VINCENT MWALE IS A CUT ABOVE THE REST
By Luyando Silumesi
A little bird told me, and I have verified today, that Parliament will have an interesting race for the position of Second Deputy Speaker, with two candidates emerging as leading contenders so far: Vincent Mwale, the Honourable Member of Parliament for Chipangali West Parliamentary Constituency and Nsamba Muzungu, the Honourable Member of Parliament for Mufumbwe Parliamentary Constituency and erstwhile Senior Media Liaison Officer of the National Assembly of Zambia.
As a person who has surveyed Zambia’s political landscape and participated in the public, private, and civil spaces, I wish to give my two cents on the suitability of these two behemoths vying for the position.
Vincent Mwale is an experienced and distinguished politician who has served the nation with integrity and alacrity in various capacities under several Presidents. I recollect that he was first elected in 2006 at the age of 28 under the Movement for Multi-Party Democracy (MMD), under the Presidency of the late Levy Patrick Mwanawasa, SC.
He was re-elected in 2011 under the Presidency of the late Michael Chilufya Sata and then joined the Patriotic Front (PF) ahead of the 2016 elections, where he was subsequently elected and served under the Presidency of the late Edgar Chagwa Lungu
He did not contest the 2021 general elections but later returned to Parliament as an independent Member for Chipangali West following the August 2026 elections. It is clear that he has an unblemished political record and stellar character.
He distinguished himself as Minister of Youth and Sports from February 2015 to May 2016 under President Edgar Lungu, and as Minister of Local Government from September 2016 until July 2019. He also served as Minister of Housing and Infrastructure Development from July 2019 to May 2021. Parliament has welcomed him back and would do well to have this gentleman among men as the next Second Deputy Speaker. His objectivity was recognised and appreciated by the entire House as he served in the ministerial portfolios he held, and he also has a great sense of humour across the board, regardless of one’s political affiliation. That is what a leader ought to be, and he would no doubt bring the House together.
Nsamba Muzungu, by contrast, is politically wet behind the ears and lacks the political and administrative clout to hold the office of Second Deputy Speaker. Credit to him as a human being: there is nothing wrong with him, and he is imbued with basic human decency. But compared to Vincent Mwale, he neither possesses the pedigree nor the wherewithal to manage the proceedings of the House in the absence of or on behalf of the Speaker. His experience is limited to having been the “Parliamentary spin doctor.
Vincent Mwale is clearly the far superior candidate, and even for ruling-party-sponsored and independent Members of Parliament alike, he will bring balance to the presiding panel, which represents both sides of the political divide and is acceptable to the entire House irrespective of political beliefs and association. Vincent Mwale brings tremendous experience and maturity to the House and would be ideal for the position of Second Deputy Speaker.
I pray that the Almighty God gives the Honourable Members of Parliament the wisdom to vote according to their conscience as they select their presiding officers, and that they remember, first and foremost, that they owe a duty to the nation and themselves to select the most credible presiding officer – and that their VOTE is SECRET.