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It was met at Lusaka international airport by a sea of Zambians in black wailing and singing for their departed leader who passed away in Paris hospital last Tuesday after suffering a stroke during the African Union Summit in Egypt in June.
The French Air Force Airbus 310 in the French tri-colour carrying the late president touched down at Lusaka international airport at 8.55 hours local time escorted by three Zambia Air Force jet fighters.
Ahead of the airbus flew the beige and white Challenger presidential jet on which Mwanawasa last flew to Egypt for the African Union heads of state and government summit meeting which he never attended as he suffered the fatal stroke.
First to come out of airbus were Zambian journalists who were followed by Foreign Affairs Minister Kabinga Pande and First Lady Maureen Mwanawasa supported by Minister of Gender and Women in Development, Patricia Mulasikwanda.
Dressed in a black head-scarf, a black blouse with ruffles, a long black skirt held in place by a silver metal belt and black flat shoes Maureen, as she is popularly known among Zambians, looked composed but subdued.
She was met by acting president Rupiah Banda and founding president, Dr Kenneth Kaunda who was carrying his traditional white handkerchief in his left hand.
Together they waited for the pall bearers to retrieve the casket from the aircraft. These consisted of a group of soldiers accompanied by officers of the rank of Brigadier-General from the Army, Air Force and Zambia National Service.
The president's casket, draped in the Zambian flag, was placed on a Zambia Army gun-carriage with the presidential emblem of a copper fish eagle with its wings spread wide.
Then the Zambia Army brass band, dressed in red tunics and black pants and black Selous scout felt hats with red bands, struck the Zambia national anthem.
Soldiers from the Second Battalion of the Zambia Army fired a 21-gun salute for the fallen president just before jet fighters from the Zambia Air Force screamed overhead to give the late Mwanawasa their own salute.
After this Maureen and acting President Banda went to their vehicles for the long journey into town.
The gun-carriage was itself being towed by an open Toyota Land-cruiser troop carrier with two flags fixed to its body just behind the driver - one being the Zambia national flag and the other being the presidential standard (orange flag with the presidential emblem in the middle).
Ahead of the gun-carriage drove two white Land-cruisers, a Mercedes Benz vehicle for pallbearers and two armored and amphibious troop carriers.
Around the gun-carriage rode police outriders in white tunics and navy blue pant s and black riding leather boots.
As the body came out of the airport it was greeted by wailing men, women and children who packed the 16-kilometre route along the Great East Road from Lusaka International Airport to Mulungushi International Conference Centre where it will lie in state for the next two days.
From Lusaka the body of Mwanawasa will be flown to all provincial capitals so as to afford Zambians in the countryside the chance to mourn the late president.
Younger brother of the late president, Sanshika Mwanawasa, said the family was grateful to the people of Zambia.
"We really thank the people of Zambia for their generous support and kindness in this our hour of need. As the Mwanawasa family we know without this support the burden would have been too heavy to bear," he said.
A notable absentee was former president Frederick Chiluba, who is now facing criminal prosecution for stealing US$500,000 from state coffers.
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