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Companies

China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation – CCECC, the company contracted to build a new office block for the Law Association of Zambia – LAZ has disclosed that over 70% of work has so far been covered on the site and the building is set for completion in March 2021.

LAZ had in September 2019 initiated the building and development of a high-rise office block in Lusaka from its 2019 budget.

CCECC Project Manager James Ai told the Zambian Business Times – ZBT in an exclusive interview that the over K36 million (about US$2 million) office block includes the construction of a high-rise office (5 storey) block with associated external works, boundary wall, guard houses and perimeter fence and gates.

Ai told ZBT that more than 70 Zambians have so far been employed on the site and that work is moving on smoothly despite facing a few challenges arising from the Covid- 19 pandemic.

He added that workers have since been urged to keep safe while working amidst this pandemic, adding that the company is also ensuring every individual is adhering to the Covid-19 health guideline of keeping a distance, regular washing of hands and wearing a face mask.

“It is challenging to conduct construction works with the Covid-19 threats, however we have tried our best to keep our employees safe and so far, no one has been infected as we are also measuring their temperatures from time to time, in the morning when going in for work and afternoon when getting back from Lunch,” He said.

He further confirmed that health, safety and security measures are highly being managed and no employee has so far been injured on site while on duty.

LAZ had not responded by press time on what method of financing had been utilized to pay for the US$2 million building but indications are that contributions from members – practicing lawyers are a key revenue source for the association.

Professional associations in Zambia such as ZICA for Accountants and EIZ for engineers have all constructed notable head office building and are now embarking on constructing provincial offices to further penetrate and get more members across the 10 provinces of Zambia.

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China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation - CCECC,

Lifestyle

Permanent secretary – PS at the Ministry of Chiefs and Traditional Affairs Yande Mwape, has disclosed to Zambian Business Times – ZBT in an exclusive interview that only 10 out of the initial 32 earmarked chiefs palaces for construction and renovation have been completed and handed over in the first phase.

Mwape stated that the construction of chiefs palaces is being done in a phased approach and the that only palaces that have reached 80% and above in terms of completion rate are their main priority from the funding that has just been released.

Chiefs play an important role in preserving our heritage, tradition and culture as a country. Chiefs and traditional leaders are also now being tapped as anchors for cultural tourism events such as traditional ceremonies, which when commercialized, promise to become a key revenue driver from both local and international tourists. There are currently 288 chiefs and four paramount chiefs in Zambia.

Government through the ministry of Chiefs and traditional affairs had pledged to build palaces for all the 288 chiefs nationwide. However, funding challenges and priotizadion issues have derailed the completion of this project.

“This project started in 2014 and it’s being done in phases. Government’s policy is to construct and renovate palaces for all the 288 chiefs. In the first phase, we have about 32 palaces out which two are for renovations the rest are for construction”

“we have compete and handed over about 10 palaces in different provinces out of the 32 and then out of the 32, we have about 17% that are above 80% completion rate, in-fact some of them almost 100% completed, jus the final touches remaining.

So the funds that where released by the treasury and paid directly by the ministry of finance, is targeting mainly those that are 80% and above in terms of completion rate, so we are hoping that by the end of the year, these can be completed and handed over, she said.

Mwape stressed that as soon as they finish the first phase of the project, the ministry of chiefs will proceed to start the next phase as they want to first finish working on all the palaces that are near completion.

“We can’t even talk about moving to the next phase, not until we finish the first phase. So our target is to finish the first phase, then we can move to the second phase you can imagine from 2014 to-date, we have only completed and handed over ten (10). It’s all dependent again on the availability of funding and financial resources allocated”, she said.

The Ministry looks forward to complete those that are 80% and above and they are in a race against time because the rain season is around the corner. But questions have arisen on the lack of prioritizing of chiefs and traditional leaders palaces.

We made to admit that the building of 288 chiefs palaces has simply been ignored or not been prioritized, as the nation, has seen how Defence and Police have benefited from a robust housing development executed across the country.

