Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba | |
---|---|
Minister of Defence of Zambia | |
In office 2011–2013 | |
President | Michael Sata |
Preceded by | Kalombo Mwansa |
Succeeded by | Edgar Lungu |
Member of Parliament for Kasama Central | |
In office 16 October 2009 –10 August 2016 | |
Preceded by | Saviour Chishimba |
Succeeded by | Kelvin Sampa |
Personal details | |
Born | 15 March 1959 |
Political party | Patriotic Front (current) UPND (2015 - 2019) |
Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba (born 15 March 1959),known popularly as GBM, [1] [2] is a Zambian businessman and politician who served as Member of Parliament for Kasama Central from 2009 to 2016. [3] He later served as Vice President of the United Party for National Development. Under the Patriotic Front government of President Michael Sata,he served as Minister of Defence from 2011 to 2013. [2]
On 27 July 2009,Saviour Chishimba resigned as the Kasama Central Member of Parliament and left the Patriotic Front (PF) party. [4] [5] A by-election was held on 15 October 2009 [6] for the Kasama Central seat and Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba (GBM) was chosen as the PF candidate for this election. Mwamba was victorious and the PF retained the Kasama Central seat. [7] [8] At the 2011 general election,he stood again as the PF candidate for Kasama Central and retained the seat. [3]
President Michael Sata appointed Mwamba as the Minister of Defence in his initial cabinet. [9] However,Mwamba decided to resign from being the defence minister in December 2013. [2] [10] Mwamba was expelled from the Patriotic Front party in February 2014, [11] although he did not vacate his position as MP for Kasama Central until the term was complete in 2016. [12] [13]
Ahead of the 2015 presidential election,Mwamba decided to support Hakainde Hichilema of the United Party for National Development (UPND). [14] [15] On 23 July 2015,he once again endorsed the main opposition party,the UPND, [16] and was appointed as the vice-president for administration of the party. [17] [18] On 3 June 2016,he was selected to stand as the running mate of UPND candidate Hakainde Hichilema in the August 2016 presidential election, [19] where the party finished as the runner-up. [20]
In 2019,he unceremoniously left the United Party for National Development and returned to the Patriotic Front party, [21] [22] [23] [24] where he was appointed as the Northern Province Presidential Campaign Manager for Edgar Lungu ahead of the 2021 general election. [25] [26]