HICHILEMA SEEKS PARLIAMENTARY APPROVAL TO RESTRUCTURE MINISTRIES FOR GROW ZAMBIA AGENDA
LUSAKA | 26 October 2026
President Hakainde Hichilema has requested parliamentary approval to restructure Zambia’s government ministries to improve efficiency, strengthen economic coordination and accelerate implementation of the Grow Zambia Agenda.
In a statement issued by State House Chief Communications Specialist Clayson Hamasaka, the President invoked Article 92(2)(d) of the Constitution, which provides for the establishment, merger and dissolution of ministries with National Assembly approval.
Vice President Dr. W.K. Mutale-Nalumango is expected to present the proposed restructuring to Parliament.
The realignment comes as Zambia transitions from macroeconomic stabilisation toward accelerated growth, industrialisation, private investment and job creation.
The Grow Zambia Agenda targets include 10,000 MW of electricity generation, 10 million metric tonnes of maize production, five million tourists, three million metric tonnes of annual copper production and US$1 billion in beef exports.
EIGHT STRATEGIC MINISTRIES FOR THE GROW ZAMBIA AGENDA
Although State House has not disclosed the specific ministries proposed for restructuring, the following independent recommendations could strengthen economic delivery.
- Ministry of Investment, Capital Markets and Public-Private Partnerships
Mobilise domestic and foreign capital, attract institutional investors, facilitate major investment transactions and coordinate public-private partnerships. Its focus should be financing bankable projects without excessive government borrowing.
- Ministry of Digital Transformation and Public Sector Efficiency
Lead nationwide digitisation, digital identification, electronic procurement, government database integration and automation. The objective should be reducing expenditure, eliminating inefficiencies, improving revenue collection and accelerating service delivery.
- Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Agro-Industrial Development
Integrate agriculture, irrigation, livestock, fisheries and agro-processing to support commercial production, food security and agricultural exports. Key priorities include 10 million tonnes of maize and US$1 billion in beef exports.
- Ministry of Industrialisation, Trade and Export Development
Accelerate manufacturing, value addition, export competitiveness and industrial investment. The ministry should prioritise factories, industrial zones, supply chains and reducing regulatory barriers to business growth.
- Ministry of Energy Security and Power Infrastructure
Coordinate electricity generation, transmission, distribution and regional power trading. Its primary objective should be facilitating investment toward the 10,000 MW generation target while improving electricity reliability and affordability.
- Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy
Coordinate tourism development, destination marketing, creative industries and related investment. The five-million-tourist target should generate measurable employment, private investment and foreign-exchange earnings.
- Ministry of Infrastructure, Transport and Logistics
Consolidate transport infrastructure, railways, trade corridors and logistics development. The priority should be reducing transportation costs, improving regional connectivity and attracting private infrastructure investment.
- Ministry of Skills, Employment and Enterprise Development
Support SME growth, entrepreneurship, technical skills and employment creation. Performance should be measured through business survival rates, productivity, formal employment and enterprise participation in supply chains.
GOVERNMENT MUST BECOME SMALLER, FASTER AND MORE EFFICIENT
The restructuring must not simply create additional ministries, ministers and administrative expenditure.
Instead, government should consolidate overlapping responsibilities, eliminate duplication and establish clear economic performance targets
Every ministry should be evaluated against measurable indicators, including investment facilitated, jobs created, economic output, administrative savings and service-delivery improvements.
The private sector must remain the principal driver of investment, production and employment. Government’s responsibility is to create the regulatory, institutional and infrastructure environment that enables businesses to grow.
FROM STABILISATION TO GROWTH
President Hichilema’s proposed restructuring represents an opportunity to align government institutions with Zambia’s economic ambitions through 2031
Two priorities deserve particular attention: mobilising investment capital and accelerating government digitisation.
Capital mobilisation will finance economic expansion, while digitisation can reduce government operating costs, eliminate inefficiencies and improve the speed of economic transaction
Ultimately, the success of the restructuring should not be measured by how many ministries are established, but by how efficiently government operates and how rapidly the private sector expands.
Zambia does not need a bigger government. Zambia needs a smarter, leaner and more efficient government that gets out of the way of private-sector growth.
That is how we move from stabilising Zambia to growing Zambia.
GEORGE N. MTONGA, MBA