{{Short description|Zambian politician (born 1976)}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Harry Kalaba | image = Välisminister Sven Mikser ja Sambia välisminister Harry Kalaba (31719036133).jpg | caption = Kalaba in 2017 | order = | office = 25th Minister of Foreign Affairs | term_start = March 2014 | term_end = January 2018 | president = Michael Sata {{small|(2014)}}<br>Edgar Lungu {{small|(2015–)}} | predecessor = Wylbur Simuusa | successor = Joseph Malanji | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1976|06|12|df=yes}} | birth_place = Mansa, Luapula Province, Zambia | party = Patriotic Front (2011-2019) Democratic Party (2019-2022) Citizens First party (2022-present) | spouse = Irene Kalaba | children = 3 }}
'''Harry Kalaba''' (born 12 June 1976 in Mansa District, Luapula Province) is a Zambian politician and the current president for the Citizens First Party.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2022-10-26 |title=Zambia : Harry Kalaba installed as President of a new political party called Citizens First |url=https://www.lusakatimes.com/2022/10/26/harry-kalaba-installed-as-president-of-a-new-political-party-called-citizens-first/ |access-date=2022-11-04 |language=en-GB}}</ref> He had served as Minister of Foreign Affairs of Zambia from March 2014 to January 2018.<ref name=":1">{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-42551887|title=Zambia foreign minister Harry Kalaba resigns over 'greed'|date=3 January 2018|publisher=BBC News|accessdate=5 April 2018}}</ref> He is a former member of Patriotic Front.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/africa/zambia-corruption-harry-kalaba-resigns-foreign-affairs-resigns-africa-patriotic-front-edgar-lungu-a8140151.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220509/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/africa/zambia-corruption-harry-kalaba-resigns-foreign-affairs-resigns-africa-patriotic-front-edgar-lungu-a8140151.html |archive-date=2022-05-09 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Zambian foreign affairs minister resigns over 'swelling' corruption within country|author=Sharman, Jon|work=The Independent|date=3 January 2018|accessdate=5 April 2018}}</ref> He served as the Member of Parliament for Bahati from August 2011 to Jaunary 2019.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.lusakatimes.com/2018/01/04/harry-kalaba-fraud-ive-experience-know-fraud-l-see-one/|title=Harry Kalaba is a Fraud, I've experience to know a Fraud when l see one|work=Lusaka Times|date=4 January 2018|accessdate=5 April 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Bahati {{!}} National Assembly of Zambia |url=https://www.parliament.gov.zm/node/989 |access-date=2022-11-04 |website=www.parliament.gov.zm}}</ref>
After leaving the Patriotic Front party in 2019, he was chosen to stand as the presidential candidate at the 2021 Zambian general election for the Democratic Party.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Reports |first=Zambia |title=PF's Harry Kalaba Adopted as Democratic Party 2021 Presidential Candidate |url=https://zambia.co.zm/news/headlines/2018/11/12/pfs-harry-kalaba-adopted-as-democratic-party-2021-presidential-candidate/ |access-date=2022-11-04 |language=en-GB}}</ref> In July 2022, he left the Democratic Party after several issues<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Shalubala |first=Chamuka |date=2022-07-25 |title=Wrangles force Kalaba to resign from DP |url=https://diggers.news/local/2022/07/25/wrangles-force-kalaba-to-resign-from-dp/ |access-date=2022-11-04 |website=Zambia: News Diggers! |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite web |date=2022-07-24 |title=Zambia : Long Court Process Forces Harry Kalaba to resigns from the Party he founded to Form a New Political Party |url=https://www.lusakatimes.com/2022/07/24/long-court-process-forces-harry-kalaba-to-resigns-from-the-party-he-founded-to-form-a-new-political-party/ |access-date=2022-11-04 |language=en-GB}}</ref> and in October 2022, he became the president of the newly-created ''Citizens First Party.''<ref name=":0" />
