Given Lubinda
{{short description|Zambian politician}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Given Lubinda
| image = Given Lubinda.jpg
| image_size =
| caption =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1963|5|15|df=yes}}
| birth_place = Zambia
| death_date =
| death_place =
| office = Member of the National Assembly for Kabwata
| term_start = 2001
| term_end = 2021
| predecessor = Richard Kachingwe
| successor = Levy Mkandawire
| office1 = Minister of Justice
| president1 = Edgar Lungu
| term_start1 = 29 September 2016
| term_end1 = August 2021
| predecessor1 = Ngosa Simbyakula
| successor1 = Mulambo Haimbe
| office2 = Minister of Agriculture and Livestock
| president2 = Edgar Lungu
| term_start2 = 12 February 2015
| term_end2 = August 2016
| predecessor2 = Wilbur Simuusa
| successor2 = Dora Siliya
| office3 = Minister of Foreign Affairs
| president3 = Michael Sata
| term_start3 = 12 January 2012
| term_end3 = 21 February 2013
| predecessor3 = Chishimba Kambwili
| successor3 = Effron Lungu
| office4 = Minister of Information and Broadcasting Services
| president4 = Michael Sata
| term_start4 = 29 September 2011[https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2011-09-29/zambia-s-cabinet-appointed-by-president-michael-sata-table- Bloomberg.com]
| term_end4 = 12 January 2012
| predecessor4 = Ronnie Shikapwasha
| successor4 = Kennedy Sakeni
| profession = Agriculturalist/Consultant
| nationality = Zambian
| ethnicity =
| networth =
}}
Given Lubinda is a Zambian politician[https://www.parliament.gov.zm/node/293 Given Lubinda | National Assembly of Zambia] who served in the Cabinet of Zambia as Minister of Justice, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister of Information and Broadcasting Services and Minister of Agriculture. He was the Member of Parliament in the National Assembly of Zambia for Kabwata Constituency in Lusaka District from 2001 to 2021.{{cite web |title=People record: Given Lubinda |url=http://www.afdevinfo.com/htmlreports/peo/peo_41857.html |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120215072901/http://www.afdevinfo.com/htmlreports/peo/peo_41857.html |archivedate=2012-02-15 |accessdate=2012-02-23 |work=AfDevinfo}} Lubinda is of mixed-race parentage.{{citation needed|date=September 2011}} He is the current acting President of the Patriotic Front having been appointed to the position by former President Edgar Lungu. {{Cite web |title=Chilangwa mourning his father from prison, laments Lubinda |url=https://diggers.news/local/2025/06/17/chilangwa-mourning-his-father-from-prison-laments-lubinda/ |access-date=2025-07-13 |website=Zambia: News Diggers! |language=en-GB}}
In January 2012 he bungee-jumped from the Victoria Falls bridge to restore confidence in the jump arrangements after Australian Erin Langworthy's rope broke during her jump. He has offered to jump again with Langworthy.{{cite web|title=Zambian minister offers to bungee-jump with Langworthy|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-16508829|work=BBC News|accessdate=23 February 2012|date=11 January 2012}}
Political Career
Lubinda stood in Kabwata constituency at 2001 general election as the United Party for National Development (UPND) MP candidate and was elected.{{Cite web |last=Phiri |first=Brighton |last2=Kayumba |first2=Liseli |date=30 July 2002 |title=Zambia: High Court Upholds Lubinda's Election - The Post |url=https://allafrica.com/stories/200207300454.html |access-date=19 June 2025 |website=AllAfrica}} At the 2006, 2011 and 2016 general elections, Lubinda stood in Kabwata as the Patriotic Front (PF) MP candidate and was elected.
