Ronnie Shikapwasha

Who is Ronnie Shikapwasha?

Lieutenant General Ronnie Shikapwasha is the former Minister of Information and Broadcasting Services of Zambia. He held that post from 2008 until his party, the Movement for Multi-Party Democracy lost the elections to the Patriotic Front in September 2011. A retired Lt General of the Zambia Air Force, he was previously the home affairs minister of Zambia, from February 9, 2003 until January 2005, when he switched positions with Kalombo Mwansa in a cabinet reshuffle and became foreign minister. He served as foreign minister for nearly two years, until another cabinet reshuffle in October 2006 which occurred after Levy Mwanawasa’s election to a second term as president. Shikapwasha returned to the position of home affairs minister and was replaced as foreign minister by agriculture minister Mundia Sikatana. Shikapwasha hails from Zambia's Central Province and is believed to be a relative to the former First Lady of Zambia, Maureen Kakubo Mwanawasa. Gen Shikapwasha is a staunch Christian.

Before becoming Air Force Commander in 1991, Shikapwasha served as a diplomat and defence attache to Tanzania but fell out of favour with former president Kenneth Kaunda.