This post discusses the president of Zambia, the presidential term and political parties and further list the office holders of Zambia.
The president of Zambia is the head of state and the head of government of Zambia. The office was first held by Kenneth Kaunda following independence in 1964. Since 1991, when Kaunda left the presidency, the office has been held by seven others: Frederick Chiluba, Levy Mwanawasa, Rupiah Banda, Michael Sata, Edgar Lungu and the current president Hakainde Hichilema, who won the 2021 presidential election. In addition, acting president Guy Scott served in an interim capacity after the death of President Michael Sata.
Read: POLITICAL HISTORY OF ZAMBIA
Since 31 August 1991 the president is also the head of government, as the position of Prime Minister was abolished in the last months of Kaunda’s presidential term following negotiations with opposition parties.
PRESIDENTIAL TERM
The president is elected for a term of five years. Since 1991, there is a two-term limit for the president in the Constitution of Zambia. There was an attempt to modify the term limits in 2001 for Chiluba, but it did not materialize.
POLITICAL PARTIES
- United National Independence Party (UNIP)
- Movement for Multi-Party Democracy (MMD)
- Patriotic Front (PF)
- United Party for National Development (UPND)
LIST OF OFFICEHOLDERS
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) |
Elected | Term of office | Political party | ||
| Took office | Left office | Time in office | |||||
| 1 | Kenneth kaunda (1924–2021) |
1968 1973 1978 1983 1988 |
24 October 1964 | 2 November 1991 | 27 years, 9 days | UNIP | |
| 2 | Frederick Chiluba (1943–2011) |
1991 1996 |
2 November 1991 | 2 January 2002 | 10 years, 61 days | MMD | |
| 3 | Levy Mwanawasa (1948–2008) |
2001 2006 |
2 January 2002 | 19 August 2008[†] | 6 years, 230 days | MMD | |
| 4 | Rupiah Banda (1937–2022) |
2008 | 19 August 2008 | 23 September 2011 | 3 years, 35 days | MMD | |
| 5 | Michael Sata (1937–2014) |
2011 | 23 September 2011 | 28 October 2014[†] | 3 years, 35 days | PF | |
| – | Guy Scott (born 1944) |
— | 28 October 2014 | 25 January 2015 | 89 days | PF | |
| 6 | Edgar Lungu (born 1956) |
2015 2016 |
25 January 2015 | 24 August 2021 | 6 years, 211 days | PF | |
| 7 | Hakainde Hichilema (born 1962) |
2021 | 24 August 2021 | Incumbent | 1 year, 295 days | UPND | |