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Lifestyle

USAID Open Space senior media lawyer has emphasized the need for the quick implementation of the access to information (ATI) law in Zambia.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with the Zambian Business Times – ZBT, USAID Open Space senior media lawyer, Joe Nkandaani called on the Ministry of Information and Media to expedite the process of passing the commencement order in order to operationalize the ATI law.

He noted that the ATI law is eagerly awaited by the public as it will enable individuals to access relevant information.

“Basically what had remained was if someone wants to access information, the forms that they are supposed to use to apply for request to access information, the guidelines as well, and the rules which were still being developed,” he said.

Nkandaani noted that relevant stakeholders like the civil society organization and other organizations had made submissions to the ministry of information and Media regarding the guidelines, regulations and the implementation of the access to information law adding that what had remained is for the Ministry to complete that task of incorporating the information that was made by the stakeholders and finally present the final document.

Nkandaani emphasized the importance of incorporating the submissions made by civil society organizations and other stakeholders into the final document further urging the Ministry to expedite the process of ensuring that the required forms are ready without delay.

He also stressed the need for public bodies to promptly appoint information officers so that the public is aware of the appropriate channels for accessing information once the law is in effect.

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USAID Open Space senior media lawyer has

Tech

Economist Yusuf Dodia emphasized the urgent need for Zambia to tap into the cost-saving potential of railway transport as a means to alleviate the country’s heavy reliance on expensive road transport due to high fuel costs.

Speaking in an interview with the Zambian Business Times – ZBT, Dodia who is also the Chairperson for the Private Sector Development Association PSDA, highlighted that switching to rail transport, which is significantly more economical, could play a pivotal role in reducing fuel consumption and enhancing cost-effectiveness, particularly for commerce, trade, and industry.

Dodia questioned the prevailing preference for buses and trucks for long-distance travel within the country and stressed the substantial cost advantages offered by the railway system.

By way of example, he pointed out that a bus ticket priced at about K450 for a journey from Lusaka to Kasama could be reduced to just K25 with the utilization of rail transport.

Dodia underscored that while it may not be feasible to reduce the cost of fuel due to the country’s reliance on imports, a shift towards more economical transport modes like railways could help mitigate the impact of high fuel expenses.

Furthermore, Dodia urged the government to review its electricity policy, advocating for the nationalization of the sector to enable more affordable access to electricity for the public.

He raised concerns about the current scenario where investors are charging the national utility company, ZESCO, between 11 and 13 US cents per kilowatt hour for electricity.

Dodia argued that the situation ultimately leads to ZESCO subsidizing consumers at its own expense, and suggested that nationalizing the entities involved could result in more affordable electricity prices for Zambians.

Additionally, Dodia stressed the importance of enhancing the efficiency of the Ministry of Science and Technology to capitalize on opportunities in artisanal and skills-related fields, providing substantial support for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to thrive.

“Why are we using buses and trucks to travel across the country, when we could be using trains of which the railway system is 25 times cheaper than road transport, meaning that a bus ticket from Lusaka to Kasama which is around K450 will now be K25, why have we not chosen that route to deal with the cost of fuel, we can’t reduce the cost of fuel because we do not produce it but we can reduce the consumption and make it more cost-effective, especially for commerce, trade and industry” he said.

Meanwhile, Dodia echoed that there is also a need for the Government to revisit the Policy on electricity, in terms of Nationalizing the sector to enable cheaper accessibility.

“We have seen investors who have invested in Maamba, Ithezhi tezhi, and others eji don’t want to run their businesses at a loss, they are charging ZESCO between 11 and 13 US cents per kilowatt hour, and they are saying to ZESCO if you sell it to the public that is your problem, and they sell to ZESCO under the power purchase agreement and then ZESCO comes and says we are subsiding you the consumer because we are buying at 12 cents and selling at 5 and we are making a loss of 7 cents, I would argue that ZESCO is helping the investors to profit off the people of Zambia, because if ZESCO owned the entities they would be selling power to Zambians at a price which is affordable,” he said.

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Economist Yusuf Dodia emphasized the urgent need

Lifestyle

In a gesture of goodwill to the needs of the community, BDO Zambia has donated bedsheets to the University Teaching Hospital Ward (UTH) Children’s Ward.

Speaking during the hand over event witnessed by the Zambian Business Times (ZBT) BDO Zambia Tax Director Debbie Nonde said the gesture is aimed at contributing meaningfully to the wellbeing of the children and the community at large.

“At BDO we pride ourselves not only delivering professional services but also our commitment to making impact on our community, we gather to extend support and solidarity to the children and families who find themselves here, as a Company rooted in principles of integrity, professionalism and Community service we believe in giving back to the Society, our presence signifies our unveiling dedication to this cause,” she said.

Nonde echoed that BDO is committed to offering substantial support to ease the challenges that pertain to the children.

“Our team at BDO Zambia has come together to organize this donation with a drive of hope that our contributions will bring a lot of comfort, joy and hope to the children, we believe that every act of kindness no matter how small can make a significant impact in the lives of young children that are found in this place,” she said.

