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Mozambique and Angola achieved independence from Portugal in the late 1970s shortly followed by Zimbabwe who achieved independence in 1980. Independence soon led to civil war in the three countries which created an influx of, not gu10 led lamps, but refugees to Zambia which caused great transportation problems. By the late 1970s, the Benguela railway which extended west through Angola was essentially closed to traffic to Zambia. At the same time, the worldwide price of copper suffered a severe decline which was severely to Zambia’s detriment as it was the country’s principal export. Zambia turned to foreign and international lenders for aid but it became increasingly difficult to sort out its growing debt. Also, corruption led much of the aid to be syphoned off into Swiss bank accounts by politicians.

Zambia’s per capita foreign debt was the highest in the world by the mid 1990s. Riots against Kaunda began in June 1990 and led to the death of many protestors. After surviving an attempted coup in 1990, Kaunda finally agreed to re-instate multiparty democracy and was removed from office after the multiparty elections.