COMMERCE Minister Christopher Yaluma has fired Zambia Development Agency (ZDA) Board Chairperson Fisho Mwale with immediate effect for unknown reasons.

Confirming the development in a brief interview, Monday, Mwale, who is also a Yalelo Limited director, said he was no longer the ZDA board chair after having his contract of employment terminated.

“It is true. I am not chairman of the board right now,” Mwale said, without disclosing the actual reasons.

And when reached for comment, Yaluma acknowledged the development, but could not elaborate on why Mwale had been relieved of his post by press time.

He, however, pledged to engage the media in due course after further discussing the matter with Mwale.

Yaluma recently appointed the Mwale-led ZDA board, which consisted of private sector representatives and representatives from government line ministries.

Mwale, who is also Aquaculture Development Association of Zambia chairperson, was deputised by Enock Bwalya, both from the private sector.

Other private sector representatives that were appointed to the board were Chisoma Lombe, Chipego Zulu, Rebecca Katowa, the Zambia Sugar Plc managing director, among others.

The ZDA’s mandate includes facilitation of Zambia’s economic development by promoting investment and competitiveness of businesses and promoting exports from the country.

The Agency is also responsible for building and enhancing the country’s investment profile for increased capital inflows, capital formation, employment creation and promoting the growth of Micro, Small and Medium enterprise (MSME) sector by working with government to create an investment climate that can propel long-term sustainable domestic growth.