At a public event, Zambia's 64-year-old president slumps

Zambia's President, Edgar Lungu, suffered a dizzy spell on Sunday, forcing a stoppage to television coverage of an official ceremony.

Lungu had been attending a defense forces Commemoration Day function, which was abruptly ended, according to a cabinet official.

In a statement, cabinet secretary Simon Miti stated, “President of Zambia Edgar Lungu experienced unexpected dizziness this afternoon.”

“He quickly recovered and walked to the official automobile before returning to his State House residence.”

Miti told AFP that the 64-year-old was OK and will continue to perform his job..

Lungu, who is running for re-election in August, was hospitalized in 2015 after suffering from a rare gastrointestinal illness called achalasia in public.

He took power in 2014, succeeding Michael Sata, who died abruptly before his tenure was over. In 2016, he went on to win surveys.

The country's biggest opposition figure, Hakainde Hichilemaon, is expected to be his main contender for the presidency once more.