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Tech

Zambia’s energy prospects have rebounded with the Zambezi River Authority – ZRA announcing that the Zambezi river flow has through out this week of February continued to rise quite steadily, rising above last year’s flows during the same time by 25%.

However, this has still been termed below the long-term average of 29%. The Authority says the flows in the Zambezi River at Chavuma shot up by 73 m3/s between the 5th and 6th of February indicating intense run-off on the Zambezi headwaters.

Addressing the media in Lusaka on February 7, 2020, attended by the Zambian Business Times – ZBT, ZRA Chief Executive Officer. Eng. Munyaradzi Munodawara said the flow is still soaring above the long-term average by 41% and last year’s flows by 189%.

Eng. Munyaradzi said the flow at Victoria falls is also expected to show considerable rise towards the end of February 2020 as the flow forecast indicates possible slight improvement in flows this year compared to last year.

Meanwhile, he added that lake Kariba has a capacity of about 180.6 billion cubic meters when full at 488.5m but that of this capacity only 65 billion cubic meter is currently available for power generation due to design considerations.

“The average annual inflows into lake Kariba are in the order of 40 billion meters, meaning under average conditions, and assuming a generation level in the order of 550MW requiring approximately 22 billion cubic meter, it would take up to three years of average inflows to fill the lake to maximum retention level,” he said.

He added that the Authority has allocated 22 billion cubic meters for power generation at Kariba for the period January – December 2020 based on the seasonal rainfall forecast produced by the Southern Africa Regional Climate Outlook Forum which indicated that the region and Kariba catchment will have a high likelihood of receiving normal-to-below-normal rainfall in the period January – March 2020.

Eng. Munyradzi said the lake has so far in January 2020 received a total of 3.15 billion cubic meter as total inflows, compared to 1.97 billion cubic meters received over the same period last year adding that the Zambezi river is currently flowing at around 663m3/s against a long term normal of 931,3/s.

The lake level dropped by 1cm between the 5th and 6th of February 2020 due to a slight rise in turbine outflows over the past 2-3 days to around 800 m3/s and that this explains why we are at 5.4 billion cubic meters or 8.36% usable storage in Lake Kariba as of today February 7, 2019.

Zambia with its geographical advantage has invested heavily in hydro electricity generation which renders the economy vulnerable to climate change effects of draught. However, the heavy rains being experienced in most parts of the country with floods in the Eastern region has brightened the energy prospects for 2020/2021 and this would now give enough room for development of alternative energy sources such as thermal, solar and wind to diversify the power generation mix.

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Zambia’s energy prospects have rebounded with the

Agribusiness

The Poultry Association of Zambia – PAZ has disclosed that the industry has in the previous years recorded continuous growth with the current contribution of the poultry industry reaching about 50% of the total livestock and agriculture sector in the country.

The industry has employs over 83,000 through direct jobs in the country and it contributes between 4.8% to 5% to the national Gross Domestic Products – GDP.

PAZ Executive Manager Dominic Chanda told the Zambian Business Times – ZBT in an exclusive interview that the growth of soya beans in the country also imitates or is directly proportional to the growth recorded in the poultry industry as it consumes about 70% of total soya beans grown in the country.

He added that the poultry industry is also consuming between 20% to 25% of the current maize output which is about 2 million metric tonnes adding that 30% to 35% of total eggs and 10% to 16% of total chickens produced in Zambia are exported to the Democratic Republic of the Congo – DRC hence contributing to foreign exchange inflows into the country.

“The industry is hence the anchor of the livestock and agricultural sector because its two importance crops like maize and soya beans being grown in the sector are the major inputs of the poultry industry,” he said.

Chanda further disclosed that the industry had in 2018 produced about 80.4 million broilers and 41.6 million trays of eggs out of which 30% were exported into DRC and brought in a considerable forex revenue in the sector and that it will soon announce production for the just ended year 2019.

Chanda further stated that the industry has challenges which it is facing which includes fluctuation of the exchange rate for imported facilities and chemicals, loss and increase in price of power and the increase in the price of maize and soya beans.

