Hichilema reappoints presidential advisory team

Seven reappointments retain the President’s advisers on economic affairs, finance and investment, legal affairs and project monitoring, according to a State House statement dated 22 October 2026.

Key Takeaways

President Hakainde Hichilema has reappointed seven members of his presidential advisory team, according to State House.
Bradford M. Machila remains Principal Private Secretary; Pamela Nakamba retains economic affairs and Jito Kayumba finance and investments.
The appointments also cover legal affairs, policy compliance, political affairs, project implementation monitoring and national security.
The announcement names advisers and their portfolios. It does not announce a new economic policy or investment commitment.

President Hakainde Hichilema has reappointed seven members of his presidential advisory team, according to a State House press release dated Thursday, 22 October 2026.

The statement, issued by Chief Communications Specialist Clayson Hamasaka, names Bradford M. Machila as Principal Private Secretary and retains six special assistants across the President’s advisory portfolios.

Who has been reappointed?

Appointee	Role listed by State House
Bradford M. Machila	Principal Private Secretary
Christopher J. Mundia	Special Assistant to the President for Legal Affairs
Joseph Lungu	Special Assistant to the President for Policy Compliance
Dr Lawrence Mwananyanda	Special Assistant to the President for Projects Implementation Monitoring and National Security
Levy J. Ngoma	Special Assistant to the President for Political Affairs
Dr Pamela Nakamba	Special Assistant to the President for Economic Affairs
Jito Kayumba	Special Assistant to the President for Finance and Investments

State House said the reappointments were made pursuant to Article 92(2)(e) and (f) of the Constitution of Zambia. The release says the President congratulated the appointees and wished them God’s blessings as they continued in their roles.

What does the announcement mean for economic policy?

The immediate news is continuity in the named advisory posts. Nakamba retains economic affairs, while Kayumba retains finance and investments. Mwananyanda’s listed portfolio combines project implementation monitoring with national security.

For businesses and investors, the distinction between an appointment and a policy decision matters. This statement identifies who will advise the President in these areas. It does not announce changes to taxes, borrowing, investment incentives or public spending.

Nor does it provide performance targets, delivery deadlines, remuneration details or the length of the appointments. Those details cannot be inferred from the list of names.

What should readers watch next?

The practical question is how presidential advice translates into published decisions and implementation. On economic affairs, readers should look for specific policy proposals and their supporting evidence. On finance and investments, the useful measures will be disclosed commitments, their terms and subsequent delivery.

For project monitoring, progress is best assessed against identified projects, budgets and completion dates. The reappointment announcement itself provides none of those measures, so it cannot establish whether delivery has improved.

These are questions for subsequent reporting, rather than outcomes claimed by the release. For households and firms, any effect on jobs, prices or the cost of doing business will depend on decisions and implementation that follow.

Related coverage: Hichilema heads to Harare for the 25th COMESA Summit. Follow our Leadership & Governance and Business & Economy coverage.

Source: Office of the President, State House Press & Public Relations Office, “President Hakainde Hichilema Re-appoints His Presidential Advisory Team”, 22 October 2026, supplied to The Zambian Economist. Appointment details are attributed to that statement.

Featured photograph: President Hakainde Hichilema addressing students at State House on 10 August 2026. File photograph from the publication’s media library. Credit: President Hakainde Hichilema. It does not depict the reappointment announcement.

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