== Political Career == Harry Kalaba stood as the Patriotic Front candidate in Bahati constituency at the 2011 general election and was elected as a member of parliament.<ref name=":4">https://www.parliament.gov.zm/node/228</ref> In August 2012, President Michael Sata appointed Kalaba as the deputy minister in the Office of the Vice-President.<ref name=":5">{{Cite web |last= |date=2013-09-12 |title=Sata promotes Kapeya and Kalaba - Zambian Eye |url=https://zambianeye.com/sata-promotes-kapeya-and-kalaba/ |access-date=2026-05-02 |website=Zambian Eye - Breaking News and Current Affairs}}</ref>
On 12 September 2013, Kalaba was appointed as the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources.<ref name=":4" /><ref>https://www.parliament.gov.zm/node/2532</ref><ref name=":5" /> On 11 March 2014, Sata moved Kalaba to being the Minister of Foreign Affairs.<ref name=":4" /><ref>https://www.parliament.gov.zm/node/2531</ref> After Edgar Lungu became the head of state in January 2015, he retained Kalaba as the Foreign Affairs Minister.<ref name=":4" />
At the 2016 general election, Kalaba was re-elected as the Bahati constituency member of parliament.<ref name=":4" /> President Lungu retained Harry Kalaba as the Foreign Affairs Minister.<ref name=":4" /> However, in January 2018, Kalaba resigned from his position as Foreign Affairs Minister.<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Mbewe |first=Zondiwe |title=Kalaba's resignation a difficult one, but you don't run away from problems – Kampyongo |url=https://diggers.news/local/2018/01/06/kalabas-resignation-a-difficult-one-but-you-dont-run-away-from-problems-kampyongo-2/ |access-date=2026-05-02 |website=Zambia: News Diggers! |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Independent |first=The |date=2018-01-03 |title=Zambia Foreign Affairs minister Kalaba quits, explains on facebook |url=https://www.independent.co.ug/zambia-foreign-affairs-minister-kalaba-quits-explains-facebook/ |access-date=2026-05-02 |website=The Independent Uganda |language=en-US}}</ref> In January 2019, Kalaba was expelled from the Patriotic Front party and he proceeded to resign from being the member of parliament for Bahati constituency.<ref name=":6">{{Cite web |date=2019-01-29 |title=Harry Kalaba Walks Away From PF, Officially Accepts DP Presidency |url=https://www.openzambia.com/politics/2019/1/29/harry-kalaba-walks-away-from-pf-officially-accepts-dp-presidency-nbsp |access-date=2026-05-02 |website=Open Zambia |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-01-26 |title=Zambia : PF officially Expels Harry Kalaba from the Party, will notify Speaker to declare his seat vacant |url=https://www.lusakatimes.com/2019/01/26/pf-officially-expels-harry-kalaba-from-the-party-will-notify-speaker-to-declare-his-seat-vacant/ |access-date=2026-05-02 |language=en-GB}}</ref>
Kalaba was invited to be the president of the Democratic Party shortly before his resignation as a member of parliament<ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-11-12 |title=Zambia : Harry Kalaba adopt as DP presidential candidate for 2021 Elections |url=https://www.lusakatimes.com/2018/11/12/harry-kalaba-adopt-as-dp-presidential-candidate-for-2021-elections/ |access-date=2026-05-02 |website=Lusaka Times |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-05-22 |title=Harry Kalaba's DP Presidency To Be Announced In August |url=https://www.openzambia.com/politics/2018/5/22/harry-kalabas-dp-presidency-to-be-announced-in-august |access-date=2026-05-02 |website=Open Zambia |language=en-US}}</ref> and he accepted the position.<ref name=":6" /> He was the presidential candidate of the party at the 2021 general election, where he finished third with 0.52% of the vote.<ref>[https://www.elections.org.zm/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/2021-PresidentialResultsPerConst.pdf Presidential Results Per Constituency - Electoral Commission of Zambia]</ref>
