Lydia Simakando Lubobya Post Master General Interview By Luyando Mooya And Ephraim Mufaya

POWERHOUSE: Lydia Simakando Lubobya

Lydia Simakando Lubobya, Zambia’s Postmaster General, is a transformational leader driven by service, innovation, and impact. From her formative years in Lusaka to a distinguished career in accounting, risk management, and public service, her journey reflects discipline, resilience, and a commitment to excellence.

Having transitioned from entrepreneurship to public service, Lydia has played a pivotal role in stabilising and modernising ZAMPOST, leading critical reforms that restored financial accountability and set the foundation for long-term transformation. As Postmaster General, she envisions ZAMPOST as a logistics and digital inclusion powerhouse at the centre of e-commerce, financial services, and national development.

A strong advocate for women in leadership, Lydia believes that opportunity — not permission — is what women need to lead and create lasting impact. For her, true success is defined not by titles, but by building systems that endure, empowering others, and delivering meaningful change for Zambia.

Excel Magazine | Issue 12 | 2026

“Personally, it is the fulfillment of years of hard work, perseverance and aspirations to be a transformational leader and my journey has only started. It is an affirmation that value can’t be hidden. Professionally, it is an opportunity to harness my skill set and inspire the team at ZAMPOST towards the much-needed transformation and modernisation of ZAMPOST.”

BECOMING POST MASTER GENERAL

My upbringing instilled in me a deep sense of responsibility, discipline, and service qualities that have become central to my work in public leadership. I was raised in an environment where hard work was not merely encouraged but expected, and where integrity was non-negotiable. From an early age, I learned that service to the community is both a privilege and a duty.

I witnessed first-hand the value of empathy, listening, and standing up for others, traits that later became essential in my roles across different sectors, and now national service at ZAMPOST. These early lessons taught me to approach leadership with humility and a readiness to understand diverse perspectives.

FORMATIVE YEARS

I was born in Lusaka, specifically at UTH, on 22 June 1983, and raised in Lusaka, Zambia, where my roots remain firmly grounded. Spent my childhood in Lilanda up to early teens then Roma township and Avondale where I got married from. So basically, born and bred in Lusaka.

I come from a closely-knit family. My father [now late] was Mr Harry Mungela Simakando, and my mother is Elizabeth Simangolwa Simakando and lives in Ibex, Lusaka. My father was a Chemist and Mathematician by training who later pursued programming and was a Systems’ Development Manager when he retired from National Provident Fund (NPF), while my mother was and though retired is a teacher who at retirement was a School Manager at Chibelo Secondary School, and they both graduated from the University of Zambia.

Both my parents hail from Kalabo, Western Province, and I am grateful to God for them. I come from a family of seven, (7) three have since passed and am the second eldest of those surviving, i.e. 2 males and 2 females.

I am married to Professor Charles Smart Lubobya and together we have 4 lovely children with two in university, 1 in secondary school and the last born in grade 4.

EDUCATION

I attended Harry Mwanga Nkumbula Primary School in Chunga township then moved to Kabulonga Girls and Rephidim Secondary Schools for my junior Secondary School. I was then selected to David Kaunda Secondary Technical School where I completed my grade 12.

I went on to pursue my career in Accountancy at ZCAS and ZABMAC where I obtained my certification as a chartered Accountant, i.e. ACCA in 2009. Three years later, I pursued my post graduate studies at Herriot-Watt University, Edinburgh Business School, where I obtained my MBA.

In the spirit of continuous learning and self-improvement, I enrolled for the Certified Enterprise Risk Management program from the International Academy of Business and Financial Management based in Chicago. I have since obtained a number of certifications including one in Performance Management and strategic planning.

Let me just say there is no end to learning. Am in the process of enrolling for my Doctorate while pursuing other short courses such as Artificial Intelligence.

CAREER ASPIRATIONS

As a child, I dreamt of roles where I could make a meaningful impact and service. Sometimes imagining myself as a teacher, rightly so because my mother was a teacher “Ba Mistress” they would call her. Other times as a doctor.

My resolve to be an Accountant came when I was in secondary school after an encounter with a woman whose confidence, demeanour and authority within her family made me to wonder what she was doing and everything about her. I looked at her and told myself I want to be like, when I grow up.

A shout out to Mrs Susan Wambulawaye who is retired but a respectable name in the sphere of Accounting, Internal audit and Risk Management.

