[3] Guy Lindsay Scott was born on 1 June 1944 in the border city of Livingstone, the pre-1935 capital of what was then Northern Rhodesia (today Zambia).

Scott's eventual participation in politics was largely inspired by his father, who had been an ally of Zambian nationalists and had even founded several newspapers that advocated for independence.

He continued his education in England, where he received his undergraduate degree in economics in 1965 from Trinity Hall, a constituent college of Cambridge University.

[8] In 1970, Scott established an agribusiness venture known as Walkover Estates, which focused on producing high-value crops such as irrigated wheat, strawberries, and a wide range of off-season vegetables.

[9] Scott eventually returned to England to continue his education at the University of Sussex, where he studied cognitive sciences and artificial intelligence, receiving his Master's degree in 1983 and his doctorate in 1986.

[11][1] In 1990, Scott joined the Movement for Multi-Party Democracy (MMD) and was elected to be chair of its Agriculture Committee during the first party convention.

[citation needed] Shortly after his election, The Guardian quoted Scott as saying: "I have long suspected Zambia is moving from a post-colonial to a cosmopolitan condition.

[14] After Michael Sata's death on 28 October 2014, Scott became acting president for an interim period of no more than ninety days until a new election could be held to permanently fill the office, as required by Article 38 of the Constitution of Zambia.

On 3 November 2014, Scott dismissed Edgar Lungu as Secretary General of the Patriotic Front; however, he reinstated him a day later,[19] after street protests in Lusaka.