Government leaders have been challenged to take a more serious look at the plight of our chiefs as part of the problems Africa and in particular Zambia faces today, has been the neglect of traditional and cultural values and its custodians. This is an overhang and entrenched strategy executed by colonialists which still haunts the civil service even today.

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Permanent secretary - PS at the Ministry

Tech

The Copperbelt University – CBU developed Automated Walk In Sanitizing Innovation – AWISI have now been fully developed, tested, installed and operationalized, with the Kitwe based university now ready to start taking more orders for tailored installations.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with Zambian Business Times – ZBT, CBU Dean School of Engineering, Dr. Lennox Siwale has disclosed that the full body walk through sanitizers are ready to be purchased by both public and private organizations as well as individuals.

He told ZBT that several ministries have already bought the walk through sanitizers which have even been installed and are operation as we speak. “We have installed quite a number, in Lusaka, the total number installed is about 10”.

Dr. Siwale stated that “we are in the process of installing another 5 in Kabwe. We have installed in various ministries like Ministry of Higher Education, General Education and the Judiciary. We are also going to install at Mulungushi University”, he said.

The team that has locally designed and developed the full body walk through sanitizers is led by Dr. Lennox Siwale Dean School of Engineering at CBU, with key team members that include Dr. Dickson Chembe and George Mugala. These are the brains behind the Zambian home grown solution of called the Full body Automated Walk In Sanitizing Innovation – (AWISI) designed to combat the covid 19 pandemic.

When asked about the purchase price of AWISI, Dr. Siwale stated that they do not have a fixed price per say because it is dependent on the customer’s needs, specifications and also transport and installation costs that comes into play. So, each request is costed and a quote given for those interested to procure the innovation.

Like all innovations developed into products, AWISI is still being improved on as we build more and more machines “Since its a work-in progress, and dependent on specific requirements, we have to factor in each order specifics costs such as transportation, size of machine or entrance etc, So the final cost may vary from order to order”, he said.

He disclose that the full body sanitizers are made of three main sections. “It is composed of three sections, there is the frame itself, there is the pumps section which is also equipped with the spray pipes and nasals and then there is the control which is the sensing gadgets with a motion sensor which senses your presence as you are approaching the frame and that sends the signal to the pump to supply the sanitizing liquid through the nasals as you pass through the body”.

AWISI works in a way that immediately you exit the frame, the sensors switches off the pump. But if you have several people passing through, it will keep on pumping. AWISI has a storage capacity of 500 litters as well”, he said.

Dr. Siwale told ZBT that CBU and his team can make as many sanitizers depending on the customer’s request, and is encouraging institutions, especially places with high traffic to come on board and make orders.

“I would like to encourage other institutions to come and place their orders, we can only make as many as the orders placed, because we have to put the materials together and transport them to the sites and then install”, he said.

The AWISI will help in the prevention of the further spread of the coronavirus and the CBU Dean of Engineering says they have ensured that the type of sanitizers use meets the health standards as the sanitizers get into contact with the body of the persons walking through. We have taken extra care to avoid any irritations of the skin for people walking through.

AWISI can also be used at learning institutions and schools entrance to prevent the spread of Covid 19. Who knows, this may just be the innovation that can allow Zambia to re-open its schools and lead the rest of Africa to with a home grown solution.

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The Copperbelt University - CBU developed Automated

Mining

A Copperbelt based cement distributor has accused cement companies of forming a cartel that agreed to increase market prices simultaneously so that they can maximize their profits.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with Zambian Business Times – ZBT, a concerned Copperbelt based distributor whose name has been withheld said that a cartel has been formed by these cement companies because it’s odd that they all increased their prices at the same time.

“We first as distributors received the sms notification from Dangote that they are increasing, then Lafarge followed and then Sinoma, just like that. And it was all happening within a space of about two to three weeks”, he lamented.

