Lusaka, Zambia — Tuesday, 27 October 2026 · Tuesday: A motion to redraw the ministries, the Cabinet question that will not go away, a K52.6 million FISP audit — and a Zambian first at Absa L'Atelier
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Illustration: Article 92(2)(d)
Illustration: State House announced on Monday 26 October 2026 that the President has asked Parliament to approve the establishment, merger and dissolution of ministries.
Politics · Lead story Developing

Redrawing the ministries before naming the ministers: Hichilema asks Parliament to approve the creation, merger and dissolution of ministries, with Nalumango to move the motion

State House said on Monday 26 October that President Hakainde Hichilema has written to the National Assembly under Article 92(2)(d) of the Constitution seeking approval for a realignment of government ministries, which it says will put the machinery of government behind the Grow Zambia Agenda. Vice-President Mutale Nalumango will move the motion. No ministry has yet been named, no date set, and the request lands with a Cabinet of four ministers two and a half months after the election.

By Lusaka Brief Politics Desk • 27 October 2026 • 4 min read
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Politics

Illustration: Four ministers
Politics · Cabinet

Censure him, do not defend him: Simutanyi tells the UPND to hold the President to account over a Cabinet of four, as party officials say the Constitution sets no deadline

The political scientist Neo Simutanyi says a government running on four ministers more than two months after the election is damaging governance and making Zambia a laughing stock, and that the ruling party should hold the President to account rather than explain the delay away. UPND officials have argued that the Constitution gives no timetable for Cabinet appointments. News Diggers and the Zambian Observer carried his remarks on Monday 26 October.

By Lusaka Brief Politics Desk•27 Oct
Illustration: The 62nd investiture
Politics · Lead story

Twenty names at State House: a crocodile rescue, the Chalala hero and the Trade Kings founder lead the Independence honours, with Kanyemba and the late Melu recognised for sport

President Hakainde Hichilema decorated 20 people at an investiture ceremony at State House on Saturday 24 October, the 62nd anniversary of independence. The Times of Zambia's list runs from freedom fighters to a fisherman who pulled a colleague from a crocodile, Robby Chitambo, who helped police find 13 abducted young women in Chalala in 2022, and Trade Kings' Iqbal Patel. Copper Princesses coach Carol Kanyemba received the President's Insignia of Meritorious Achievement.

By Lusaka Brief Politics Desk•26 Oct
Illustration: The 48-hour rule
Politics · Opposition

'Not a mere procedural formality': M'membe says the 48-hour rule is being ignored after the August election, while Mweetwa tells the House the vote passed without violence

The Socialist Party used the Independence weekend to press two arguments. In a statement on Sunday 25 October, Fred M'membe said opposition figures and critics are being held beyond the constitutional 48 hours without charge, and called for it to stop. General secretary Cosmas Musumali called President Hichilema's COMESA role an opening for economic diplomacy but said he has not yet matured into an African leader. In Parliament, UPND's Cornelius Mweetwa said August saw no violence beyond the chaos after Brian Mundubile declared himself president-elect.

By Lusaka Brief Politics Desk•26 Oct

Economy

Illustration: K52.6 million
Economy · Agriculture

K52.6 million of inputs to inactive and double-dipping farmers: an agriculture foundation demands a FISP investigation after the Auditor-General's findings

The Agriculture Climate Action Foundation says the 2025 Auditor-General's report shows 2,128 inactive farmers were allocated K17.76 million of redeemable inputs and 4,213 beneficiaries got K34.92 million of inputs while already on other support programmes. It wants to know whether the failures were in the e-voucher or the direct supply system, and who will answer for them. A separate audit finding, reported last week, put K19.6 million of inputs in the hands of 2,339 farmers who were not on the national register.

