy heart that I address you today to inform the nation that our beloved president and leader, His Excellency Mr. Michael Chilufya Sata, has passed on," Msiska said to the public via state television and radio.

The first lady Christine Kaseba-Sata, their son Lusaka Mulenga Sata and others were present at the bed side when the president passed on.

The head of the public service called on people to remain calm, united and peaceful during the difficult period, adding that the public will be informed of the funeral arrangement and other details.

Sata's health has been a source of concern since June this year when he appeared on state television looking pale. He later disappeared from the public eye, with local media reporting that he had gone for medical treatment in Israel while the government said he had gone for a working holiday.

Last month, he failed to address the UN General Assembly during his scheduled time, with international media reporting that he collapsed² in his hotel room, a statement which was later rebuffed by authorities.

The 77-year-old leader, who became Zambia's 5th president after winning the 2011 elections, missed celebrations to mark 50 years of independence last Friday and the government was, for the first time, forced to openly come out on his health status after months of speculations.

He became the second Zambian leader who died while in office. President Levy³ Mwanawasa died in 2008 while attending an African Union Summit in Egypt.

Sata was born in northern Zambia on July 6, 1937 and was a significant figure in Zambian political arena⁴, who had served in several governments from the time of the country's first President Kenneth Kaunda. Under former president Kenneth Kaunda, he worked in various portfolios⁵ including governor of Lusaka. ( He later defected to a new movement, the Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) formed in 1990, to challenge Kaunda's autocratic rule. After the MMD's victory in the 1991 elections, Sata became part of the inner circle of President Fredrick Chiluba's government and worked in various ministries⁶.

In 2001, he decided⁷ to form his own political party, the Patriotic⁸ Front (PF), after falling out of favor with Chiluba and stood as a presidential candidate in that year's elections, but failed. He became a vocal⁹ opposition¹⁰ leader in 2011 when he triumphed during the general elections.

Sata, who was nicknamed 'King Cobra' because of his abrasive¹¹ tongue, was known for his no-nonsense approach to issues but his critics accused him of failing to perform during his three year reign¹² as president.