A candid evaluation of President Hichilema’s first Cabinet

1. Vice-President: W.K. Mutale Nalumango – Even when this arrangement has proven troublesome for most African countries, she has survived the past 5 years and continues into the next term. Mutale can best be described as humble and loyal to the President, eager to implement the…

1. Vice-President: W.K. Mutale Nalumango – Even when this arrangement has proven troublesome for most African countries, she has survived the past 5 years and continues into the next term. Mutale can best be described as humble and loyal to the President, eager to implement the bidding of the President at any juncture. In Parliament, she has put her experience to good use, having initially served as Deputy Speaker in the MMD administration, by ably executing her role as Leader of Government Business and even providing motherly advice to truant MPs such as Munir Zulu and Binwell Mpundu.

2. Minister of Finance and National Planning: Situmbeko Musokotwane – Not given to fanfare, he enjoys working quietly in the background. He oversaw the restructuring of roughly $13 billion in external debt after Zambia became the first African country to default during the pandemic. He also secured the IMF Extended Credit Facility and restored macroeconomic stability. Cautious, orthodox, and credible – his retention into the second term is continuity.

3. Minister of Defence: Ambrose Lufuma – Quiet and disciplined. Focused on barracks rehabilitation, welfare of soldiers, and non-partisan military. No major scandals to his name, the country has witnessed the military taking to the field to improve national food security.

4. Minister of Home Affairs and Internal Security: Jack Mwiimbu – The party’s veteran tactician. He managed police reforms, kept relative calm during volatile by-elections, and reduced political cadres at stations. Criticized for slow reform of the Public Order Act and perceptions of selective enforcement. Although he managed to apply the breaks on unnecessary roadblocks and checkpoints, sadly they are now back! It remains to be seen whether he’ll still be maintained in his position.

5. Minister of Justice: Princess Kasune -Mulambo Haimbe (2021-2024) / Princess Kasune (2024-2026) – Haimbe initiated Access to Information Act and constitutional review groundwork. Kasune pushed human rights and gender justice narrative. She’ll be remembered for ensuring the Constitution Amendment Bill No. 7 / 2025 was enacted into law.

6. Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation: Stanley Kakubo (2021-2023) / Mulambo Haimbe (2024-2026) – Kakubo was energetic on economic diplomacy but resigned over a scandal involving bales of cash. Haimbe, a lawyer, brought legal polish and steadied the ministry, pushing for border openness and FDI linkages. It’s hardly surprising that he’s back at Chester House.

7. Minister of Health: Sylvia Masebo (2021-2024) / Elijah Muchima (2024-2026) Alex Katakwe (2026) – Masebo tried to fight drug pilferage and reformed ZAMMSA. Muchima, a former Shushushu took over from her and steadied the ministry, famously warning perennial thieves in the ministry their days were numbered! He was later replaced by Alex Katakwe who shortly committed a faux pas by encouraging thieves in the ministry to steal reasonably. The position has since been awarded to Roma Chilengi.

8. Minister of Education: Douglas Syakalima – Oversaw free education – 2 million children back to school. He managed massive teacher recruitment of 30,000. However, infrastructure lagged – overcrowded classrooms while desk deficits persisted. Student loan schemes were also extended to the other public universities beyond the traditional UNZA and CBU. He was also expected to clean up the ministry by weeding our PF/Tonse aligned officials in his Ministry such as the DEBS and Head Teachers but to no avail.

9. Minister of Energy: Peter Kapala (2021-2024) / Makozo Chikote (2024-2026) – Kapala battled 12-hour load shedding due to the worst drought. When Chikote took over from him, he accelerated putting up of solar power plants. He also spearheaded reforms like tariff blending and net metering. He however faced a backlash for failing to provide 7 hours of power as he had assured the nation after ERB approved an emergency tariff adjustment. President Hichilema publicly told him off. “Don’t announce, let people see the extra hours regarding power supply.” He should’ve handled communication better!

10. Minister of Green Economy and Environment: Collins Nzovu (2021-2024) / Mike Mposha (2024-2026) Mposha ran away from his Munali Constituency once he sensed danger. He didn’t leave much impact worth talking about. The pine forests that KK bequeathed to us are fast depleting while indigenous trees are being harvested willy-nilly and yet we didn’t see any tangible initiatives to replenish the same. Worse still, he failed to champion development of green investments, green jobs, renewable energy let alone energy efficiency

11. Minister of Science and Technology: Felix Mutati – The Silicon Valley in the US is the center for high-tech innovation, computer technology, and the tech industry. It works closely with research universities and is home to big global companies like Apple, Google, and Meta and also a major hub for investors, startups and high profile investments. In Africa, countries like Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Egypt and Kenya are already leading the way in replicating their own version of Silicon Valley. Did we see Mutati taking gigantic strides in this direction? Negative! In this era of ICT, we probably need a youngster in this ministry who’s going to easily adapt and move with changing times.

12. Minister of Transport and Logistics: Frank Tayali – those from Ndola would tell you he has changed the face of Ndola! Under his tenure, the country secured a $1.4bn concession with China Civil to rehabilitate the TAZARA while Zambia Airways was relaunched as a national carrier. The provincial airports in Kasama, Chipata, Mongu, Solwezi, Mfuwe, and Mansa were also upgraded. Whatever sins Tayali committed against the people of Ndola for them to send him packing only God knows, perhaps it’s a question of attitude.