He explained that it has been difficult to carry out operations without electricity and this affected production adding that the instability in the exchange rate has as well affected the industry. Aside from the sector facing some challenges, it has anticipated a huge crop on the market for the year 2020 and is expecting that the price of maize and soya beans will reduce, and that Bank of Zambia and Ministry of Finance will stabilize the exchange rate.

Chanda has also encouraged diversification in the country particularly in the agriculture sector saying it is an important aspect which has potential to being development in the country. Diversification enables the sector and individual farmers to guard against concentration risk.

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The Poultry Association of Zambia – PAZ

Lifestyle

Zambia is slowly awakening to the fact that, the film industry if developed in the country can be a great source of revenue to the nation and a relief to the local residents in terms of job creation as is the case in Nigeria, South Africa, Ghana, India and other countries who have embraced the industry.

During a press briefing on January 15 2020, attended by Zambian Business Times – ZBT, Information minister Dora Siliya called on the filmmakers in the country to begin discussions with government at the beginning of the year on how the film industry can be improved, saying the ministry of finance begin their budget process around April and the industry can lobby for inclusion in the budget.

‘‘It important that we begin to work together now and especially through the Permanent Secretary – PS so that we can lobby the ministry of finance to see what kind of tax incentives, policy benefits and relief that can be given to the film industry. Government can’t provide all the jobs and the existing private sector can’t provide all the jobs, for young people to have an opportunity to get or create their own jobs, we need new industries to open up and one of them is the film industry,’’ she said.

Siliya said the film industry could improve the economy in Zambia as seen in Bollywood India, Nollywood in Nigeria and South Africa creating both local and export revenue for their economies. She added that the film industry creates not only jobs for the front liners, such as the actors and actresses, but it has such spill over backward linkages in terms of fashion & tailoring, food catering, transport, advertisers, publicists and so on who can also benefit and boost their businesses through film industry.

Meanwhile, in an exclusive interview with Zambian Business Times – ZBT, the National Media Arts Council (NAMA) chairperson Loti Tondolo Siame said the move by government is welcome because the filmmakers have been ready for a long time now.

‘‘We have been ready a long time looking at the number of productions that come out per year so it is just the matter of putting things in order now that government has come on board to see how we can move forward. As an association, our role is to promote film industry and its time that we have a film school so that the film makers can have a skill on how to produce a high quality film.’’ Said Siame.

Asked on how much NAMA could lobby to be allocated to the film industry, Siame said the stakeholders need to sit down together and draft the budget in order to come up with an accurate amount needed. The NAMA chairperson called on all filmmakers in Zambia to come together and unite for one noble cause.

The information minister has since pledged government full support towards the improving of the film industry in Zambia. ‘‘We want to hold the hands of those people in this sector, we want to push for you, work with you and go to the ministry of finance and put up a case.

We know equipment is expensive, we know that to put movies on Netflix there are very specific standards and so we can’t remain behind but we have to convince other people within government and outside to see that there is reward in this sector, it’s difficult but there is reward,’’ said Siliya.

It is interesting to note that, in Nigeria, it is the creative sector that contributed to changing the complexion of their revised GDP and they went ahead and even beat South Africa in terms of the size of the economy because the creative industry which was included and if Zambia can emulate this, the industry can become a major employer and economic driver.

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Zambia is slowly awakening to the fact

Tech

Government has vowed to revive and revamp the Country’s railway and aviation sectors that have been facing challenges in the past, and that the country will benefit greatly from the current huge investments, minister of Transport and Communication  Mutotwe Kafwaya has said.

He stated that government has been investing heavily in reviving the railway and aviation sectors, which have not performed to expectations in recent years. The Minister said developing the two sectors will go a long way in the country’s efforts to achieve sustainable development. Kafwaya was speaking to the media on January 27 2020 in Lusaka.

‘‘We want to ensure that the railway sector, the aviation industry and the telecommunication sectors are well developed,’’ he said. The Transport Minister added that government has set targets to ensure the development of railway and aviation sectors in line with the country’s national development Plan.

