Zambia gets female VP, minister

Lusaka - Zambia has its first female vice president since gaining independence in 1964.

Inonge Mutukwa Wina, Patriotic Front national chair since 2006, was announced as the deputy to newly elected Zambian President Edgar Chagwa Lungu on Monday.

Lungu made the announcement when he appointed his partial cabinet at a press conference in the capital Lusaka.

He described Wina as a gallant fighter for people's rights, having held the position of PF chair after several years of leading the Non-Governmental Organisations Co-ordinating Council (NGOCC) and pioneering the formation of the Young Women's Christian Association.

Wina was NGOCC chair for several years, where she spearheaded the fight against gender-based violence.

In the previous administration of late president Michael Sata, Wina was Minister of Gender. The newly enacted Anti Gender-Based Violence Act was passed under her watch.

Lungu encouraged Zambian women to support her as she continued her efforts to improve children and women's welfare.

"Personally, as president, I will give her all the support. This country has a lot of challenges to do with child welfare and the welfare of women," Lungu said.

Lungu only appointed seven cabinet ministers and promised to appoint more when he returned from the African Union Heads of State and Government Summit.

Out of the seven cabinet ministers, one - Tourism and Arts Minister Jean Kapata - is a woman.

Those retained from the previous cabinet include Alexander Chikwanda, who is Minister of Finance, Ngosa Simbyakula (Justice), Harry Kalaba (Foreign Affairs) and Davies Mwila (Home Affairs).

Lungu has also moved Amos Chanda to the position of Special Assistant to the President for Press and Public Relations from the United Kingdom, where he served as First Secretary for Press.

The new president appointed a Member of Parliament of the opposition United Party for National Development as provincial minister for Southern Province, one of the country's 10 provinces. This position is equivalent to that of deputy minister.