President Hichilema Appoints New Ministers

President Hakainde Hichilema has appointed Solwezi East Member of Parliament, Dr. Alex Katakwe, as Minister of Health. He also named Mfuwe Member of Parliament, Mufunelo Malama, as Minister of Small and Medium Enterprise Development, and Dr. Tuesday Bwalya as Permanent Secretary for Muchinga Province.

Speaking during the swearing-in ceremony at State House today, President Hichilema urged the newly appointed officials to put the interests of the Zambian people above self-interest.

The Head of State directed Dr. Katakwe to prioritize efficiency in the operations of the Zambia Medicines and Medical Supplies Agency (ZAMSA), ensuring that medicines are consistently available where they are needed. He emphasized that the availability of medicines must be reflected in citizens’ ability to access drugs.

“Everything boils down to serving the people,” President Hichilema said.

The President further called on the Minister of Small and Medium Enterprise Development to establish a transparent system that enables citizens to easily access services from the ministry and meet public expectations.

“You know the issues people have been raising, have a transparent way of people having access to services,” he said.

Meanwhile, President Hichilema tasked Dr. Bwalya with ensuring that government programmes, such as the school feeding initiative, are effectively implemented.

“Children in Chundapondo want desks, not sitting on a log; children in Shiwangandu want meals from the school feeding programme, so the people’s interest should come first,” he added.