Following the death of President Levy Mwanawasa in 2008, he came under criticism from both members of the ruling Movement for Multiparty Democracy and the opposition for voicing concerns on issues such as expenditure after the government planned and eventually increased salaries and allowances for both ministers and members of Parliament.{{cite web |date=5 August 2007 |title=Declaring assets |url=http://maravi.blogspot.com/2007/08/declaring-assets.html |accessdate=2012-02-23 |work=Blogspot: Maravi}}
After Michael Sata was elected as the President of Zambia in September 2011, Given Lubinda was appointed as the Minister of Information, Broadcasting and Tourism in his first cabinet.{{Cite web |date=2011-10-02 |title=Zambia : MMD was misled by public media- Lubinda |url=https://www.lusakatimes.com/2011/10/02/mmd-misled-public-media-lubinda/ |access-date=2025-06-19 |website=Lusaka Times |language=en-GB}} On 12 January 2012, Lubinda was transferred to being the Minister of Foreign Affairs.{{Cite web |date=2012-01-12 |title=Zambia : Given Lubinda transferred to Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mutembo Nchito sworn in as DPP |url=https://www.lusakatimes.com/2012/01/12/lubinda-transferred-ministry-foreign-affairs-mutembo-nchito-sworn-dpp/ |access-date=2025-06-19 |website=Lusaka Times |language=en-GB}}{{Cite web |title=MuviTV |url=http://www.muvitv.com/president-sata-has-reshuffled-his-cabinet/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150213054507/http://www.muvitv.com/president-sata-has-reshuffled-his-cabinet/ |archive-date=2015-02-13 |access-date=2015-02-13}} On 21 February 2013, Lubinda was removed from his position as Minister of Foreign Affairs after being accused of leaking information to the opposition United Party for National Development (UPND), a party he previously belonged to.{{Cite web |date=2013-02-21 |title=Zambia : Given Lubinda relegated to the backbench in Parliament |url=https://www.lusakatimes.com/2013/02/21/given-lubinda-relegated-to-the-backbench-in-parliament/ |access-date=2025-06-19 |website=Lusaka Times |language=en-GB}}{{Cite web |date=2013-01-23 |title=Zambia : PF defers Lubinda's case to February 23rd, MMD officially expells Catherine Namugala |url=https://www.lusakatimes.com/2013/01/23/pf-defers-lubindas-case-to-february-23rd-mmd-officially-expells-catherine-namugala/ |access-date=2025-06-19 |website=Lusaka Times |language=en-GB}}{{usurped|[https://web.archive.org/web/20150213055458/http://zambiadailynation.com/2013/02/22/2441/ Zambia Daily Nation]}} This was viewed as a result of pressure on the president to remove a potential successor by other ministers who were vying for the presidency.{{cite web | url=http://www.qfmzambia.com/2014/11/03/lubinda-remembers-how-sata-shed-tears-on-being-asked-why-he-was-fired/ | title=Lubinda remembers how Sata shed tears on being asked why he was fired | date=3 November 2014 | accessdate=2015-02-13}}
After Sata's death in October 2014, Edgar Lungu was elected as the President of Zambia in January 2015 and the following month, Lungu appointed Lubinda as the Minister of Agriculture and Livestock.{{Cite web |title=Times of Zambia {{!}} Zambia will record increased maize harvest – Lubinda |url=https://www.times.co.zm/?p=85029 |access-date=2025-06-19 |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Mildred |first=MULENGA |date=2015-02-12 |title=Zambia: President Lungu names full cabinet |url=https://www.panapress.com/Zambia-President-Lungu-names-ful-a_630423570-lang2-free_news.html |access-date=2025-06-19 |website=Panafrican News Agency |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2015-02-12 |title=Zambia : President Lungu appoints two MMD MP’s, Given Lubinda bounces back as his cabinet takes shape |url=https://www.lusakatimes.com/2015/02/12/president-lungu-appoints-two-mmd-mps-given-lubinda-bounces-back-cabinet-takes-shape/ |access-date=2025-06-19 |website=Lusaka Times |language=en-GB}} After Lungu was re-elected as the President of Zambia in August 2016, Lubinda was appointed as the Minister of Justice{{Cite web |last=Adamu |first=Peter |date=29 September 2016 |title=Zambia: Pres. Lungu Swears in Kambwili, Appoints Lubinda As Justice Minister |url=https://allafrica.com/stories/201609291074.html |access-date=19 June 2025 |website=AllAfrica}} and he remained as the Justice Minister up to the next election in 2021.