Zambia’s aviation industry has been struggling since the demise of the country’s sole national carrier, the Zambia Airways, in 1994 and the lower investment levels in airport infrastructure. Government has been engaged in various efforts to revive the sector and entered into a strategic partnership with the Ethiopian Airlines in 2018 to re-launch the southern African nation’s national carrier.

The government has also invested heavily in the development of Livingstone’s Harry Mwaanga Nkubula International Airport which is now completed. The other massive investment in airport infrastructure projects are the US$360 million Lusaka’s Kenneth Kaunda International Airport upgrade and the US$397 million Copperbelt’s Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe International Airport which are both currently under construction.

The Minister further said efforts to revamp the railway sector have involved improving the railway infrastructure to raise efficiency and win back business taken by the road sector. This has been achieved by an SI which have seen the sector get bulk cargo back on the railway lines in Zambia.

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Government has vowed to revive and revamp

Markets

The year on year inflation rate as measured by all items Consumer Price Index – CPI for January 2020 has increased to 12.5 percent, up from 11.7 percent recorded in December 2019, with Southern Province recording the highest rate of annual inflation at 15.5 percent followed by Lusaka at 13.3 percent.

The increase in inflation rate means that on average, prices of goods and services increased by 12.5 percent between January 2019 and January 2020. The Zambia Statistics Agency – Zamstats has disclosed that the increase in the annual rate of inflation was mainly attributed to price increase in both Food and Non-food items.

Addressing the media in Lusaka on January 30, 2020, attended by the Zambian Business Times – ZBT, the Agency’s Interim Statistician General Mulenga Musepa explained that the year on year food inflation rate for January 2020 was recorded at 15.4 percent compared to 15.2 percent recorded in December 2019 attributing the development to price movement of food items such as Bukabuka, Dried bream, Dried Kapenta Mpulungu, Cooking oil and Fruits such as Oranges, Pineapples and Pawpaw.

Mulenga added that the year on year non-food inflation rate for January 2020 was recorded at 9.4 percent compared to 7.8 percent recorded in December 2019, indicating an increase of 1.6 percentage point.

This increase was mainly attributed to items such as electricity, diesel, and petrol. Meanwhile, at provincial level, Southern Province recorded the highest rate of annual inflation at 15.5 percent followed by Lusaka at 13.3 percent. The southern parts of the country has continued to receive relatively less rainfall compared to other provinces in Zambia, which are now benefiting from seasonal and early maturing crop harvest.

A disaggregation of the annual inflation rate by provinces shows that the annual inflation rate for January 2020 increased for Central, Copperbelt, Eastern, Luapula, Northern and North Western provinces. Western province recorded the lowest annual rate of inflation at 9.5 percent.

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The year on year inflation rate as

Tech

A science advocate and founder of Dziwa Science and Technology Trust – DSaT, Veronica Mwaba, has observed the need to have innovation hubs constructed in all the provinces and districts of the country to inspire the youth to study Mathematics and Science in schools and find innovative solutions to the peculiar challenges we face.

She said this will spar interest in both the intelligent and underprivileged to have an opportunity to explore their ideas and make positive contributions. Mwaba said the effective communications require a coordinated approach which is sustainable to bring all key actors to share thoughts and fears through meaningful discourse that could take the country to the next level.

In an exclusive interview with the Zambian Business Times-ZBT on January 27, 2020, Mwaba said Science and Technology are key drivers for Zambia to reduce poverty by 2030. ‘‘Zambia like any other countries in the world is facing a myriad of challenges, for example, the effects of climate change.

Therefore, Zambia should rise up to the challenge and have dedicated platforms for scientists and key stakeholders to explain complex issues in a simple vocabulary to be understood by a layperson. Citizens have a right to information and their involvement provides timely feedback to the experts to mobilize support for science,’’ she said.

Mwaba who has a background in media studies said that she has learnt that an information gap exist in communicating science within the region. She said the media space is overwhelmed with politics, sport, fashion and entertainment adding that there is need to bridge the information gap, strike a balance and get all key actors including policy makers to develop interest in science and information technology.

