Kasune takes over the portfolio from Rodney Sikumba, bringing experience in Parliament, provincial leadership, justice and community development.
Zambia’s President, Hakainde Hichilema, has appointed Princess Kasune as Minister of Tourism, succeeding Rodney Sikumba.
Kasune was among 24 Cabinet ministers sworn in at State House in Lusaka on Wednesday, 28 October. Ten provincial ministers were also sworn in.
A Member of Parliament for Keembe West, Kasune entered Parliament in 2016. She went on to become the first woman to serve as Deputy Government Chief Whip and the first female Provincial Minister for Central Province. She later became Zambia’s first female Minister of Justice.
Her academic qualifications include master’s degrees in Business Administration, with a focus on nonprofit administration, and in Divinity. Both were earned with honours or distinctions.
Kasune’s public service has also included community development work through Fountain of Life (FOLA). The organisation has built a Level One hospital in Chiyuni Chiefdom, several clinics and more than 12 schools, alongside water projects and sponsorship for students pursuing professional careers.
She assumes the tourism portfolio as Zambia continues to pursue growth in international and domestic travel, investment in tourism infrastructure, stronger conservation and wider community participation. These were among the priorities outlined by Sikumba earlier this year; Kasune has yet to set out her own direction for the ministry.
At the swearing-in, Hichilema called on ministers to put national interests first and focus on delivery, cautioning against complacency and excessive bureaucracy. Her appointment places Kasune at the head of a ministry central to the country’s plans for tourism development and promotion.