The cement distributor furthermore said that the basis of increasing the cement prices that has been given so far is not satisfactory, it is not justified because most of the input material like limestone, energy, gypsum are all sourced locally. Moreover, fuel and the Kwacha to US dollar exchange rate has remained stable.

Although I am a distributor, I’m personally not happy because this is unacceptable and is exploitation of the local Zambian market. There is no fuel price hike and the dollar is stable, so what is the justification of their increment?. Everybody is affected with COVID-19, but how much of imported material do they use, most of it is local. And they have increased by over K20 or US$1 per 50kg bag.

Furthermore, he said that the cement factories have hiked their cement prices simultaneously and wonder where the people who are supposed to stop this vice are. “You know the sad part is that everybody has increased their prices simultaneously. So where the authorities and what are they doing about it?

“Everybody needs cement. For example in Chipata the price of cement is almost K135 per 50kg bag of 32.5N, How about Mongu and Mansa?! now some are even selling at K140 per 50kg bag,” the source told ZBT.

Another sourced asked that CCPC should review all most recent price increases and see which CEO tenor coincides with these increments. There are certain things that are connected, with serious investigations, this whole increment will unravel the people behind it.

The source told ZBT that it is unacceptable and defeats the whole purpose of having more players in the cement industry. We were told that with more cement companies coming on board, there would be competition, and that will bring the prices down but look at where we are now.

As a distributor, I have spoken to other citizens and there is strong suspicion that there is a cartel formed. We are just wondering where the authorities are and organizations like the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) are doing about this.

CCPC confirmed to ZBT that they had instituted a formal investigation that is targeted at four cement companies. The companies include Dangote, Lafarge, Zambezi Portland and Sinoma (Mpande Limestone).

CCPC did not however give timelines on when or how long this investigation would take before an offices update is given to the nation. CCPC Executive Director told ZBT that the investigations are at a delicate stage and he would announce details at an appropriate time.

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A Copperbelt based cement distributor has accused

Lifestyle

The Ministry of Youth, Sport and Child Development has embarked on a program in conjunction with Zambia National Service [ZNS] to provide skills training to street kids to impart them with life changing skills and a better life.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with Zambian Business Times – ZBT,  Permanent Secretary to the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Child Development, Joe Kapembwa stated they want to start with 1,000 street kids for the first intake.

Kapembwa told ZBT that the partnership between the two institutions will ensure that the street children are not given military skills but life skills such as crafts, trades, Agro skills etc.

When asked by ZBT how the program intends to accommodate the street kids since most of them have no fixed aboard, Kapembwa stated that their partner, ZNS has adequate accommodation that they used to train all grade 12s some time back, which is still available today and may just need a bit of touch ups.

“We intend to get at least a one thousand (1,000) for starters. Remember that ZNS used to train grade 12s; those facilities are still available. People used to go there and they used to stay in the camps, so those are still available”, he said.

In addition, Kapembwa said that the reason they chose to work with ZNS is because they have the capacity and technical know how to train people and instill a sense of discipline. ZNZ is also very good in terms of mindset change and inculcating a sense of being productive.

“Basically, the MOU with ZNS is for us to work together as two government institutions. You know that ZNS is a Semi-Military institution. The idea to work with ZNS is that they have facilities where they train cadets and so on. So we thought that we can work well with them and they are strong in terms of mindset change, and that’s where we want to build from.

“Of course it’s not to train the children in military skills, but rather mindset change and other important life skills so that as they are coming from the ZNS training centers, they have the skills to enable them earn an honest living”.

The Ministry we will provide them with an exit strategy either they can become mechanics, plumbers, electrician, go into agriculture and various other skills that will be provided to them p.”, he said.

On the target locations from where the street kids will be recruited from, Kapembwa told ZBT that this issue of street kids is mostly along the line of rail. This is were we have seen the breakdown in the extended family system.