TRANSITIONING FROM ENTREPRENEURSHIP TO PUBLIC SERVICE

My turning point was the decision made to slow down on my role as Managing Consultant for Metic Risk Solutions, a consultancy firm that I had founded, to heed to a call to join ZAMPOST as Director of Finance (basically sacrificing for the greater good of society).

By that time I was working very closely with the Institute of Risk Management Zambia and I had facilitated some high-level Governance, Risk and Control workshops with the likes of Workers Compensation. I struggled with that decision given the apparent miserable state of the brand with all its reputational issues and visible struggles.

Lots of voices whispered the risk of denting my reputation as a professional as the failures of the Corporation could reflect on my competencies.

After several engagements, the following statement, “You are the exact kind of person possessing the skills set needed to make an impact at ZAMPOST”, from a person I profoundly respect had a resounding effect and I think that was my turning point.

Signing off that Contract as Director of Finance knowing it was time to roll up my sleeves and work, not like a regular CFO but on a mission to make lasting impact to save my reputation.

Exactly 2 years and we managed to achieve great milestones such as changing the accounting system, covering a backlog of 7 years of unaudited Financial statements (2016 – 2022). As we end the year, we are concluding the March 2025 – rendering ZAMPOST current despite the challenges.

It often seems impossible until it’s done. It’s just unbelievable what can be achieved when you put your mind to it and are able to influence and motivate a team towards an objective.

OVERCOMING THE WOMEN IN LEADERSHIP CHALLENGE

As a woman in leadership, I have often had to overcome preconceived notions about gender and authority, constantly proving my competence in environments where women are still underrepresented. I’ve also had to navigate the double standard where decisiveness can be judged harshly, and collaboration can be misunderstood.

My title as “Postmaster General” has a male connotation which is testament that from inception, years back at the Universal Postal Union (UPU) convention in 1874 when Postal services were established, nobody ever imagined that a woman would be in this position.

I address these challenges by focusing on excellence in my execution thus allowing my work to speak for itself. Building strong, capable teams and mentoring others has also helped create inclusive spaces where diverse voices are valued.

Every obstacle has reinforced my belief that women do not need permission to lead, we only need opportunity, and when it is given, we need to run and make lasting impact.

LEADERSHIP STYLE

Am a strong believer in candid conversation that drive decisions that are progressive. Inclusivity and team work because often times, individual brilliance does not cut it. I move from a liberal delegator to a micro manager when its needed.

TRANSFORMING ZAMPOST

I believe that innovation is the only option for transformation and that remodeling the culture towards an innovative and customer-centric corporation is the enabler for the transformation that we will achieve.

In my 5-year mandate, ZAMPOST will turn into a logistics powerhouse at the centre of e-commerce, financial and digital inclusion by continuously being innovative and customer-driven amid great expectations from different stakeholders.

It will be great to get ZAMPOST to deliver some dividends to the Shareholders, the government.

CHANGING BUSINESS MODEL AT ZAMPOST

Unfortunately, in the endeavor to transform ZAMPOST, there is no place for tradition because sticking to models that have become redundant is basically why the postal service is on its knees with a desperate need to rise and sour above the things that could have killed it.

While keeping true to our mandate as a designated operator providing universal access, the guiding ethos and principle will be that innovation is our only option for transformation and innovate we must and we are.

CREATING LEGACY

A legacy that screams transformation and impact. A postal service that would have reclaimed its past glory, being an integral part of the Government’s delivery framework leveraging its unmatched physical infrastructure to offer a diverse suit of services from financial services to simply beautiful shared working spaces that work to mitigate and close the digital divide offering opportunity to all especially for rural Zambia.

ADVICE TO THE GIRL CHILD

To young girls out there, it’s important to believe in yourself and be unapologetically authentic, continuously improving yourself and delivering meticulously so that your shine cannot be dimmed.

DEFINING SUCCESS

For me, success is not measured by titles but by impact. Leaving every institution stronger than I found it, creating systems that outlive my tenure, and opening doors for others to rise. It means leading with integrity and using every opportunity to build something meaningful for the people I represent.

But beyond work, success in life is about living with purpose, staying true to my values. I should be able to look back and know that I lived authentically, served diligently, and used my gifts to transform lives and create a legacy of courage, excellence, service and transformation.