Rupiah Bwezani Banda (19 February 1937 – 11 March 2022) was a Zambian politician who served as the fourth president of Zambia from 2008 to 2011, taking over from Levy Mwanawasa.

Banda was an active participant in politics from early in the presidency of Kenneth Kaunda, during which time he held several diplomatic posts.

Banda was born in the town of Miko, Gwanda, Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe); his parents had come from Northern Rhodesia to find employment prior to his birth, and he was sponsored by a local Dutch Reformed Church preacher (and later, the family of B. R. Naik, a family of Indian origin) to continue his education into adulthood.

[3] Rupiah Banda was the UNIP's representative in Northern Europe in the early 1960s[4] and in 1965 he was appointed Zambia's Ambassador to Egypt (the United Arab Republic).

[11] After Mwanawasa suffered a stroke while attending an African Union summit in Egypt on 29 June 2008, Banda became acting president.

[15] Banda officially took over as acting president prior to a new presidential election, which according to the constitution should be called within 90 days of Mwanawasa's death.

On this occasion, Banda promised to "unite the party and the entire nation" and to "continue implementing [Mwanawasa's] programs".

[20] As President, Rupiah Banda was focused on economic development, traveling abroad to promote Zambian trade to other world leaders.

President Banda subsequently welcomed others to challenge him for the nomination at the MMD Conventions taking place across the country.

[23] Michael Sata, leader of the opposition Patriotic Front, defeated Banda in the September 2011 presidential election, ending his three-year presidency.

[31][32] Rupiah Banda married his first wife, Hope Mwansa Makulu (29 August 1939 – 11 October 2000), in 1966 and the couple had three sons together.