Zambia president taken to London hospital

LUSAKA, Apr 2 (Reuters) Zambian President Levy Mwanawasa has flown to London for a medical check-up to ensure his fitness ahead of a what is expected to be a tough election campaign later this year, a government spokesman said today.

Vernon Mwaanga, chief government spokesman, said Mwanawasa had planned to take part in a fundraiser for his ruling Movement for Multiparty Democracy but, on his doctor's advice, decided against it.

''The president left for London (yesterday) after a recommendation from doctors here that he goes now for a routine check-up and medical review,'' he said.

''We are taking this window of opportunity to enable the president to do his check-up before he gets busy with his campaign,'' he said.

Mwanawasa, who came to power in 2001, has pleased the West with his investor-friendly economic policies but he has also run into political problems for pushing through an anti-graft campaign.

While foreign lenders have rewarded Mwanawasa's moves to stamp out graft with billions of dollars in debt relief and aid, he has won powerful enemies keen to see him go, including former president Frederick Chiluba, who has been one of his targets.

Analysts say Mwanawasa faces a tough challenge in elections likely to take place in the last quarter of this year, after a previously fractured opposition recently formed two powerful parties to square up against him.

Mwanawasa has rejected calls to change the constitution to require that the president be elected by a 50 percent plus one vote, rather than the current simple majority -- signalling how precarious he believes his position to be, analysts say.

REUTERS CH RAI1902