‘‘The 21st century has its own challenges ranging from climate change, disease and pests devastating the crops. Today, it is clear that the impact of climate change is being felt. The landscape is changing, Technological advancement is rapid and so it is quite evident that with the rising populations and unpredictable weather patterns, food security is threatened.

Science is a problem solver across all sectors, for example, agriculture, health, environment, education, engineering and ICTs,’’ said Mwaba. The science advocate further said her nonprofit making organization, Dziwa Science and Technology- DSaT is embarking on a campaign on 5th February 2020 to enhance the communication outreach to mobilize support for Science.

‘‘DSaT will lead various stakeholders, women and youths to walk for Evidenced-Based Science. Walking for science is key to getting heard by all interest groups,’’ she said.

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A science advocate and founder of Dziwa

Tech

Airtel Networks Zambia Plc and Tecno Mobile Limited have announced their partnership to enable new Airtel Smartphone users get double data.

The two companies have expressed excitement about the offer which is open to new customers who have just joined the Airtel Network and are using a Smartphone and existing customers who were initially using a feature phone but have upgraded to a smartphone.

Commenting on the partnership, Airtel’s Marketing Director, Hussam Baday, said his company had always been the leader in innovation and value-addition, therefore the double data offer was another opportunity to show the company’s vision to bring everything internet to everyone, everywhere.

“We are thrilled to bring this offer to new smartphone users who will just need to purchase any normal data bundle worth K10 or more if they so wish and will immediately redeem the extra data. Terms and Conditions will apply as for any offer which will be communicated to the customers upon redeeming of the extra data,” Baday said.

He added that the Airtel will continue to provide affordable and customer centric products and services in its bid to make it possible for the nation as a whole to connect with the world, and in so doing facilitating real-time and full economic, social and political integration in the sub-region, continent and beyond.

And TECNO Mobile Limited said that “will further expand its partnership with Airtel to provide customers with more sophisticated and powerful smartphones and High-speed 4G network top-class services”.Corporate Affairs Manager, Steve Mufasa said they were delighted to embark on this journey with Airtel.

“We are excited about this partnership because with the newly launched Country-wide Airtel 4G, the network is equipped with cutting edge, revolutionary fast all Access systems which gives all users a good experience and more so on smartphones,” Mufasa said.

This is contained in a statement made available to the Zambian Business Times –ZBT by Airtel Networks Zambi Corporate Communications Manager Yuyo Kambikambi.

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Airtel Networks Zambia Plc and Tecno Mobile

Mining

The Center for Trade Policy and Development – CTPD has lamented that the recent ‘instability’ in the mining sector are likely to reduce the country’s export earnings and further impact negatively on the already weakened economic sentiment.

CTPD Executive Director Isaac Mwaipopo has explained that Zambia gets a significant portion of its foreign exchange from the export of minerals which accounts for over 70 export of total export values, and in situations where the sector is facing challenges, exports are likely to reduce.

In an exclusive interview with the Zambian Business Times – ZBT on January 23, 2020, Mwaipopo said there is need to engage and negotiate with key players in the mining sector while enabling them contribute fairly to taxes in the country and create win-win opportunities for both the investor and the country at large.

He added that the recent discoveries of gold mining in places like Lufunsa, Petauke, Mwinilunga and oil being confirmed in Gwembe is a reminder of how rich the country is, hence the need to prudently utilize the resources and create wealth for the country.

“Zambia has been blessed with resources like copper, coal, gold and emeralds. We should however ensure that the discovery of such resources do not add to the poverty of this country like the trend that has been seen in the recent past where despite having much resources in the country, we still have a significant portion of our citizens living in poverty and are not having access to opportunities that will help improve their lives,” He said.

Mwaipopo has further noted the need by government to craft strategies that will ensure resources are being used or exploited to the benefit of the citizens adding that with the number of legislations like the mines and minerals Act, if implemented should help advance the interest of Zambians.