By Lusaka Brief Business Desk•27 Oct
Illustration: Thursday 29 October
Economy · Markets

A K2.2 billion test of appetite the day before the budget: Access Bank says Thursday's Treasury bill auction will show what investors think of the government's borrowing

The Bank of Zambia offers K2.2 billion of Treasury bills on Thursday 29 October, the day before the 2027 budget is read, with a third of the paper at one year. Access Bank's market note says FISP and Food Reserve Agency payments are about to push kwacha into rural areas, that the maize stockpile is prudent but expensive, and that 2027 is the risk year if the rains fail. On the stock exchange, a quiet week saw CEC account for almost half of turnover.

By Lusaka Brief Business Desk•27 Oct
Illustration: Friday 30 October
Economy · Budget

Budget day is Friday: Musokotwane to present the 2027 estimates on 30 October, after which the House breaks for ten working days of sector scrutiny

Vice-President Mutale Nalumango told the National Assembly on Friday 23 October that Finance Minister Situmbeko Musokotwane will present the 2027 National Budget on Friday 30 October, News Diggers reports. The Speaker will then suspend the business of the House for ten working days so that sector budgets can be analysed, with the House resuming on 24 November. The budget follows a K19.9 billion supplementary request dominated by maize payments, and a World Bank pledge to back the 2027 fiscal programme.

By Lusaka Brief Business Desk•26 Oct

Health

Illustration: Child Health Week
Health · Children

4,509,005 children to reach in a week: Chilengi launches Child Health Week and says the services should be routine, not an annual campaign

The Minister of Health, Professor Roma Chilengi, launched the 2026 Child Health Week in Lusaka on Monday 26 October with a target of more than 4.5 million under-fives for vitamin A, deworming, nutrition screening and catch-up immunisation, and HPV vaccination for girls of nine. The Ministry estimates that about one child in five missed a life-saving vaccine before its first birthday. World Vision moved 900,000 vitamin A doses and nearly four million deworming tablets to the provinces.

By Lusaka Brief Health Desk•27 Oct
Illustration: 18 districts, six provinces
Health · Cholera

Past 1,300 cases and 27 deaths: the cholera outbreak has reached 18 districts in six provinces, with Lusaka carrying more than half the count and Chibombo most of the rest

The Mast reports a ZNPHI update showing 53 new cases and one death in a day, taking the outbreak to 1,314 cumulative cases, 27 deaths and 1,233 recoveries, with 54 patients in hospital. Lusaka has 723 cases and Chibombo 272. A later tally carried by Outbreak News Today on Monday 26 October put the count at 1,488 cases and 29 deaths, a figure Lusaka Brief has not been able to match to a published ZNPHI bulletin.

By Lusaka Brief Health Desk•27 Oct
Illustration: 77 names, K5.79 million
Health · Audit

Paid after death: the Auditor-General finds 77 deceased Ministry of Health workers were kept on the payroll for up to a year, at a cost of K5.79 million

The Auditor-General's report for 2025 says 77 health workers who had died remained on the Ministry of Health payroll for between one and twelve months, producing K5,790,691 in irregular payments, News Diggers and the Zambian Observer report. The same report found 63 officers past the retirement age of 60 still in service and paid K3.67 million, and 80 officers paid K1.16 million while unconfirmed in acting posts for up to 84 months. Who received the salaries of the dead is not stated.

By Lusaka Brief Health Desk•26 Oct

Courts

Illustration: Wednesday, 09:00
Courts · Treason case

'The State is not ready to prosecute': Mundubile, Zulu and 16 others argue that investigating after charge cannot justify holding them, a day before their bail hearing resumes

In arguments reported by News Diggers on Monday 26 October, the 18 accused in the treason case say the State has admitted it is still investigating after charging them, that this shows it is not ready to prosecute, and that their detention breaches their constitutional rights. Their application for constitutional bail is due back before a three-judge High Court panel at 09:00 on Wednesday 28 October, when the court has directed that all 18 be produced.