In July 2022, he left the Democratic Party after several issues<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3" /><ref>{{Cite web |last= |date=2021-10-19 |title=Harry Kalaba fired as DP president - Zambian Eye |url=https://zambianeye.com/harry-kalaba-fired-as-dp-president/ |access-date=2026-05-02 |website=Zambian Eye - Breaking News and Current Affairs}}</ref> and in October 2022, he formed the Citizens First (CF) party for which he would be the president''.''<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2022-10-27 |title=HARRY KALABA LAUNCHES CITIZENS FIRST PARTY |url=https://dailynationzambia.com/2022/10/harry-kalaba-launches-citizens-first-party/ |access-date=2026-05-02 |website=Daily Nation |language=en-US}}</ref>
In early 2024, the Citizens First party joined the United Kwacha Alliance, which was an alliance of political parties.<ref>{{Cite web |last=zamobserver |date=2024-02-12 |title=Edgar Lungu Forms Alliance Names It United Kwacha Alliance(UKA) - The Zambian Observer |url=https://zambianobserver.com/edgar-lungu-forms-alliance-names-it-united-kwacha-allianceuka/ |access-date=2026-05-02 |language=en-US}}</ref> However, party president Kalaba announced the departure of the party from the alliance on 23 April 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mabenga |first=Elizabeth |title=Kalaba's Citizens First 'dumps' UKA |url=https://diggers.news/local/2025/04/24/kalabas-citizens-first-dumps-uka/ |access-date=2026-05-02 |website=Zambia: News Diggers! |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2025-04-23 |title=Citizens First withdraws from United Kwacha Alliance. - Mwebantu |url=https://www.mwebantu.com/citizens-first-withdraws-from-united-kwacha-alliance/ |access-date=2026-05-02 |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=SICHULA |first=AUGUSTINE |date=2025-04-23 |title=Citizens First withdraws from United Kwacha Alliance, cites need to focus on mobilisation, unity of opposition parties {{!}} Zambia Monitor |url=https://www.zambiamonitor.com/citizens-first-withdraws-from-united-kwacha-alliance-cites-need-to-focus-on-mobilisation-unity-of-opposition-parties/ |access-date=2026-05-02 |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last= |date=2025-04-23 |title=CITIZENS FIRST PARTY CUTS TIES WITH UKA |url=https://diamondtvzambia.com/citizens-first-party-cuts-ties-with-uka/ |access-date=2026-05-02 |website=Diamond Media |language=en-US}}</ref>
On 29 April 2026, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) led by Saboi Imboela and the Revamp for Development Change (RDC) led by Robert Chansa joined the Citizens First (CF) party to form the CF Orange Alliance and endorse Harry Kalaba for presidency at the 2026 general election.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2026-04-29 |title=Another Coalition, Orange Alliance born - Zambian Eye |url=https://zambianeye.com/another-coalition-orange-alliance-born/ |access-date=2026-04-29 |website=Zambian Eye - Breaking News and Current Affairs}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=SICHULA |first=AUGUSTINE |date=2026-04-29 |title=Three opposition parties launch CF Orange Alliance, back Kalaba for 2026 presidency {{!}} Zambia Monitor |url=https://www.zambiamonitor.com/three-opposition-parties-launch-cf-orange-alliance-back-kalaba-for-2026-presidency/ |access-date=2026-04-29 |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2026-04-30 |title=Zambia : Kalaba, Imboela form Orange Alliance, target August 13 victory |url=https://www.lusakatimes.com/2026/04/30/kalaba-imboela-form-orange-alliance-target-august-13-victory/ |access-date=2026-05-02 |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=zamobserver |date=2026-04-30 |title=Kalaba Unveils 'Orange Alliance' as Opposition Reconfigures Ahead of 2026 Poll - The Zambian Observer |url=https://zambianobserver.com/kalaba-unveils-orange-alliance-as-opposition-reconfigures-ahead-of-2026-poll/ |access-date=2026-05-02 |language=en-US}}</ref>
==See also== *List of foreign ministers in 2017
==References== {{Reflist}}{{2021 presidential candidates, Zambia}}{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kalaba, Harry}} Category:Living people Category:Patriotic Front (Zambia) politicians Category:Foreign ministers of Zambia Category:1976 births Category:Environment ministers of Zambia
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