Colleen Zamba

Colleen Pempho Zamba

''Secretary to the President and Cabinet (SPC), Republic of Malawi''

Early Life and Education

Colleen Zamba was born in Dowa, Malawi, as the eldest of six children to Skeffa Thom Zamba and Felestia Zamba, both educators. Her father was a Malawi Congress Party Member of Parliament for Dowa South East.

She attended Lilongwe Girls Secondary School and later earned a Bachelor of Social Science in Economics from Chancellor College, University of Malawi, in 1985. Zamba pursued further studies at the University of Glasgow, Scotland, obtaining a Postgraduate Diploma in Development Policy in 1988 and a Master of Philosophy in Economic Planning in 1989, where she was recognized as the best student of the year.

Professional Career

* Zamba began her career as an Economist and rose to the position of Principal Secretary for Economic Affairs where she led the monitoring of Economic Program of Malawi, then Principal Secretary Debt and Aid Management where she led negotiation of Heavily Indebted Countries Malawi Decision Point. She also became Principal Secretary for Trade where she was spokesperson for Southern Africa in Trade negotiations. * United Nations Development Programme (UNDP): Serving as an Economic Advisor, Zamba contributed to developmental programs in Nigeria, Zambia, Eswatini, and Lesotho. Her tenure included six years in Nigeria, four years in Zambia, and one year covering Eswatini and Lesotho. * Presidential Delivery Unit (PDU): In October 2021, President Lazarus Chakwera appointed Zamba as Head of the Presidential Delivery Unit and Chief Advisor to the President on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and International Affairs.[https://www.faceofmalawi.com/2022/06/01/meet-colleen-zamba-new-spc-replacing-zanga-zanga-chikhosi/] * Secretary to the President and Cabinet: On June 1, 2022, Zamba was appointed Secretary to the President and Cabinet, succeeding Zangazanga Chikhosi. In this role, she oversees Malawi's public service and chairs boards such as the Electricity Generation Company of Malawi (EGENCO).

Zamba has been instrumental in advancing ICT infrastructure, road development, and stabilizing power supply in Malawi. She has also mentored future leaders, particularly women, fostering a culture of integrity and excellence in the civil service. A proponent of gender equality, Zamba actively mentors women in leadership roles and advocates for excellence within Malawi's public sector. Her vision is to transform the civil service into a model of accountability and patriotism. Zamba's journey is marked by resilience, having faced personal and professional adversities, including political setbacks and public scrutiny. Her leadership style reflects dedication and discipline, often working long hours to achieve her goals. Provided by Wikipedia