By Lusaka Brief Courts Desk•27 Oct
Illustration: Gazette Notice 1418
Courts · Citizenship

'Incompetently before the court': the Attorney-General says Mukandila should have appealed to the Minister before asking the High Court to restore his NRC and passport

The State has asked the Lusaka High Court to throw out Celestine Mukandila's application for judicial review of the Gazette notice that cancelled his national registration card and passport. Attorney-General Mulilo Kabesha argues that the Tonse Alliance secretary-general should first have appealed to the Minister of Home Affairs and that judicial review is no shortcut around a statutory appeal, Zambia Monitor and News Diggers report. Mukandila says the Act gives no power to cancel an NRC by Gazette notice, and that he had no notice, hearing or reasons.

By Lusaka Brief Courts Desk•26 Oct
Illustration: Lumezi Town Council
Courts · Eastern Province

Lumezi's council chairperson in custody: police detain NRPUP's Dawson Tembo over an alleged trespass and a damaged door, four days after the complaint was lodged

Police in Eastern Province have detained Dawson Tembo, the NRPUP chairperson of Lumezi Town Council, on allegations of trespass and malicious damage to property, News Diggers and the Zambian Observer report. A 20-year-old woman from a village under Chief Zumwanda complained on 19 October that he had entered her premises and damaged her door; police say he evaded arrest until Friday 23 October. He is expected in court and the allegations have not been tested; no response from Tembo or his party has been reported.

By Lusaka Brief Courts Desk•26 Oct

Sport

Illustration: Three games, no points
Sport · Women's football

'Don't look down on yourselves, girls': Kanyemba calls the U-17 World Cup bad for Zambia, apologises to the fans and says the Copper Princesses need far more games at this level

Carol Kanyemba's review of a tournament that ended with three defeats, two goals scored and nine conceded is unsparing: a setback on the last edition, returning players who did not repeat their form, and a gap between African and World Cup level that only exposure can close. She says selection and scouting will be reviewed and that the U-20 and senior teams are already looking at the graduating players. ZamFoot and News Diggers carried her remarks.

By Lusaka Brief Sports Desk•27 Oct
Illustration: Blades 2–0 Nkana
Sport · Super League

Nkana's run ends at Konkola: Blades win 2–0, Green Buffaloes come from behind in Kabwe and Chirundu win again, a day after Green Eagles dropped their first points

Week five of the MTN Super League transitional season closed on Sunday 25 October with Konkola Blades ending Nkana's three-match winning run 2–0 through Emmanuel Kunda and Idriss Ilunga Mbombo, Green Buffaloes beating Kabwe Warriors 2–1 away and Chirundu United winning 1–0 at Mufulira Wanderers, ZamFoot reports. On Saturday Green Eagles were held 0–0 by Nkwazi, their first dropped points, leaving Perry Mutapa's side top of Stream B on 10 points from four games.

By Lusaka Brief Sports Desk•26 Oct
Illustration: Arrows come home
Sport · Confederation Cup

'I expected nothing less than victory': the Air Force commander meets Red Arrows at the airport, sets a CAF final as the next target and hands coach Chisi Mbewe a car

Red Arrows came home from Durban to a late-night reception at Kenneth Kaunda International Airport led by Zambia Air Force commander Lieutenant General Oscar Nyoni, who told the players their first CAF Confederation Cup group place should be the start of a push for the final, ZamFoot reports. Nyoni, the club's patron, presented head coach Chisi Mbewe with a Toyota Mark X, and FAZ's delegation leader Samuel Mwape called the qualification a milestone for Zambian football.

By Lusaka Brief Sports Desk•26 Oct

Culture

Illustration: A Zambian first
Culture · Visual art

Five pieces that survived a flooded studio: Emmanuel Chisenga, 24, of Lusaka becomes the first Zambian to win an Absa L'Atelier Ambassador Award

Chisenga, a business administration student with no formal art training, shares the 2026 Ambassador Award with Reginald Boateng of Ghana and Segun Owolabi of Nigeria in the competition's 40th year. The prize is a solo exhibition, R100,000 towards materials, masterclasses and a four-month mentorship. Zambia Monitor reports it as the first nomination and win for Zambia since the group structure was introduced in 2019.

