Kapijimpanga is Zambia's fourth science minister this year

[LUSAKA] Zambia's president Levy Mwanawasa announced yesterday (3 August) that for the third time this year he had removed the country's science minister from office.

Judith Kapijimpanga has replaced Kabinga Pande, who served as science minister for less than five months. Pande was appointed in March to replace Bates Namuyamba, himself in position for only three months (see Zambia's science minister replaced — again).

The changes are part of a wider cabinet reshuffle in which 11 of Zambia's 21 ministers were replaced.

Mwanawasa announced that Pande is to become minister of tourism, environment and natural resources.

Deputy science minister Juliana Chisupa was also removed. She will take up the newly created position of second deputy minister at the Ministry of Works and Supply.

Before the reshuffle, Kapijimpanga, was minister of lands. Previously, she was Mwanawasa's secretary when he was a practising lawyer.

Mwanawasa has not said why he removed Pande and Chisupa from the science ministry.

Kapijimpanga also declined to comment on the reason for Mwanawasa's decision.

"There is nothing I can tell you," she told SciDev.Net. "But you should know that the president has powers to appoint and disappoint."

Mwanawasa appointed Peter Daka, a member of parliament, as new deputy science minister.