🇿🇲 BRIEFING | Cabinet Reshuffles Spark Early Political Readings as Opposition Calls Timing into Question
President Hakainde Hichilema has dismissed Health Minister Elijah Muchima in an unexpected late-night Cabinet reshuffle, a move that also saw Small and Medium Enterprise Development Minister Elias Mubanga removed from office.
State House said the changes were made in line with Article 116(3)(a) of the Constitution, adding that the President had conveyed appreciation to both ministers for their service, with successors to be announced “in due course.”
The decision immediately triggered competing political interpretations in Lusaka, even as government offered no detailed explanation beyond constitutional procedure.
Muchima, appointed to the health portfolio in July 2024, became one of the more visible Cabinet figures, and his sudden removal has fuelled speculation in political circles about internal discipline, performance reviews, and election-year positioning.
Speaking this morning, Mr Muchima struck a notably restrained tone, describing being fired as “normal” and part of governance. “Such decisions are part of governance and not unusual even in other countries,” he told Diamond News, insisting his support for President Hichilema remains “steadfast” and not dependent on holding office.
He also dismissed claims that the move was linked to voting dynamics around Bill 7, calling such suggestions “mere speculation” and reiterating that appointments and dismissals remain the prerogative of the appointing authority.
State House Chief Communications Specialist Clayson Hamasaka framed the reshuffle as routine executive authority, saying the President thanked both ministers and wished them well.
The Presidency’s statement offered no indication of wrongdoing, policy dispute, or broader restructuring, leaving analysts to read the move through a political lens rather than an administrative one.
Opposition figures, however, have moved quickly to challenge the timing and intent. Citizens First leader Harry Kalaba described the dismissals as “ill-timed” and politically motivated, arguing they were done for “political expedience” rather than reform.
“The reshuffles are surprising… it is merely an academic exercise,” Kalaba said on Hot FM, suggesting the two ministers had become “sacrificial lambs” and calling for the nation to be given reasons behind their removal.
Kalaba’s comments reflect a broader opposition argument that major accountability decisions should have come earlier in the term, not in the shadow of an approaching general election. He also questioned what the reshuffle signals to cooperating partners and the wider public, as Zambia continues to market stability and reform credibility internationally.
For now, the immediate facts remain clear: two ministers have been removed, the President has not publicly detailed the rationale, and replacements have not yet been named. Muchima has responded with acceptance rather than confrontation, while opposition leaders are attempting to frame the move as political theatre.
The next signal will come from who replaces the dismissed ministers, and whether this reshuffle marks an isolated adjustment or the beginning of a wider election-year recalibration within government.
© The People’s Brief | Goran Handya