By Lusaka Brief Culture Desk•27 Oct
Illustration: The missing sixth
Culture · Media

Five presidents on the page and one missing: the Zambia Daily Mail issues an 'unreserved apology to the nation' for leaving the late Edgar Lungu out of its Independence supplement

The daily's 62nd anniversary supplement showed President Hichilema with Kaunda, Chiluba, Mwanawasa, Banda and Sata, and no Lungu. After a former Chienge MP demanded an explanation and social-media criticism built over the weekend, the company said the omission was entirely unintentional and is being handled administratively. The Zambian Observer reported the complaint on Saturday and the apology on Monday.

By Lusaka Brief Culture Desk•27 Oct
Illustration: NATAAZ at forty
Culture · Theatre

Forty years of NATAAZ: the national theatre festival gathers in Chingola, with a K100,000 grant per arts association and a nudge towards the digital stage

The National Theatre Arts Association of Zambia is holding its 2026 Senior Festival in Chingola as it marks its 40th anniversary, with the winners expected to feed the theatre nominations for the Ngoma Awards. A speech from the Ministry of Youth, Sport and Arts told performers to use digital platforms to reach audiences and funders, and said arts associations each received a K100,000 grant this year, Zambia Monitor reports.

By Lusaka Brief Culture Desk•22 Oct

Opinion & Analysis

Analysis

Structure before names: what the ministries motion does and does not settle

Article 92(2)(d) makes Parliament the gatekeeper for the shape of government, and the President has chosen to go through that gate before filling the offices behind it. That answers one criticism of 2021, when new ministries were created first and approved afterwards, and it offers an explanation for a Cabinet of four that no official has yet given aloud: that ministers are not being named for ministries that may not exist in a month. It does not answer the question Neo Simutanyi and others are asking, which is why the sequence has taken eleven weeks, nor the one opposition MPs will put in the debate, which is what the new structure costs. The strongest case for the government is that a second-term programme built around specific production targets needs ministries drawn to match them. The strongest case against is that ministries can be redrawn in a week and ministers appointed in a day, and the country has had neither. What to watch: the list of ministries, the date of the debate relative to Friday's budget, and how quickly the names follow the structure.

LB
Lusaka Brief
Politics Desk
Analysis

The audit figures arrive just as the next season's inputs go out

Three separate findings from the Auditor-General's latest cycle now concern FISP: K17.76 million of inputs to inactive farmers, K34.92 million to beneficiaries already on other programmes, and K19.6 million to farmers not on the national register, concentrated in Isoka and Mpika. Together they describe a verification problem rather than a theft problem, which is why ACAF's question about whether the failures sit in the e-voucher or the direct supply channel matters: the two systems have different controls and different points of failure. The ministry has not yet responded to either report. Against that is a programme that is, by the ministry's own figures, two-thirds redeemed for 2026/27 and ahead of last year's pace, and a Finance Ministry that has just asked for K19.9 billion more largely to pay for the maize that last year's inputs produced. The budget on Friday will show whether FISP is funded at this year's cost or last year's plan. What is not known is whether the register has been cleaned between the audited season and this one.

LB
Lusaka Brief
Business Desk
Analysis

Wednesday's hearing turns on a timing argument the court has not yet reached

The bail application by the 18 treason accused has been adjourned more than once without a ruling on its substance, and Wednesday's sitting is the first at which the merits can be heard with the parties the court has now settled on. The accused's argument, as reported, is a narrow one: that a State which is still investigating after charging has conceded it cannot yet try them, and that detention cannot be justified by an investigation with no end date. The State's position at the last sitting, as reported, was about who had properly been sued, not about delay, and its answer on the merits has not yet been published. Both positions are arguable, and the panel may decide procedure before it decides liberty. What to watch: whether all 18 are produced as directed, whether the DPP files a response, and whether the court rules on Wednesday or reserves. None of it bears on guilt; the charges have not been tested and every one of the accused is presumed innocent.

LB
Lusaka Brief
Courts Desk

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