Zambian president names eight more ministers

Zambian President Edgar Lungu Monday named eight more ministers, bringing the number of ministers appointed so far to 16 since his reelection last month, his office said.

The appointment of the eight ministers and 10 provincial ministers was made just before the president left for the United Nations (UN) General Assembly. The constitution allows him to pick 30 ministers.

Lungu named some of his former ministers and gave them new ministries and also announced new faces.

According to the statement, Lungu named Dora Siliya, who was energy minister in his previous administration, as the new agriculture minister while Jean Kapata, who was previously in charge of tourism and arts, was moved to the Ministry of Lands.

Vincent Mwale, who was in charge of youth and sports, is now the new local government minister, while Nkandu Luo, who was gender minister, is now in charge of the higher education ministry.

The new ministers include Lawrence Sichalwe in charge of the Ministry of Chiefs and Traditional Affairs, Victoria Kalima in charge of the Ministry of Gender, Moses Mawere in charge of the Ministry of Youth and Sport as well as Denis Wachinga in charge of the Ministry of General Education.

The statement added that the president will announce structural changes to some ministries to rationalize their operations for efficient output.

Lungu took office in January 2015 to serve the remaining term of former President Michael Sata who died in October 2014, and was elected to a full presidential term in the August 2016 election. Endi