Zambia’s Hichilema unveils Cabinet of 17 ministers

Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema has unveiled his Cabinet of 17 ministers.

After winning the August 12 general election, Hichilema promised Zambians that he would have a lean Cabinet.

President Hichilema, 59, beat former president Edgar Lungu in an election largely deemed transparent and peaceful.

As the new ministers took oath of office in at State House in Lusaka, President Hichilema warned them against engaging in corruption.

“Corruption will not be tolerated. There will be no sacred cows,” he said.

He warned against inflating of prices in the procurement process which he said had hindered the country’s development process.

The Zambian president said he would appoint more ministers by Wednesday to complete the process ahead of the opening of the national assembly on Friday.

Among those appointed is Kabompo MP Ambrose Lwiji Lufuma, who becomes the Minister for Defence while party stalwart Jack Mwiimbu is the new ministry for Home Affairs.

Stanley Kakubo will head the Ministry of Foreign Affairs while engineering consultant Peter Kapala is the new minister for Energy, with Mike Elton Mposha being the minister for Water Development.