After the 2021 election, Lubinda became the vice-president of the Patriotic Front party.{{Cite web |date=2021-08-25 |title=Lungu appoints Lubinda as PF vice-president |url=https://diggers.news/local/2021/08/25/lungu-appoints-lubinda-as-pf-vice-president/ |access-date=2024-02-26 |website=Zambia: News Diggers! |language=en-GB}}{{Cite web |date=2021-08-25 |title=Zambia : PF appoints Given Lubinda as the Party's Vice President |url=https://www.lusakatimes.com/2021/08/25/pf-appoints-given-lubinda-as-the-partys-vice-president/ |access-date=2024-02-26 |language=en-GB}} Soon after, President Lungu decided to retire from active politics and Given Lubinda was the acting president of the party going forward.{{Cite web |date=2022-04-10 |title=Zambia : Lubinda focused on Uniting PF rather than contesting for Presidency |url=https://www.lusakatimes.com/2022/04/10/lubinda-focused-on-uniting-pf-rather-than-contesting-for-presidency/ |access-date=2022-11-19 |language=en-GB}} However, Edgar Lungu returned to active politics in October 2023 and he was handed back the Patriotic Front presidency,{{Cite news |date=2023-10-29 |title=Edgar Lungu - ex-Zambian president makes political comeback |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-67254347 |access-date=2024-02-26 |language=en-GB}}{{Cite web |date=2023-10-30 |title=Zambia's Former President Lungu Back to Active Politics |url=https://www.voaafrica.com/a/zambia-former-president-lungu-back-to-active-politics/7332451.html |access-date=2024-02-26 |website=Voice of America |language=en}} with Lubinda being appointed as the party's vice-president once again (and was therefore the acting president in Lungu's absence).{{Cite web |date=2023-05-15 |title=POLICE ARREST PF VICE PRESIDENT GIVEN LUBINDA - Diamond Media |url=https://diamondtvzambia.com/police-arrest-pf-vice-president-given-lubinda/ |access-date=2024-02-26 |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=Judiciary has a chance to unify PF now that we’ve reconciled – Lubinda |url=https://diggers.news/local/2025/05/08/judiciary-has-a-chance-to-unify-pf-now-that-weve-reconciled-lubinda/ |access-date=2025-06-19 |website=Zambia: News Diggers! |language=en-GB}}
In November 2024, the Patriotic Front officially joined the Tonse Alliance, with Lungu as the chairperson.{{cite web |author=Kasabo, Angel |date=7 November 2024 |title=TONSE ALLIANCE LUNCHED, ECL AT THE HELM |url=https://rcv.co.zm/tonse-alliance-lunched-ecl-at-the-helm/ |website=rcv.co.zm}} After Lungu left Zambia for South Africa in early 2025 for medical purposes,{{Cite news |date=2015-03-10 |title=Zambia President Lungu goes to South Africa for treatment |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-31817476 |access-date=2025-07-03 |work=BBC News |language=en-GB}} Given Lubinda was appointed as the Tonse Alliance acting chairperson.{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2025-04-25 |title=Lungu calls for ceasefire, appoints Lubinda to act as Tonse Alliance Chairman - Zambian Eye |url=https://zambianeye.com/lungu-calls-for-ceasefire-appoints-lubinda-to-act-as-tonse-alliance-chairman/ |access-date=2025-07-03 |website=Zambian Eye - Breaking News and Current Affairs}} After Lungu's death in June 2025,{{Cite web |date=2025-06-05 |title=Zambia's former President Edgar Lungu dies aged 68 |url=https://www.thecitizen.co.tz/tanzania/news/africa/zambia-s-former-president-edgar-lungu-dies-aged-68-5070330 |access-date=2025-06-05 |website=The Citizen |language=en}} Lubinda continued to be the acting chairperson of the alliance{{Cite web |title=Govt should assist citizens attending ECL’s burial in SA – Lubinda |url=https://diggers.news/local/2025/06/22/govt-should-assist-citizens-attending-ecls-burial-in-sa-lubinda/ |access-date=2025-07-03 |website=Zambia: News Diggers! |language=en-GB}} and the acting president of the Patriotic Front going forward.{{Cite web |title=Lubinda rejoicing that Lungu is gone, he can takeover PF – Moonga |url=https://diggers.news/local/2025/06/26/lubinda-rejoicing-that-lungu-is-gone-he-can-takeover-pf-moonga/ |access-date=2025-07-03 |website=Zambia: News Diggers! |language=en-GB}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lubinda, Given}}
Category:Members of the National Assembly of Zambia
Category:United Party for National Development politicians
Category:Patriotic Front (Zambia) politicians
Category:Justice ministers of Zambia
{{Zambia-politician-stub}}