Guy Scott facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Doctor Guy Scott
Scott in August 2014
Acting President of Zambia
In office 29 October 2014 – 25 January 2015
Vice President	Vacant
Preceded by	Michael Sata
Succeeded by	Edgar Lungu
12th Vice President of Zambia
In office 23 September 2011 – 29 October 2014
President	Michael Sata
Preceded by	George Kunda
Succeeded by	Inonge Wina (2015)
Personal details
Born	(1944-06-01) 1 June 1944 (age 81) Livingstone, Batoka Province, Northern Rhodesia (present-day Southern Province, Zambia)
Political party	Movement for Multi-Party Democracy (1990–1996) Patriotic Front (2001–2016) United Party for National Development
Spouse	Charlotte Harland ​ (m. 1994)​
Children	4
Alma mater	University of Cambridge University of Sussex University of Oxford

Guy Lindsay Scott (born 1 June 1944) is a Zambian politician. He served as the acting president of Zambia from 2014 to 2015. Before that, he was the 12th Vice President from 2011 to 2014. Scott became acting president after President Michael Sata passed away in October 2014. This made him the first head of state of European background in mainland Africa since 1989.

Early Life and Education

Where Was Guy Scott Born?

Guy Lindsay Scott was born on 1 June 1944 in Livingstone. This city was once the capital of what was then called Northern Rhodesia. Today, Northern Rhodesia is the country of Zambia.

His Family Background

His father, Alec Scott, was a doctor from Scotland. He moved to Northern Rhodesia in 1927. His mother, Grace, came from England in 1940. Guy Scott's brother, Alexander "Sandy" Scott, is a well-known scientist. Their father was also involved in politics. He was a member of parliament in the 1950s. He supported Zambian nationalists and even started newspapers that pushed for Zambia's independence. This inspired Guy Scott to get involved in politics later on.

His Schooling and University Studies

Scott went to school in what is now Zimbabwe. He then moved to England for his university studies. In 1965, he earned a degree in economics from Cambridge University. After that, he returned to Zambia. He worked as a planner in the Ministry of Finance for the newly independent government. He also helped edit a business publication.

Starting a Farm Business

In 1970, Scott started a farming business called Walkover Estates. He grew special crops like irrigated wheat and strawberries. He was known as a good employer who spoke the local language.

Further Education in England

Scott later went back to England to continue his studies. He studied how the mind works and artificial intelligence at the University of Sussex. He earned his master's degree in 1983 and his doctorate in 1986. He also studied robotics at Oxford University.

Political Career

Joining the Movement for Multi-Party Democracy

In 1990, Guy Scott joined a political party called the Movement for Multi-Party Democracy (MMD). He became the head of its Agriculture Committee.

Serving as a Member of Parliament

In 1991, he was elected as a Member of Parliament for Mpika Central. He then became the Minister of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries. During his time as minister, he helped manage a severe drought in 1992. There was no maize (corn) left in Zambia or southern Africa. He had to arrange for emergency food to be brought in from other countries. He also oversaw the recovery after the drought, which led to a very good harvest in 1992–93. However, he was removed from his position in 1993.

Forming New Political Parties

In 1996, Scott left the MMD. He formed a new party called the Lima Party. Later, this party joined with others to form the Zambia Alliance for Progress. In 2001, he returned to politics. He joined the Patriotic Front party. He was elected as a Member of Parliament for Lusaka Central in 2006.

Becoming Vice President

In September 2011, a presidential election was held. The Patriotic Front's candidate, Michael Sata, won. Guy Scott was sworn in as the Vice President of Zambia on 29 September 2011. He was the first white Zambian leader to hold this position since Zambia became independent.

Scott once said that Zambia was changing from a "post-colonial" country to a "cosmopolitan" one. This means people's minds were changing, and they were looking forward instead of focusing on the past.

Serving as Acting President

After President Michael Sata passed away on 28 October 2014, Guy Scott became the acting president. He held this role for a short time, as required by Zambia's Constitution. The Constitution stated that a new election had to be held within 90 days.

Scott was not able to run for president himself. This was because of a rule in the Zambian Constitution. This rule said that both parents of a presidential candidate had to be Zambian by birth or descent. Scott's parents were immigrants from Scotland and England.

In November 2014, Scott briefly removed Edgar Lungu from his position as Secretary General of the Patriotic Front. However, he put him back in the role a day later after protests in the capital city, Lusaka. In December 2014, Scott refused calls from other government officials to resign as acting president.

Edgar Lungu later won the presidential by-election in January 2015. He became Zambia's sixth president on 25 January 2015, taking over from Guy Scott.

After His Presidency

Guy Scott left the Patriotic Front party before the 2016 general election. In 2019, he wrote a book called Adventures in Zambian Politics: A Story in Black and White. This book is about Zambia's history and his own political journey. In 2021, he joined the United Party for National Development party.

Personal Life

Guy Scott married Charlotte Harland, a doctor from Britain, in 1994. They live in Lusaka, Zambia. Scott has Parkinson's disease.

Book

• Adventures in Zambian Politics: A Story in Black and White (2019)

See also

In Spanish: Guy Scott para niños