He has observed the recent growing challenges between government and mining players in the mining industry concerning proposals that government undertook to prove its benefits hence hoping that government gets back to a discussion table with players within the sector to address any outstanding issues that mining companies may be grieving about.

“We have also seen that there was a big challenge in the performance of prices of commodities such as copper on the international market which was partially attributed to the trade war that was going on between countries like China and the US. And now that it is changing within the global environment, we are hoping to see an improvement on the market.” he added.

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The Center for Trade Policy and Development

Mining

The announced shut down and placement on care and maintenance of Chambishi Metals threatens to impact the construction industry negatively through price escalation as the company is the country’s major producer of gypsum, a key ingredient in the manufacturing of cement.

Chambishi Metals, which is now owned by Eurasia Resources Group – ERG produces gypsum which is used in cement manufacturing which is a very important ingredient. So if Chambeshi Metals has a problem, the cement price will most likely go up because the manufacturers of cement have to resort to imports from South Africa and else where.

The Mine Workers Union of Zambia – MUZ and Chambeshi Metals have been meeting with a view to compel the owners of Chambishi Metals not to close the operations. ‘‘Unfortunately, we had prolonged meetings with management of Chambeshi Metals where they informed the union that the company will be placed on care and maintenance beginning month end of January owing to the fact that the company has failed to find feedstock to run the metallurgical plant,’’ said  MUZ President, Joseph Chewe.

He described the development as ‘‘very unfortunate’’ because the community of Chambeshi will be crippled economically. He also disclosed that management indicated that the plant might not be re- opened in the next two years.

However, the MUZ has demanded that ERG hands back its license so that government can find a serious investor. MUZ President Joseph Chewe argues that the investor has not been pumping money into the firm to boost operations.

He disclosed at a media briefing on January 20 2020, that only 28 workers would remain maintaining the mine, while 229 others have since been retrenched and would leave the mine at the end of this month. Managers are expected to leave immediately.

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The announced shut down and placement on

Markets

Bankers Association of Zambia – BAZ has attributed the sporadic and under-subscription of the Treasury bills – T-bills to the general low liquidity on the market. The Association has since urged government to unwind on the tough monetary policy stance taken last year to help bring some liquidity on the local market.

BAZ Chief Executive Officer Leonard Mwanza stated that there is less liquidity on the market due to some monetary interventions that were carried out to stem inflation from further increasing and also to bring stability to the Kwacha. He said the country crossed the year with these measures and they mopped out more liquidity from the market.

‘‘Government can help by pumping in a bit more liquidity onto the market by unlocking the arrears and paying down the various contractors whom they owe some money, there is a pile of arears to businesses and firms who provided a service to the government, if that money was released on the market it could help to improve market liquidity”.

“For as long as the liquidity situation remains tight as it is, we expect that there will be less money that will be going towards Securities portfolio like treasury bills and bonds.’’ Said Mwanza.

The BAZ chief was speaking in an exclusive interview with the Zambian Business Times – ZBT on January 20, 2020. He was reacting to last Thursday’s 56% under-subscribed Treasury bill that saw the debt instrument only attracting ZMW531 million worth of treasury bill subscription out of the total ZMw950 million offered by the central bank.

This signified a low apatite by both foreign and local investors. The Treasury bill is the security instrument that allows government through the central bank to borrow money from the public. Any member of the public is eligible to take part in the Treasury bill auction with the minimum amount of about K30, 000, with different tenors.

It can be either 90 days, 180 days or the maximum tenor is 364 days, and it is up to the individual to state the interest rate they wish to earn as part of their bid. Last Thursday’s Treasury bill auction was under-subscribed as the Kwacha also continued to be under pressure against the United States (USD) dollar on the back of thin foreign currency supply in the markets.

Analyst have challenged the Bank of Zambia – BOZ to be more innovative and further reduce the minimum amount from the current ZMW30,000 to as low as ZMW1,000 to allow members of the public to place funds which is currently lying in savings accounts with banks at less than 5% to 9% annual interest rates. Other frontier African central banks like the case in Kenya even went further to allow the public to place small amounts via mobile money.

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Bankers Association of Zambia - BAZ has