ZAMBIA'S first female minister of finance and president of the opposition FDD, Edith Nawakwi has died aged 66.
In 1998, Nawakwi, an economist, made history as by becoming the first woman to hold the post of Minister of Finance in Zambia and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region in 1998.
Born in 1959 in Mwenzo, Northern Province of Zambia, she had had a distinguished career in politics and economics.
Nawakwi held a degree in Agriculture Economics and Business Management from the University of Zambia and a post-graduate diploma in Economics of Energy and Development from Imperial College London.
She served under President Frederick Chiluba, making her the first female to occupy this position in Zambia's history.
She had also held roles such as Minister of State for Energy & Water Development, Minister of Energy & Water Development, Minister of Agriculture, Food & Fisheries, and Minister of Labour & Social Security between 1992 and 2001.
Nawakwi was once married to Geofrey Hambulo and tragically lost her daughter in 2013.
Despite personal challenges, she remained a prominent figure in Zambian politics.
Kalemba April 7, 2025