Tag Archives: Levy Mwanawasa

05Sep/26

Emmanuel Mwamba from statecraft to sedition

Diplomacy, Dissidence, and Digital Resistance: The Life and Career of Emmanuel Mwamba

Sat Sep 05 2026 /Mpelembe Media/ — Emmanuel Mwamba was born on April 18, 1971, in the mining hub of Luanshya within the Copperbelt Province of Zambia. He completed his secondary education at Roan Antelope Secondary School and subsequently earned a Diploma in Journalism and Public Relations from Evelyn Hone College. He expanded his qualifications globally, obtaining a Master of Business Administration from Edith Cowan University in Australia and a Master in Peace Studies from the Institute of Peace & Security Studies at Addis Ababa University. After initial employment at the Zambia National Commercial Bank, he entered the political arena as the administrative secretary and spokesperson for Zambia’s second president, Frederick Chiluba. During this time, Mwamba aggressively defended Chiluba against state-directed corruption prosecutions. This loyalty caused friction with the administration of Levy Mwanawasa, resulting in the termination of Mwamba’s probationary contract in October 2004, though he continued serving Chiluba in a private capacity. Following the reconciliation of Chiluba and Michael Sata in 2005, Mwamba transitioned his allegiance to the Patriotic Front (PF). Continue reading

20Aug/26

Zambia’s Landslide Victory and Opposition Crackdown

From Democratic Beacon to Shadow State — President Hichilema’s Co-option of the Judiciary and Post-Election Security Crackdowns

Thu, Aug 20 2026 /Mpelembe Media/ — Zambia’s standing as a historically resilient multiparty democracy in Southern Africa has been severely tested by the events surrounding the August 13, 2026, general election, which critics argue represent a systematic campaign by President Hakainde Hichilema’s administration to dismantle the country’s democratic framework. Although Hichilema came to power in 2021 on a reformist “New Dawn” platform pledging to restore the rule of law and depoliticize the civil service, his administration has increasingly co-opted state institutions to eliminate political opposition and consolidate executive hegemony, fueling fears of an engineered “life presidency”. The run-up to the election was marked by rising authoritarianism, including the weaponization of the Cyber Crimes Act of 2025 to arrest independent journalists like MacPherson Mukuka and Thomas Allan Zgambo, as well as a proposed Non-Governmental Organizations Bill designed to grant the government excessive control over civil society groups. Tensions escalated further following the death of former President Edgar Lungu in June 2025, which fragmented the opposition, and the Constitutional Court’s retroactive disqualification of Lungu from contesting the 2026 elections. Continue reading

01Aug/23

Legends from Kitwe Primary School

July 31, 2023 /Education/ — Kitwe Primary School was founded in 1932, making it one of the oldest schools in Kitwe, Zambia. It was originally a white-only school, but after Zambia gained independence in 1964, it was opened up to all students. The school is located in Parklands, a residential area in Kitwe. Continue reading