He said that other towns and district in Zambia still have strong community and cultural values which enable the taking care of Orphans and vulnerable children by the extended family system as well as community members. That’s why we see the issue of street kids being mainly concentrated along the line of rail. However, this program is national and aims to end the challenge of children being raised on the streets across Zambia.

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The Ministry of Youth, Sport and Child

Agribusiness

Mwinilunga, which recently attracted public attention following the discovery of notable gold deposits at Kasenseli has historically been known as the home of pineapples in Zambia.

And when we reported that the a brand new fruit processing plant is erected to revive the industrial uptake and processing of pineapples and other fruits, there was doubt as to weather construction of this new plant has even started.

The Zambian Business Times – ZBT can exclusively confirm that the construction of the warehousing infrastructure has advanced and that the fruit processing plant has already been built and will be delivered from India to Mwinilunga.

Three governments institutions namely Industrial Development Corporation (IDC), Workers Compensation Fund Control Board (WCFCB) and the National Pensions Scheme Authority (NAPSA) have joined hands to build the Kalene fruit processing plant by initially investing about K100 million (about US$5.5 million).

Project manager for the construction of the Kalene Fruit Processing plant in Mwinilunga, Dr. Charles Chifunda, confirmed to the Zambian Business Times – ZBT that the construction of the warehousing and offices will be completed in October 2020 and the launch of the Fruit processing plant will be in December 2020.

Dr. Chifunda told ZBT that the plant has already been built in India and that has plant parts and equipment is on its way. The logistics have been put in place to ensure that the equipment arrives when the site and warehouses are ready,

“The equipment has not yet come in, but it’s already manufactured. Coming in of the equipment has been timed with the construction of the office buildings and warehouse. Because we don’t want it to come in and it stays outside. So we are synchronizing the construction with the bringing in of the equipment”, he told ZBT.

Furthermore Dr. Chifunda said that the warehouse building is approximately 5,000 square meters and somewhere in October the building will be done and this in return will mean the equipment will arrive after that, which will be followed by installation, testing and then production will resume.

The building is about 5,000 square meters. So the whole idea is in about October 2020, the building will be done and about that same time the factory equipment will be in the country straight into the structure; and we start the assembling, testing and then proceed to hand over for the management to kick start production.

Mwinilunga already has an active pineapple farming community, so the inputs will be readily available. But IDC has stated that an out-grower scheme has been put in place to ensure consistent supply of the fruits that will be used for the fruit processing plant.

The plant is going to be imported from India. The company to run the Kalene Fruit Processing Plant is already formed. The initial fruits to be processed by the plant is Pineapple and tomato, but the plant is scalable to process other fruits.

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Mwinilunga, which recently attracted public attention following

Lifestyle

The European Union – EU has come to the aid of the vulnerable families in urban areas most affected by the impact of covid 19 by making a crucial donation.

In a statement made available to Zambian Business Times-ZBT, The United Nations World Food Program (WFP) welcomes a EUR 5 million contribution from the European Union (EU) that will help provide cash assistance to 655,000 food insecure people in urban areas of Zambia.

WFP has been reaching poor families in parts of Lusaka and Kafue with relatively high infection rates. The EU funding will enable it to extend its assistance to two more cities, Livingstone and Kitwe, with a view to reaching 655,000 people overall. Each beneficiary family will receive ZMK400 (EUR 18.5) a month for six months to help cover their food needs.

WFP’s Country Director for Zambia Jennifer Bitonde, said in the statement that the pandemic has really affected the lives of people who make ends meet from daily labor and daily trading.

“COVID-19 has disrupted the ability of thousands of poor city families traditionally reliant on daily labor and informal trading to earn a living. With food prices on the rise, the constant struggle to meet basic needs is now much tougher – and becoming more so”, she said.

Furthermore she expressed gratitude to the European Union for their donation as it has come at a time where the poor in urban households are facing a challenging time.

