Eng. Kezias Kazuba Mwale Elected as ATU Secretary-General
The African Telecommunications Union has elected a new Secretary-General. Following the conclusion of the 7th ATU Conference of Plenipotentiaries in Abuja, Eng. Kezias Kazuba Mwale of Zambia has been elected to lead the Union for the 2027–2031 term. He will assume office on 1 January 2027, with incumbent Secretary-General Mr John Omo continuing to head the General Secretariat in the interim to ensure a smooth transition.
A New Chapter for the ATU
Eng. Mwale’s election marks a significant moment for the Union. Having served as ATU Director for Spectrum since 2012, he transitions from a senior technical role within the Secretariat to its highest office. He will take the helm of an organisation spanning 52 member states at a time when questions of digital connectivity, spectrum governance, and ICT infrastructure investment sit at the top of Africa’s policy agenda.
What the Role Entails
The Secretary-General serves as the head of the ATU General Secretariat, elected by the Conference of Plenipotentiaries for a four-year term and eligible for re-election once. The position carries wide-ranging responsibilities across legal, administrative, financial, and operational dimensions of the Union’s work, as set out in the ATU Constitution and Convention established in 1999 and revised in 2014.
As the Union’s legal representative, the Secretary-General is authorised to represent the ATU across all appropriate forums. The role additionally includes concluding host and seat agreements with the government of the country hosting the Union, acting as the official depository for instruments of ratification and accession from member states, and participating in conflict mediation processes where disputes arise between members.
On the administrative side, the Secretary-General directs and coordinates all activities of the General Secretariat, overseeing staffing and recruitment, including the appointment of departmental directors and the Internal Auditor, whilst ensuring equitable geographical representation across Africa’s sub-regions. The Secretary-General and statutory staff hold the status of International Civil Servants, with the corresponding privileges and immunities.
Financially, the role carries direct accountability to the Administrative Council for the Union’s administrative, financial, and technical management. This includes drafting four-year activity plans and corresponding budgets for Council scrutiny ahead of each Conference of Plenipotentiaries, preparing annual programmes and budgets for Council approval, and presenting consolidated audited financial reports.
Furthermore, the Secretary-General coordinates the work of the Union’s various organs, provides secretariat services for ATU conferences and meetings, monitors the implementation of the Union’s strategic plan, and publishes periodic newsletters and annual reports covering developments, policies, and strategic proposals in the telecommunications and ICT sector. The role also encompasses providing legal counsel to the Union.
A Look at Eng. Mwale’s Background and ExperienceÂ
Eng. Mwale holds three degrees in the digital and telecommunications sector. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in Electronics and Telecommunications from the University of Zambia in 2002, followed by a Master’s degree in Broadband and Mobile Communications with distinction from the University of Kent in 2008, and an MBA from the University of Nicosia in 2017.
His professional journey began at the Zambia Information and Communications Technology Authority (ZICTA) in 2003, where he progressed from Engineer to Senior Spectrum Engineer before taking on the role of Manager for Spectrum Planning and Licensing. During his time at ZICTA, he developed Zambia’s first national spectrum master plan, coordinated the country’s first spectrum re-farm enabling the introduction of 3G and broadband services, and served as the country’s sole delegate to the ATU final preparatory meeting for WRC-12 in 2011.
He joined the ATU in October 2012 as Director for Spectrum, a position he has held for over a decade. In this capacity, he has been involved in a broad range of technical, legal, financial, and institutional matters within the Union, contributing to the development of the African Spectrum Allocation Plan, the modernisation of ATU’s information systems, and the review of the Union’s Constitution and Convention. He additionally served as Secretary of the ATU Conferences of Plenipotentiaries of 2014, 2018, and 2022.