Zambia's New President Edgar Lungu Re-appoints Most Ministers

President Lungu congratulates Ms Wina

By Paul Shalala in Ndola

Zambia's new President Edgar Lungu has reappointed most of the Cabinet Ministers he served with in the late President Michael Sata's Cabinet.

Mr Lungu, who was sworn in on Sunday after winning the hotly contested 20 January Presidential poll, dissolved the previous Cabinet and swore in a new one on Monday.

Prominent among the appointments is Nalolo Member of Parliament Inonge Wina who he swore in as Vice President, a development which has been widely welcomed by stakeholders.

Ms Wina replaces Dr Guy Scott who deputised the late Sata since 2011.

She becomes the first ever female Vice President in Zambia.

Others re-appointed to Cabinet are Justice Minister Dr. Ngosa Simbyakula who served as Home Affairs Minister, Finance Minister Alexander Chikwanda who retained his position and Harry Kalaba who has also retained his Foreign Affairs portfolio.

Others appointed are Dr Joseph Kasonde who has retained his Health Ministerial post while Chipili Member of Parliament Davies Mwila was sworn in as Home Affairs Minister.

President Lungu swears in Mr Chanda

He also swore in Solwezi Central UPND MP Dawson Kafwaya as North Western Province Minister and announced the appointment of Mongu Central MP Nathaniel Mubukwanu as Southern Province Minister to take over from Daniel Munkombwe who campaigned for UPND President Hakainde Hichilema during last week's presidential election.

President Lungu announced that he will announce the remaining ministerial appointees when he returns from the African Union Summit in Ethiopia in a few days time.

Other non-ministerial appointees the head of state swore in were his Special Assistant for Press and Public Relations Amos Chanda, Special Assistant for Political Affairs Kaizar Zulu and State House Permanent Secretary Emmanuel Chilubanama.