And receiving the Donation UTH Children’s Ward Chief Nursing Officer Victoria Nthala thanked BDO Zambia for the donation, stating that it will enhance the outlook of the hospital and improve the livelihoods of the children utilizing facility.

“We are excited because currently we have a problem in terms of the beddings, because of these infections that have come on board, we do a lot of decontamination, and because of this the wear and tear is very high, this donation you are not just doing it for children but for all country because this hospital has a lot of specialized doctors, and we receive a lot of children coming from all over Zambia and that is why we say when you donate you have donated to the all Country, because the child from Solwezi or Eastern Province will come and utilize these bedsheets, and we will be knocking at your doors if need arises,” she said.

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In a gesture of goodwill to the

Agribusiness

The Zambia National Service – ZNS has dispelled assertions that the ZNS Eagles Mealie-Meal  has some poisoning components (aflatoxins) which have caused some stomach upsets and death of dogs in the country.

Information has emerged indicating that there is a mealie meal brand currently sold on the market with toxic agent called Aflatoxin with some sources alleging that it is ZNS’ Eagles mealie meal which is the cheapest and fastest selling brand in stores.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with the Zambian Business Times – ZBT, ZNS Chief of Marketing and Public Relations Colonel Mable Nyoni, has denied allegations stating that the Eagles brand has always been subjected to tests by the National Biosafety Authority.

“Is there any evidence that it’s the Eagles brand that has poisons and for the people that consumed it and are in hospitals?”

“Of course this cannot be true because there could have been so many people that could have been affected so if it’s true that our mealie meal is contaminated by this time we wouldn’t even be speaking because we also eat the same mealie meal.”

“So that’s why am asking that if there are people that have eaten our brand and they are in Hospital and they can also point that I bought this and from this shop which sales Eagles brand then we can make a follow up with the relevant authorities that are responsible for biosafety.”

Asked who normally tests the Eagles Mealie-Meal before it is offloaded on the market, Nyoni said there is the National Biosafety Authority on Board and “we also do our own test from time to time so we also take to different laboratories for our own independent tests from time to time.”

Meanwhile, Nyoni reiterated that ZNS purchases maize from the Food Reserve Agency- FRA and the Local farmers for the production of mealie mealie. She Clarified that ZNS is importing mealie meal but not for local consumption.

“For me as of today there is nothing wrong with Eagles Brand we do have scheduled testings that we do privately and also the National Biosafety is also on Board.”

Asked on how often are tests conducted Nyoni said, “they are scheduled in a month we do about twice it’s a must so I will be interested if there any people that are affected will be interested to know that and find out.”

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The Zambia National Service - ZNS has

Markets

Economist Notulu Salwindi says the continued increase in inflation which has now escalated to 15.4 percent is attributed to the low productivity in several sectors and industries due to the prolonged hours of load shedding being experienced Country wide.

According to official statistics, annual inflation for July 2024 increased to 15.4 percent from 15.2 percent recorded in June 2024.

This means that on average, prices of goods and services increased by 15.2 percent between June 2023 and June 2024.

Speaking to the Zambian Business Times (ZBT), Salwindi who is an Economist with specialization in Marcoeconomics and Health Economics said the reduction in production has led to a hike in the cost of doing business, subsequently driving up the prices of goods and

“Industries are grappling with reduced revenues and increased production costs as they endeavor to mitigate the effects of load shedding on their operations.”

Salwindi underscored the inadequacy of current policies in addressing the unique economic challenges faced by Zambia.

He pointed out the need for a more comprehensive approach to monetary policy, tailored specifically to the Zambian economic landscape, rather than mirroring policies meant for economies like the UK and US.

“The load-shedding is not just affecting the households and the industries as well, meaning if you look at the industries production has gone down, apart from production going down which means their revenues are also going down, their cost also has gone up because in terms of substituting power so that they are able to produce as much as they could, so we are looking at a situation where production is reducing, and the cost of production again is increasing within the same economy and already you have a shortage in terms of goods available,” he said.

Salwindi echoed that the efforts of the Central Bank have not produced results because they are focused on price stability and do not speak to the Zambian economic setting.

“if you look at the Central Bank it is one of the Banks that does not have a fully-fledged research and development division, which basically could have helped them in decision making, the policies are focused on price stability and when you look at price stability the targeted inflation we always say 6-8 percent, meaning everything that we are doing we just focus on price stability but there are other things that the Central Bank can focus on in terms of monetary policy, most of the policies that they are using for lack of a better term they are meant for UK and US not Zambia,” he said.

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Economist Notulu Salwindi says the continued increase

Markets

Economist Esther Banda has emphasized the need for the government to implement policies and statutory instruments that support the manufacturing and agricultural sectors in order to bolster the performance of the Kwacha.

Speaking exclusively to the Zambian Business Times (ZBT), Banda highlighted the temporary stability of the Kwacha at K24 per dollar and stressed the necessity for long-term measures through supportive policies.

Banda emphasized the importance of government support for the private sector, particularly the manufacturing and agricultural industries, to enhance production and reduce dependency on imports.

