In 1990, a low-ranking soldier, Lt. Mwamba Luchembe, and a handful of loyalists stormed ZNBC, declaring they had taken over the country and Kenneth Kaunda was no longer President.
Luchembe cited the riots that had occurred a few months earlier, which left 27 people killed and over 100 wounded, as reason for the takeover.
In 1973, Kaunda and UNIP had forced a constitutional amendment creating a one-party state, leading to corrupt and inefficient socialistic economic undertakings.
Between 1975 and 1990, Zambia’s economy declined by approximately 30%, sparking widespread discontent.
On January 20, 1980, 5,000 miners at Konkola mine in Chililabombwe went on strike, joined by postal workers, bank employees, and others in solidarity.
Zambia’s foreign debt ballooned from $108 million in 1975 to $7.5 billion in 1990, with the IMF and World Bank insisting on economic reforms.
By 1990, calls for Kaunda to leave office grew louder, setting the stage for Luchembe’s coup attempt on June 30.
Luchembe took control of a radio station and other sites in Lusaka, declaring the coup, met with immediate and positive reaction from civilians.
Crowds gathered, supporting the military, chanting “down with KK” and “Kaunda is dead”, with paramilitary groups joining celebrations.
Luchembe was arrested by loyalist soldiers; Kaunda then faced reality, leading to multiparty elections that eventually ousted him.