State House, Lusaka

State House is the official residence and principal workplace of the President of Zambia. Located in the Bimbe area of Lusaka on Independence Avenue, the estate occupies approximately 72 hectares (178 acres). Designed by British architect William Walcot in the neoclassical style, construction began in 1930, concluded in 1934, and the building officially opened in 1935. Originally known as Government House, it served as the residence of the colonial governors of Northern Rhodesia until 1964, after which it was renamed State House and became the official residence of President Kenneth Kaunda, Zambia’s first post-independence head of state.

State House also functions as a metonym for the Executive Office of the President of Zambia, housing the Office of the President, the Vice-President’s Office, the Cabinet Secretariat, the Presidential Delivery Unit, and key ministries—all located within the estate. As the centre of Zambia’s executive branch, State House hosts foreign dignitaries, cabinet meetings, and state ceremonies. The grounds also include displays illustrating the development of Lusaka and Zambia’s political history. The estate includes a golf course, tennis court, a variety of wildlife species, a healthcare clinic, a filling station, and a police post among other amenities.