“WFP is grateful to the European Union for coming to the aid of poor urban households during this challenging time. This contribution is very timely, as many Zambians are emerging from a two-year drought that has severely undermined national food security”, she said.

WFP is prioritizing those who depend on the informal sector as well as the elderly, people living with disabilities and the chronically ill, who cannot meet their food needs due to rising prices and income losses.

Talk about light at the end of the tunnel. The people hit the most by the pandemic are the poor, as they do not have cope with COVID-19. The European Union has come to the aid of the vulnerable in urban families by making a crucial donation.

In a statement made available to Zambian Business Times-ZBT, The United Nations World Food Program (WFP) welcomes a EUR 5 million contribution from the European Union (EU) that will help provide cash assistance to 655,000 food insecure people in urban areas of Zambia.

WFP has been reaching poor families in parts of Lusaka and Kafue with relatively high infection rates. The EU funding will enable it to extend its assistance to two more cities, Livingstone and Kitwe, with a view to reaching 655,000 people overall. Each beneficiary family will receive ZMW 400 (EUR 18.5) a month for six months to help cover their food needs.

WFP’s Representative in Zambia Jennifer Bitonde, said in the statement that the pandemic has really affected the lives of people who make ends meet from daily labor and daily trading.

“COVID-19 has disrupted the ability of thousands of poor city families traditionally reliant on daily labor and informal trading to earn a living. With food prices on the rise, the constant struggle to meet basic needs is now much tougher – and becoming more so”, she said.

Furthermore she expressed gratitude to the European Union for their donation as it has come at a time where the poor in urban households are facing a challenging time.

“WFP is grateful to the European Union for coming to the aid of poor urban households during this challenging time. This contribution is very timely, as many Zambians are emerging from a two-year drought that has severely undermined national food security”, she said.

WFP is prioritizing those who depend on the informal sector as well as the elderly, people living with disabilities and the chronically ill, who cannot meet their food needs due to rising prices and income losses.

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The European Union - EU has come

Companies

In a time where most small scale farmers are finding it hard to cope with the droughts and worse still the pandemic, Germany continues to lend a helping hand.

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) welcomes a donation from Germany to assist over 104,000 smallholder farmers impacted by drought.

In a statement made available to Zambian Business Times by The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), Germany’s Ambassador to Zambia Achim Burkart says the contribution will go a long ay to help Zambia face climate change and the pandemic.

“Addressing multiple vulnerabilities driven by conflict, climate change and the current COVID-19 health crisis requires joined efforts, we hope that this funding can support WFP, the Government and its partners in building more resilient communities”, he said.

The funding which is from the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) through the German Development Bank KfW, will allow WFP to help smallholder farmers to recover from drought and enhance their ability to withstand future climate shocks

This is not the first time that Germany has assisted Zambia. Countless donations have come from the country and the 10 million is just a huge addition to the many accolades that we must give to Germany.

Germany is an important donor to WFP in Zambia. Following a US$320,000 contribution to WFP’s drought response in 2019, the German Federal Foreign Office contributed US$2.1 million in support of refugees residing in the country earlier this year.

The funding, from the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development through the German Development Bank KfW, will allow WFP to help smallholder farmers to recover from drought and enhance their ability to withstand future climate shocks.

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In a time where most small scale

Agribusiness

The revamping of Nitrogen Chemicals of Zambia – NCZ which could cut the continued import of bulk fertilizers  into the country and stem further Forex bleeding continues to hang as the ministry of Agriculture says its no longer in their hands.

When Zambian Business Times – ZBT contacted Agriculture Minister Micheal Katambo on 14 August 2020, he stated that the revamping of NCZ is no longer under his ministry and that the responsible ministry is now Commerce, Trade and Industry, under his counterpart Christopher Yaluma and the Industrial Development Corporation.

But when checked with the Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry on what steps have been taken to revamp NCZ, an impeachable source who asked that his name be withheld told ZBT that the ministry is not aware of the transfer of responsibility for revamping NCZ. IDC was yet to comment by press time.

