Ngosa Simbyakula
{{Short description|Zambian diplomat}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix =
| name = Ngosa Simbyakula
| birth_name = Ngosa Simbyakula
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1954|5|13|df=y}}
| death_date =
| death_place =
| spouse = {{marriage|Margaret Simbyakula|1983|May 2015|reason=divorced}}{{Cite web|last=Editor|first=Online|title=Dr Simbyakula files for divorce {{!}} Lusaka Voice|url=https://www.lusakavoice.com/2015/11/07/dr-simbyakula-files-for-divorce/|access-date=1 August 2021|language=en-US}}
| children = 5
| image =
| caption =
| imagesize =
| order = Permanent Representative of Zambia
| term_start = January 2020
| term_end = August 2021
| predecessor = Lazarous Kapambwe
| successor =
| president = Edgar Lungu
| order1 = 16th Ambassador to the United States of America
| term_start1 = November 2017
| term_end1 = January 2020
| predecessor1 = Palan Mulonda
| successor1 = Lazarous Kapambwe
| president1 = Edgar Lungu
| order2 = Minister of Justice
| term_start2 = 2015
| term_end2 = 2016
| predecessor2 = Edgar Lungu
| successor2 = Given Lubinda
| president2 = Edgar Lungu
| profession = Lawyer
| alma_mater = University of Zambia, University of Wisconsin-Madison
}}
Robert Ngosa Simbyakula{{Cite web|title=Ambassador of Zambia to the United States: Who Is Ngosa Simbyakula?|url=http://www.allgov.com/news/top-stories/ambassador-of-zambia-to-the-united-states-who-is-ngosa-simbyakula-180102?news=860395|access-date=1 August 2021|website=allgov.com}} (born 13 May 1954) is a Zambian diplomat, the current and 17th Permanent Representative of the Republic of Zambia to the United Nations{{Cite web|title=Zambia : Dr Ngosa Simbyakula is Zambia's new Permanent Representative to the United Nations|url=https://www.lusakatimes.com/2020/01/31/dr-ngosa-simbyakula-is-zambias-new-permanent-representative-to-the-united-nations/|access-date=1 August 2021|language=en-GB}}{{Cite journal|title=Simbyakula, H.E. Dr Ngosa|url=https://referenceworks.brillonline.com/entries/international-year-book-and-statesmens-who-s-who/simbyakula-he-dr-ngosa-SIM_person_54149|journal=International Year Book and Statesmen's Who's Who|language=en}} and a former ambassador to the United States of America in Washington DC, he succeeded Palan Mulonda, who served starting in 2013.{{Cite web|title=Dr. Ngosa Simbyakula Calls For Closer Ties With Zambian Associations In The USA {{!}} Embassy of the Republic of Zambia in Washington, D.C.|url=https://www.zambiaembassy.org/article/dr-ngosa-simbyakula-calls-for-closer-ties-with-zambian-associations-in-the-usa|access-date=1 August 2021|website=www.zambiaembassy.org}}{{Cite web|title=President Edgar Lungu confers with Dr Ngosa Simbyakula {{!}} Embassy of the Republic of Zambia in Washington, D.C.|url=https://www.zambiaembassy.org/article/president-edgar-lungu-confers-with-dr-ngosa-simbyakula|access-date=1 August 2021|website=www.zambiaembassy.org}}
Life and career
Ngosa was born in the village of Nalube in Monze and he grew up in Ndola. Ngosa is a Master's degree holder in Law obtained from the University of Zambia. For his LL.M., he wrote a thesis entitled The Preferential Trade Area for Eastern and Southern African states: A Legal perspective. From 1981 to 1998 he taught law at the University of Zambia and he served as dean of the Law School from 1993 to 1998. From 1996 to 1997 he was an external examiner at the University of Dar-es-Salaam in Tanzania.
= Political career =
In September 1998 political career started when he was appointed permanent secretary for the Copperbelt Province by President Frederick Chiluba and the following year he was moved to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. When President Levy Mwanawasa came into power in 2002 he appointed Ngosa as permanent secretary at the Ministry of Justice. In September 2011, he was appointed deputy Minister of Justice and cabinet Minister for Home Affairs by Michael Sata in December 2013.{{Cite web|title=New Permanent Representative of Zambia Presents Credentials {{!}} Meetings Coverage and Press Releases|url=https://www.un.org/press/en/2020/bio5302.doc.htm|access-date=1 August 2021|website=www.un.org}} When Edgar Lungu was elected in 2015 named him Minister of Justice, a position he held until 2016. As minister of Justice he played a major role in enacting a major revision of Zambia's constitution,{{Cite web|title=Constitution Amendment Act 2016 {{!}} National Assembly of Zambia|url=https://www.parliament.gov.zm/node/4834|access-date=1 August 2021|website=www.parliament.gov.zm}} which was signed into law in January 2016.{{Cite web|title=Zambia : President Lungu ushers in a new constitution, calls for a new approach to politics|url=https://www.lusakatimes.com/2016/01/05/president-lungu-ushers-in-a-new-constitution-calls-for-a-new-approach-to-politics/|access-date=1 August 2021|language=en-GB}}{{Cite web|title=PRESIDENT LUNGU USHERS IN NEW CONSTITUTION, CALLS FOR NEW APPROACH TO POLITICS {{!}} Zambian High Commission|url=https://www.zambiapretoria.net/president-lungu-ushers-in-new-constitution-calls-for-new-approach-to-politics/|access-date=1 August 2021|website=www.zambiapretoria.net}} In March 2015 he served as acting president when Lungu was in Pretoria, South Africa, for treatment.{{Cite news|date=10 March 2015|title=Zambia President Lungu goes to South Africa for treatment|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-31817476|access-date=1 August 2021}}