Sarah Sayifwanda
Sarah Sayifwanda (born 16 January 1963, died 31 December 2020) was a Zambian politician who served as Minister of Gender and Development and Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives. She was also the Zambian representative to the African Union and Pan-African Parliament. Education. Sayifwanda holds a BA in Special Education, a Diploma in Special Education, and a Form V. Career. Zambian Government. Mwanwasa Administration. For most of her political career, Sayifwanda worked as a member of the Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD). Levy Mwanawasa appointed Sayifwanda as Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives when he was elected. Mwanawasa created  the Ministry of Gender and Women in Development in 2006. At the time, Patricia Mulasikwanda was appointed minister. Banda Administration. On 14 November 2008, Zambian President Rupiah Banda renamed the Ministry of Gender and Women in Development to the Ministry of Gender and Development, with Sayifwanda as minister. She held this role until 2011. While minister, Sayifwanda focused on decreasing the use of women to traffic drugs, promoting womens' representation in politics, fighting martial violence, and providing support for people with intellectual disabilities. Sata Administration. Sayifwanda was appointed as Gender Deputy Minister by Micheal Sata of the Patriotic Front in  2011, but declined the role. She later defected from the Movement for Multiparty Democracy to the United Party for National Development (UPND) with 10 other MMD members of parliament In 2019, Zambian police arrested Sayifwanda for allegedly inciting a tribal fight between the Lundas and Luvales during an Electoral Commission of Zambia delimitation. Foreign Policy. Pan-African Parliament. Sayifwanda represented the Zambian House and Zambezi East at the Pan-African Parliament with 4 other Zambian parliamentarians. She was elected in 2006 and again in 2011. In this role, she contributed to discussions and projects regarding the state of the African  Union, specifically climate change, peace, security, xenophobia, establishment of a Free Trade Area, and implementation of the Beyond 2015 Strategic Development Goals. Death and legacy. Sayifwanda died on 31 December 2020 at Solwezi General Hospital due to illness. She was granted an official state funeral and day of national mourning (5 January 2021) by President Edgar Lungu. She was laid to rest in Kimeteto Cemetery in Solwezi. Sayifwanda's service at United Church of Zambia Trinity Congregation was widely attended by politicians from both her party and the opposition. Some of the attendees included North Western Province Minister Nathaniel Mubukwanu , UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema, and PF official Koshita Shengamo. She was a trustee of UPND.