WATCH: Blind MP Lazarus Hakalebula Reads Oath of Office in Historic Parliament Moment

LUSAKA – A remarkable moment unfolded in Zambia’s Parliament on Monday, September 21, 2026, when Lazarus Hakalebula, who is blind, read his oath of office before taking his seat as a Member of Parliament. Hakalebula is among the five persons living with disabilities nominated to Parliament by the UPND under Zambia’s new mixed proportional representation […]

LUSAKA – A remarkable moment unfolded in Zambia’s Parliament on Monday, September 21, 2026, when Lazarus Hakalebula, who is blind, read his oath of office before taking his seat as a Member of Parliament.

Hakalebula is among the five persons living with disabilities nominated to Parliament by the UPND under Zambia’s new mixed proportional representation system.

In footage captured by Parliament TV, Hakalebula can be heard reading his oath before the Speaker of the National Assembly, marking his formal entry into Parliament.

The moment has drawn attention to the changing composition of Zambia’s National Assembly, following the introduction of the mixed-member proportional representation system.

The National Assembly’s current membership records include nominated members under the new 12th Assembly.

One of 40 nominated MPs

A total of 40 nominated Members of Parliament have taken their places in the new Parliament, representing three categories provided for under the proportional representation framework — women, youths and persons with disabilities.

The new arrangement has brought a different group of representatives into the National Assembly alongside constituency-elected MPs.

For Hakalebula, Monday’s ceremony marked a particularly significant moment as he navigated the formal parliamentary oath by reading it before the Speaker.

Zambian Eye understands that Hakalebula is also a Gospel minister.

WATCH THE MOMENT

🎥 Watch Lazarus Hakalebula read his oath of office and take his place in Zambia’s Parliament.

What are your thoughts on Hakalebula’s historic moment?