AIPAC WANTS DEPUTY MINISTERS BACK




Think-tank says absence of deputies is hurting service delivery, calls for Chiefs Affairs ministry to be restored

By Francis Maingaila ♥️ 
LUSAKA, September 9, 2026 — The Acton Institute for Policy Analysis Centre (AIPAC) has called for the urgent return of Deputy Ministers, arguing that their absence is making it harder for Cabinet Ministers to manage government and deliver services effectively.

AIPAC Executive Director Solomon Ngoma said the organisation’s research had found that the lack of Deputy Ministers had weakened governance and placed an added burden on Cabinet Ministers, who were expected to handle increasingly demanding portfolios.

Mr Ngoma said Zambia and Kenya remained the only countries in Africa without Deputy Ministers, arguing that Zambia should reconsider a governance model it had adopted from Kenya.

He said Kenya introduced the model through its 2010 constitutional reforms and warned against importing governance structures without first considering whether they suited Zambia’s circumstances.

Mr Ngoma dismissed arguments that Deputy Ministers were too expensive, saying AIPAC’s findings showed that the cost argument had largely been used for political purposes rather than being supported by evidence.

He said Deputy Ministers could strengthen leadership, improve efficiency and help ensure that Government policies were implemented more effectively.

AIPAC has consequently urged Members of Parliament to table a Bill during the next sitting of Parliament to pave the way for the reintroduction of Deputy Ministers.

The think-tank has also called on President Hakainde Hichilema to restore the Ministry of Chiefs and Traditional Affairs, saying the ministry was important in protecting Zambia’s cultural heritage, strengthening traditional leadership and maintaining closer ties between Government and traditional institutions.

Mr Ngoma said AIPAC also wanted greater diversity in Government and urged the President to consider appointing at least one person with a disability and one representative from the private sector among Cabinet and Provincial Ministers.

He acknowledged that the Constitution gives the President the authority to appoint Cabinet and Provincial Ministers, but said broader representation would bring different perspectives to Government.

On the economy, AIPAC called for the immediate start of preparations for a 24-hour economy as part of efforts to tackle unemployment.

Mr Ngoma said operating the economy around the clock could expand business opportunities, stimulate economic activity and create thousands of jobs.

“AIPAC believes that these measures will enhance governance, improve service delivery, and reinforce Zambia’s democratic, cultural and economic foundations,” he said.

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