LUSAKA, Feb. 7 (Xinhua) -- The Zambian government said on Wednesday that it is investigating the country's former Vice President Guy Scott on how he obtained the death certificate of late President Michael Sata which he had published in his new book.

In his book, "Adventure in Zambian Politics," Scott, who had been Sata's vice president between 2011 and 2014, published Sata's death certificate highlighting the cause of death, the coroner's signature as well as signatures of the witnesses, a move that has stirred debate in the southern African nation.

Chief Government Spokesperson Dora Siliya said the government was shocked that the former vice president decided to publish the cause of the death, and that the government wanted to know how he came into possession of the certificate.

She told reporters during her weekly press briefing that publication of the cause of death was a very sensitive matter in Zambia and that the government wanted to get to the bottom of the matter.

She said cabinet has been studying the matter and would issue a comprehensive statement in due course.

On Monday, one of Sata's sons, Mulenga, said he was surprised that the former vice president included a picture of his father's death certificate in his new book.

Sata died at the age of 77 at London's King Edward VII Hospital where he was being treated for an undisclosed illness.