Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09LUSAKA486
2009-07-10 10:01:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Lusaka
Cable title:  

SHUFFLES IN PRESIDENT BANDA'S CABINET

Tags:  PGOV ZA 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO4093
RR RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHJO RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHLS #0486 1911001
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 101001Z JUL 09
FM AMEMBASSY LUSAKA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 7136
INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AF DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE
RUEHLMC/MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE CORP 0143
UNCLAS LUSAKA 000486 

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV ZA
SUBJECT: SHUFFLES IN PRESIDENT BANDA'S CABINET

REF: LUSAKA 481

UNCLAS LUSAKA 000486

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV ZA
SUBJECT: SHUFFLES IN PRESIDENT BANDA'S CABINET

REF: LUSAKA 481


1. (U) President Banda accepted Defense Minister George
Mpombo's resignation on June 7 and announced Mpombo's
successor on June 9 -- Minister of Home Affairs Kalombo
Mwansa was appointed as Minister of Defense and Lameck
Mangani, the Lusaka Provincial Minister, became the Minister
of Home Affairs. Mangani's previous position remains vacant,
as no successor was named.


2. (SBU) Kalombo Mwansa obtained a law degree from Harvard
University and a Master's degree in Criminology from
Cambridge University (UK). He began his career in academia,
working his way up to Acting Dean of the University of
Zambia's law school in 1993. He began his public service
career as Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs
from 1993 to 1998, before begin appointed as Deputy Secretary
to the Cabinet. He served as Foreign Minister from 2002-2005
and then was appointed Minister of Home Affairs for an
eight-month period in 2005. Mwansa was appointed as Minister
of Mines and Mineral Development in late 2005, before
becoming Minister of Home Affairs in late 2008. Mwansa is
from the Luapula Province, bordering DRC.


3. (SBU) Lameck Mangani is a member of Parliament for Chipata
Central Constituency in the Eastern Province -- President
Banda's home province. Before serving as Lusaka minister,
Mangani served as Provincial Minister of Eastern Province.


4. (SBU) Embassy staff have previously worked with Mwansa in
his capacity as Minister of Home Affairs, where he pushed an
agenda of capacity building for the police and expressed
openness to cooperation with the USG. We are hopeful his
appointment to the MOD will usher in a new era of mil-mil
cooperation, which has suffered recently from an apparent
lack of enthusiasm by the GRZ. Mwansa does not have an
apparent political base within the ruling Movement for
Multiparty Democracy (MMD),but is considered to be a
competent technocrat. Mission staff have not had much
experience with the new Minister of Home Affairs, who is
coming into his first national political posting, but
contacts indicate he has the ear and confidence of President
Banda.

Booth
BOOTH