First Lady of Zambia | |
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Inaugural holder | Betty Kaunda |
Formation | 24 October 1964 |
The First Lady of Zambia is the title attributed to the wife of the President of Zambia. Zambia's current First Lady is Esther Lungu, who has held the office since 25 January 2015.
The First Lady of Zambia plays the ceremonial role of the spouse of the head of state, but has often expanded their influence beyond that. For example, the wife of the country's founding president, Betty Kaunda, was viewed as the mother of the nation and known as "Mama Kaunda."Maureen Mwanawasa used her platform as First Lady to be a strong advocate for safer sex for women, often handing out condoms at public events.