Dr Joseph Katema, Former Cabinet Minister and Ambassador to Italy, Dies

Dr Joseph Katema, a former Cabinet minister and diplomat who served under two Zambian presidents, has died. According to a statement, he passed away in the early hours of 2 August 2026 while receiving medical treatment in India.

Katema, a trained medical doctor, held some of the most visible communications and diplomatic posts in government over the past decade and a half.

He served as Minister of Information and Broadcasting Services, doubling as Chief Government Spokesperson, a role that put him at the centre of national attention in November 2014 when he outlined the state funeral arrangements for President Michael Sata, including the lying-in-state at the National Assembly and burial procession.

He went on to serve as Minister of Community Development, and was later appointed Zambia's Ambassador to Italy, presenting his credentials as a non-resident envoy to Greece from Rome in December 2018.

Katema represented Chingola as Member of Parliament for a decade, from 2006 to 2016, under the Patriotic Front, and also served as Minister of Chiefs and Traditional Affairs from February 2015.

Traditional leaders who welcomed that appointment at the time, including Senior Chief Mukuni of the Toka Leya people, described him as a calm and humble figure suited to working closely with Zambia's chiefdoms.

MHSRIEP.