Vera Tembo facts for kids

Vera Tembo (born July 25, 1953) is a Zambian politician. She is a member of the Movement for Multi-Party Democracy (MMD) political party. She served as the First Lady of Zambia from 1991. This was during the time her husband, Frederick Chiluba, was the President. Their marriage ended in 2001.

In 2006, Vera Tembo returned to public life. She was elected to the National Assembly of Zambia. This is like the parliament or congress in other countries. She represented the Kasenengwa area.

Vera Tembo's Early Life and Public Role

Vera Tembo was married to Frederick Chiluba for many years. They had nine children together. When Frederick Chiluba became President of Zambia in 1991, Vera Tembo became the country's First Lady. The First Lady is usually the wife of the president. She often supports social causes and represents the country.

Vera Tembo lived at State House, which is the official home of the president. In 2000, her husband announced their separation. She then moved to Ndola to live with her family. Their marriage officially ended in September 2001.

Life After Being First Lady

After her marriage ended, Vera Tembo faced some challenges. She also started to think about entering politics herself. During the 2001 general election in Zambia, she encouraged women to vote.

The former President, Frederick Chiluba, left office in December 2001. He could not serve a third term as president because of the country's Constitution. A few months later, he married Regina Mwanza.

In early 2002, news reports said that Vera Tembo was facing financial difficulties. The Zambian government offered her financial help in May 2002.

Vera Tembo's Political Career

In 2006, Vera Tembo decided to run for a seat in the Zambian National Assembly. She ran as a candidate for the Movement for Multi-Party Democracy (MMD) party. She aimed to represent the Kasenengwa area.

She won the election for Kasenengwa. This made her the first woman to represent this area in the National Assembly. Kasenengwa is a mostly rural area in Zambia's Eastern Province.

Serving as Deputy Minister

Soon after winning her election in October 2006, President Levy Mwanawasa appointed Vera Tembo to his government. She became the Deputy Minister of Tourism, Environment and Natural Resources. A Deputy Minister helps the main minister in a specific government department.

Vera Tembo continued in this role under the next President, Rupiah Banda. She served as Deputy Minister from 2006 until 2011. In 2011, she left the National Assembly.

One important project she oversaw in 2010 was moving black rhinoceroses. These rhinos were moved to North Luangwa National Park and other natural areas in Zambia. She believed this program would help both Zambia's environment and its tourism industry.

Later Life

In March 2015, Vera Tembo announced a new path in her life. She shared that she had become a Christian pastor. She also founded a new church called the Healing International Ministry.