The inauguration of Edgar Lungu as the 6th president of Zambia took place on 13 September 2016. This was the second time

Edgar Lungu Edgar Chagwa Lungu (11 November 1956 – 5 June 2025) was a Zambian politician who served as the sixth president of Zambia from 26 January 2015 to 24 August 2021. Under President Michael Sata, Lungu served as Minister of Justice and Minister ...

took the oath after he first took office on 25 January 2015. Edgar Lungu took the oath alongside

Inonge Wina Inonge Mutukwa Wina (born 2 April 1941) is a Zambian politician who served as the 13th Vice President from 2015 to 2021. She was the first woman to hold the position, which made her the highest ranking woman in the history of the Zambian gover ...

Vice-President of Zambia The vice president of Zambia is the second highest position in the executive branch of the Zambia, Republic of Zambia. The vice president was previously appointed by the President of Zambia, president before the amendment of the Constitution o ...

. The day of the inauguration was set as a public holiday in Zambia and Monday September 12 as a half working day. Lungu won the controversial August 2016 presidential election, receiving 50.35% of the votes. The election received various criticisms from the opposition party and the opposition petitioned the High court to block the inauguration. However, the high court rejected the application.

Inaugural events

Planning

The planning of the inauguration of President-elect Edgar Lungu started on the 16th of August but the planning and works were suspended after a presidential petition was filed in an urgent application contesting the validity of President Edgar Lungu's win by

Hakainde Hichilema Hakainde Hichilema (born 4 June 1962), often known by his initials HH, is a Zambian businessman, farmer, and politician who is the seventh and current president of Zambia since 24 August 2021. After having contested five previous elections in ...

, UPND President and his running mate

Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba (born 15 March 1959), known popularly as GBM, is a Zambian businessman and politician who served as Member of Parliament for Kasama Central from 2009 to 2016. He later served as Vice President of the United Party for Nation ...

. On 5 September The Constitutional Court dismissed the petition against the election of President Edgar Lungu by United Party for National Development leader Hakainde Hichilema and his running mate Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba on grounds that its mandate lapsed at 23:59 on Friday. After this the preparations started for the inauguration of president-elect Monday 12 September was set a half working day and Tuesday 13 was a public holiday.

Swearing-in ceremony

The official swearing-in ceremony took place at the

National Heroes Stadium Heroes National Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Lusaka, Lusaka Province, Zambia. It is currently used mostly for football matches and hosts the home matches of the Zambia national football team. The stadium holds 60,000 spectators. It ope ...

Lusaka Lusaka ( ) is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Zambia. It is one of the fastest-developing cities in southern Africa. Lusaka is in the southern part of the central plateau at an elevation of about . , the city's population was abo ...

from 0800 hours (

UTC Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) is the primary time standard globally used to regulate clocks and time. It establishes a reference for the current time, forming the basis for civil time and time zones. UTC facilitates international communica ...

) on 13 September 2016. Lungu arrived at the swearing in venue with his

wife A wife (: wives) is a woman in a marital relationship. A woman who has separated from her partner continues to be a wife until their marriage is legally dissolved with a divorce judgment; or until death, depending on the kind of marriage. On t ...

to a roaring crowd at 0835 (

). A priest delivered a prayer to commence the official proceedings. Under the observation of the Chief Justice of Zambia, Irene Mambilima, at 0900 (

) Lungu took his oath of office. Lungu then addressed the nation.

Inauguration speech (excerpt)

Dignitaries in attendance

President

John Magufuli John Pombe Joseph Magufuli (29 October 1959 – 17 March 2021) was a Tanzanian politician who served as the fifth president of Tanzania, serving from 2015 until his death in 2021. He served as Minister of Works, Transport and Communications from ...

of Tanzania canceled his trip on 11 September 2016 due to the Tanzanian earthquake; Vice President

Samia Suluhu Samia Suluhu Hassan ( ; born 27 January 1960) is a Tanzanian politician who serves as the sixth and current President of Tanzania, president of Tanzania since 19 March 2021. She is the first woman to serve in the position and previously served ...

attended instead.

Yoweri Museveni Yoweri Kaguta Museveni Tibuhaburwa (born 15 September 1944) is a Ugandan politician and Officer (armed forces), military officer who is the ninth and current president of Uganda since 1986. As of 2025, he is the third-List of current state lead ...

was also expected to attend the event, however, he went to

Somalia Somalia, officially the Federal Republic of Somalia, is the easternmost country in continental Africa. The country is located in the Horn of Africa and is bordered by Ethiopia to the west, Djibouti to the northwest, Kenya to the southwest, th ...

instead, for the 28th IGAD Extra ordinary summit.

Government representatives

International organization representatives

References

{{Edgar Lungu Edgar Lungu 2016 in Zambian politics

September 2016 in Africa 21st century in Lusaka