Vera Tembo

Vera Tembo (born July 25, 1953) is a Zambian politician and member of the Movement for Multi-Party Democracy (MMD). She served as the First Lady of Zambia from 1991 until her separation from her former husband, President Frederick Chiluba, in 2001.

Vera Tembo
First Lady of Zambia
In role
November 2, 1991 – September 25, 2001[1]
PresidentFrederick Chiluba
Preceded byBetty Kaunda
Succeeded byMaureen Mwanawasa
Member of the National Assembly
In office
2006–2011
Preceded by?
Succeeded byVictoria Kalima
ConstituencyKasenengwa
Personal details
Born (1953-07-25) July 25, 1953
Political partyMMD
Spouse(s)Frederick Chiluba (?-2000; divorced)
ChildrenNine

In 2006, she made her political comeback by being elected to the National Assembly of Zambia from Kasenengwa constituency.[1]

Biography

Tembo was married to Frederick Chiluba, with whom she had nine children, for thirty-three years, until he announced their separation in 2000.[2] Chiluba became President of Zambia in 1991, making Tembo the country's First Lady from 1991 until their divorce.[1] Tembo left the State House, the presidential residence, shortly after Chiluba's announcement and moved in with family in Ndola.[1] Their divorce became final on September 25, 2001, when an annulment was granted by a local court in Ndola after thirty-three years of marriage.[1]

Vera Tembo described the circumstances of her separation and divorce from Chiluba as "humiliating."[1] She campaigned during the 2001 general election by urging Zambian women to vote in the election.[1] She also signaled her intention to enter politics.[1] Chiluba left office in December 2001 after failing to win support for a third presidential term, which was banned by the country's Constitution.[3] Former President Frederick Chiluba married his girlfriend, Regina Mwanza, in 2002, a few months after his divorce from Tembo was finalized.

By early 2002, Zambian newspapers reported that Tembo was living in poverty after Chiluba had allegedly frozen her bank account.[3] She filed a $2.5 U.S. dollar lawsuit against Chiluba as part of the divorce settlement.[3][4] The Zambian government offered Tembo financial assistance in May 2002 after she listed her personal possessions in an auction.[3]

In 2006, Tembo ran for the Kasenengwa constituency seat in the Zambia as a Movement for Multi-Party Democracy (MMD) candidate. She won the election and became the first woman to represent Kasenengwa, a largely rural seat in her home Eastern Province, in the National Assembly.[5] In October 2006, shortly after the election, President Levy Mwanawasa appointed Tembo as Deputy Minister of Tourism, Environment and Natural Resources in his cabinet.[6][7]

Vera Tembo, who was re-appointed as Deputy Minister by Mwanawasa's successor, President Rupiah Banda, held the ministry portfolio from 2006 until 2011, when she left the National Assembly. In 2010, Tembo oversaw the relocation of black rhinoceroses to North Luangwa National Park and other natural areas of Zambia, citing the program as a boost to both the country's environment and the tourism industry.[8]

In March 2015, Vera Tembo announced that she had become a Christian pastor and had founded a new church called the Healing International Ministry.[9]

References
  1. "Divorce for Zambia's first couple". BBC News. 2001-09-25. Retrieved 2016-08-28.
  2. Simwanza, Obert (2011-06-18). "Zambia's ex-president Chiluba dies". Independent Online (South Africa). Retrieved 2016-08-28.
  3. "Zambia ex first lady to get state aid". BBC News. 2002-05-03. Retrieved 2016-08-28.
  4. "Zambia ex first lady to get state aid". BBC News. 2002-05-03. Retrieved 2016-08-27.
  5. "From divorced First Lady to Zambian Minister". afrol. 2006-10-18. Retrieved 2016-08-28.
  6. "Mwanawasa names predecessor's ex-wife as deputy minister". PanaPress. 2006-10-09. Retrieved 2016-08-28.
  7. "Only five women ministers in Zambia's new cabinet". Southern African Research and Documentation Centre (SARDC). October 2006. Retrieved 2016-08-28.
  8. "Zambia: Govt Receives More Black Rhinos". African Conservation Foundation. 2010-05-28. Retrieved 2016-08-28.
  9. "Vera Chiluba becomes a Pastor and forms Healing International Ministry". Lusaka Times. 2015-03-03. Retrieved 2016-08-28.
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