Zambia continues to spend colossal amounts of its meager locally available foreign exchange importing fertilizers and other products which have previously been successfully manufactured locally. 

The country has locally available inputs and the bulk ingredients needed to manufacture the fertilizers such as basal dressing and top dressing. Other components such as lime and gypsum are also locally available.

Analysts have indicated that its the mentality of importing even products that can be locally made, at times even at lower costs of production that has led to the local currency, the Kwacha, experiencing perpetual depreciation.

NCZ was set up in September 1967 as a limited company. It is wholly owned by the Government of Zambia through the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC). 

The Company was established to provide basal and top-dressing Ammonium Nitrate fertilizers to farmers and provide prilled porous Ammonium Nitrate for Kafironda for their manufacture of explosives for the mines and other industrial chemicals. 

In the early eighties, the NCZ plant at Kafue was expanded to include production of ammonia, nitric acid, ammonium sulphate, sulphuric acid and compound fertilizers, some of which constituted key copper processing chemicals.

As revealed by the Auditor Generals report, the company needs urgent revamping. During the period from May 2015 to March 2019, the Company operated without a Board until April 2019 when an INTERIM Board was appointed.

Auditor General Dr. Dick Chembe reported that “consequently, there has was lack of effective strategic direction and oversight of NCZ as evidenced by the lack of strategic plan and failure to hold Annual General Meetings.

Today, the bulk of fertilizers used across the country by farmers are all imported with local manufacturing efforts being left with limited policy and capital backing. Same applies to the local production of sulphuric and other acids used in the copper mining industry which are now mostly imported.

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The revamping of Nitrogen Chemicals of Zambia

Markets

The Industrial Development Corporation – IDC, the holding company of Zambia State Insurance Corporation – ZSIC Life & ZSIC General Insurance has confirmed that it plans to list ZSIC Life on the Lusaka Securities Exchange – LuSE this year 2020.

IDC has disclosed that ZSIC Life converted to a Public Limited Company – PLC in January 2020 and it is expected to be listed on the quoted tier of the Lusaka Securities Exchange (LuSE) during the course of the year. Listing of ZSIC Life is still on the cards as engagements with prospective investors are still ongoing.

IDC Public Relations Manager Namakau Mukelabai told the Zambian Business Times – ZBT exclusively that this action is part of the wider strategic intent of the IDC to position ZSIC Life for wider public participation, with the medium-term objective of listing on the main board of the LuSE.

She confirmed that delays have been experienced in concluding discussions on account of travel restrictions associated with the COVID 19 pandemic. Mukelebai said currently, the corporation has continued with internal restructuring aimed at cleaning up the ZSIC General Insurance [ZSIC GI] balance sheet and reforms to make the entity more competitive.

“Alongside the forgoing, restructuring interventions similar to those alluded to in reference to ZSIC GI, are also being undertaken within ZSIC Life. Meanwhile, we do not have a definite date when ZSIC-Life will list on the main board of the LuSE,” She said.

Namakau added that it is a strategic intent of the IDC to have ZSIC-Life listed on the LuSE as soon as market conditions allow as this is consistent with the aspirations of the IDC to see wider public participation in the shareholding of profitable public enterprises and support the deepening of the domestic capital markets by providing the supply of quality listings.

“IDC still holds 100% shares in both insurance companies and engagements will continue because we haven’t reached closure with the various investors who have shown interest in acquiring a stake in the entities. We are therefore happy to receive expressions of interest,” She concluded.

Listing on LuSE for especially the loss making State Owned Enterprises – SOEs is seen as a sure way of injecting efficiency and accountability for management teams, some of which have been surviving on patronage rather than performance.

A LuSE listing also entails a robust reporting and higher standards of corporate governance requirements which has in most instances resulted in improved company financial performance and growth.

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The Industrial Development Corporation – IDC, the