13. Minister of Labour and Social Security: Brenda Tambatamba – although she seemed to remain ‘AWOL’ as reports of workers being abused by employers kept surfacing on social media, she was quite instrumental in introducing reforms in her ministry chief among them partial withdrawals, reduced waiting periods for pension payouts and withdrawal of over 4,000 children from child labour. We hope to see her back with much a bigger whip to discipline truant employers!

14. Minister of Lands and Natural Resources: Elijah Muchima (2021-2024) / Sylvia Masebo (2024-2026) – land digitisation and mass titling commenced but is far from over. She also tried to curb deep rooted corruption in the acquisition of land.

15. Minister of Community Development: Doreen Mwamba – although she will be remembered for hosting a National Indaba on Street Kids, the problem of street kids has remained a nightmare.

16. Minister of Agriculture: Reuben R. Phiri Mtolo – although he expanded the Farmer Input Support Programme and reintroduced winter maize, annual maize shortages and high mealie-meal prices continued to haunt him. The drought of 2023/24 exposed over-reliance on rain-fed agriculture.

17. Minister of Fisheries & Livestock: Peter Kapala – he was shuffled from the Ministry of Energy for whatever reasons! Did he do much to decrease the 51, 000 tonnes fish deficit? Well we expected fish-farms being spearheaded all over the country.

18. Minister of Local Government and Rural Development: Gary Nkombo (2021-2025) / Gift Sialubalo (2025-2026) – Face of CDF increase to K30.5m. Empowered the councils although questions on their capacity to manage funds and quality of CDF projects were raised. Sialubalo brought new energy to the ministry, regularly visiting various parts of the country to supervise Councils and addressing teething issues.

19. Minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry: Chipoka Mulenga – Young and market-facing. Pushed SEZs and manufacturing, but trade deficit and influx of cheap imports remained issues for local SMEs. He lamentably failed to lure in meaningful investors let alone coming up with initiatives to ‘birth’ the next generation of Dangotes.

20. Minister of Small & Medium Enterprises: Elias Mubanga – the ministry is expected to be instrumental in inspiring and injecting a new lease of life in small businesses such as bricklaying, welding, mechanics, tailoring and butcheries etc. Did we witness gigantic steps in that direction? Zero!

21. Minister of Information & Media: Chushi Kasanda (2021-2023) / Cornelius Mweetwa (2023-2026) – government communication under Kasanda was quite erratic.Things got better when Mweetwa took over. He proved to be combative and defensive, often clashing with the media.

22. Minister of Mines & Minerals Development: Paul Kabuswe – a Kopala resident, Chililabombwe people expected him to easily understand the challenges of the region and offered practical solutions. Unfortunately, the opposite seemed to be the case! The Black Mountain in Kitwe vanished in thin air without the ordinary people benefitting anything. He equally faced criticism for mishandling other dump sites and artisanal miners.

23. Minister of Tourism: Rodney Sikumba – he was credited with making tourism a serious engine for economic diversification beyond copper! The sector tremendously recovered post-Covid – tourist arrivals more than doubled up, job creation was ramped up while revenue collection remained above target.

24. Minister of Infrastructure, Housing & Urban Development: Charles Milupi – He was in charge of one of the biggest ministries and yet he remained scandal-free. Under his watch, the following roads were upgraded to bituminous standard countrywide: Samfya–Kasaba Road (Luapula Province), Chikankata Road (Southern Province), and Chibuluma Road (Copperbelt), while the Katunda–Lukulu–Watopa–Mumbezhi Road (Western Province) was in the offing and the Ndola–Kitwe Dual Carriageway is well underway. Quiet, technical and loyal – one of the outstanding performers of the first Cabinet.

25. Minister of Youth & Sport: Elvis Nkandu – My former neighbour, aka – Akatuntulu – has proven to be a politician pro-max! Although he was firing on all six cylinders doing what he knows best – party mobilisation – he never neglected his work at the Ministry in any way. Instead of just focusing on football, as his predecessors did in the past, he ensured that other sports disciplines were catered for as well. Our U-17 Girls won the 2025 COSAFA Girls’ Championship and qualified for the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup. On the tracks, our athletes hauled over 200 medals across continental and global competitions. He also spearheaded infrastructure rehabilitation and youth empowerment initiatives. This one deserves to be elevated to a much more senior ministry.

26. Minister of Fisheries & Livestock: Peter Kapala – He was appointed on July 29, 2024, after his reassignment from the Ministry of Energy. His focus was livestock exports, aquaculture growth, disease control, and restocking rivers. He repositioned the sector as part of Government’s broader goal to diversify from copper and make agriculture and livestock the pillar of growth. However, the nation expected him to come out with guns blazing after Sino Metals polluted the Kafue River, which resulted in mass fish deaths. His response was measured, technical and legalistic, where the public expected outrage and immediate compensation.

27. Minister of Water Development and Sanitation: Mike Mposha (2021-2024) / Collins Nzovu (2024-2026) – Mposha was the architect: first National Water Strategy, ZIP $5.75bn, Non-Revenue Water Strategy. Nzovu was the builder: Kafulafuta $449m, Nkana II, 12 Small Towns for 1.6m people. Lusaka’s deficit (480k demand vs 185k produced) and Kafue pollution were their albatross. Nzovu faced severe criticism over the manner he handled pollution incidents on the Copperbelt which basically exposed weak WARMA enforcement.

(Minister of Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development: Charles Milupi* – Alliance partner, engineer. Focused on PPP road projects, but few roads completed within term. Praised for technical depth, criticised for slow pace.)

Prince Bill M. Kaping’a
Political/Social Analyst
Zambezi