Harare, Zambia’s parliament has elected its first female speaker, days after new President Hakainde Hichilema began shaking up the government by firing security commanders and promising economic reforms.

In August the long-time opposition leader was elected after campaigning to break with the past, The Associated Press (AP) reported.

Since his inauguration on Aug. 24, Hichilema has tried to show a difference from former president Edgar Lungu’s regime by allowing media houses that had been closed to re-open, assuring people of their freedoms and promising to deal with the country’s debt crisis.

On Friday, the parliament, where Hichilema’s United Party for National Development party now holds a majority, elected Nelly Mutti as the country’s first female speaker.

Mutti, a human rights lawyer and a former chairwoman of the country’s anti-corruption commission, will have the job to preside over a parliament where the ruling party still needs the cooperation of opposition members of parliament to make constitutional changes.

Source: Bahrain News Agency