She suggested that increasing forex through the mining sector and promoting value addition in the copper industry could contribute to strengthening the Kwacha. Banda also proposed local processing of raw copper to generate more revenue and reduce the outflow of raw materials.

She underscored the strategic position of Zambia in the SADC region and advocated for promoting local processing of copper to add value to the country’s export products.

Banda urged the government to take steps to enhance value addition in the agricultural sector, which could ultimately lead to an improvement in the performance of the Kwacha.

“What would be very important is that the private sector including the manufacturing and agricultural sectors are supported by the Government of the day, through policies and Statutory instruments that can bring about enhancement in production, if we cannot produce to import let us produce to consume so that we reduce on importation which makes the currency weaker,” she said.

“We are exporting copper in raw form, why don’t we have a mechanism that will enable our industries to begin to process copper locally in terms of finished copper cables, that way when we add value addition we will get more money, we are strategically positioned in the SADC region such that we export our copper to even three or more neighboring Countries, why should our copper go to China and come back in form of finished products, these things cannot be done in the short term but steps can be taken by the Government, the Kwacha can only increase if we enhance value addition through agriculture product,” she said.

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Economist Esther Banda has emphasized the need

Mining

Kansanshi Mine which is owned and operated by Kansanshi Mining PLC, owned by First Quantum Minerals – FQM, Gold production has increased by over 55 percent in 2024.

According to official statistics made available to the Zambian Business Times – ZBT, Gold production at the Kansanshi mine has increased by 56 percent from January to June 2024 compared to the Gold produced during the same period in 2023.

FQM’s Kansanshi mine produced about 818 Kilograms of gold from January to June 2024 compared to about 521 kilograms produced within the same period in 2023. This represents about a 56 percent increase.  

The report indicates that the Kansanshi mine produced 111, 117, 175, 120, 136, and 157 kilograms of gold from January to June 2024 resulting in a total of 818 kilograms about a 56 percent increase compared to 96, 67, 93, 79, 94, and 89 kilograms which were equivalent to about 521 kilograms of gold produced from January to June 2023.

At a time when gold prices are averaging at around $76,800 United States Dollars, the value of Gold produced by Kansanshi mine produced this year is about $62.8 million from January to June 2024.

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Kansanshi Mine which is owned and operated

Lifestyle

The Non-Governmental Gender Organization Coordinating Council (NGOCC), emphasized the need for increased community policing to address the rising cases of gender-based violence in Zambia.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with the Zambian Business Times – ZBT, NGOCC Chairperson Grace Sinkamba, highlighted the alarming increase in reported gender-based violence cases, shedding light on the prevalence of rape within families, incest, defilement, and spousal abuse.

She noted that while there is a growing number of reported cases, many incidents still go unreported due to a long-standing culture of silence surrounding such matters.

Acknowledging the positive shift in reporting trends, Sinkamba attributed the increase in reported cases to a changing attitude toward breaking the culture of silence. She expressed satisfaction in witnessing more individuals coming forward to report instances of abuse, especially concerning the abuse of children, and encouraged neighbours to report any suspicious activities.

Sinkamba emphasized the importance of sensitizing communities and children to understand that gender-based violence should not be normalized and should be reported.

Sinkamba appealed to the government to take decisive action in supporting the fight against gender-based violence, calling for the construction of shelters in all districts of the country and the operationalization of the Gender-Based Violence Fund.

She also urged the general public to report cases, stressing the importance of holding perpetrators accountable for their actions.

“We are mindful of the fact that Zambia has had a culture of silence when it comes to cases of gender-based violence a lot of rape is occurring even within families, incest, defilement cases are occurring as well as a lot of wife battering and we are also aware that men also suffer gender-based violence but we cannot say how many cases, as a lot of these cases go unreported,” She said.

Meanwhile Sinkamba had appealed to Government that through the gender based violence act of 2011 to support the fight against gender based violence by ensuring that shelters are built in all districts of the country.She added that, Government should make operational the gender based violence fund.Ms. Sinkamba further appealed to the general public to report cases so that perpetrators are brought to book.E

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The Non-Governmental Gender Organization Coordinating Council (NGOCC),

Agribusiness

Agriculture expert Dr. Oliver Bulaya has urged the government to support both small and large-scale farmers to boosting wheat production.

Speaking in an interview with Zambia Business Times, Dr. Bulaya attributed the low production of wheat in the country as a leading cause of the hike in wheat commodities like flour which is affecting the prices of the final product.

Dr Bulaya explained that many large-scale wheat farmers were contracted by the government to assist in maize production, causing a reduction in wheat cultivation adding that this shift was driven by the lucrative maize market, leading to decreased wheat production. 

He also attributed the increase in flour prices to the imbalance in wheat supply and demand in the market. 

Dr. Bulaya stressed the urgency for Zambia to embrace climate-smart agricultural practices such as minimum tillage, crop rotation, and residual retention to mitigate the challenges posed by climate change.

“The 2023-2024 farming season has been marked as a year where we saw large-scale farmers participating in the growing of maize and some of them abandoned wheat production to opt for maize because currently, it is fetching good money both locally as well as in the region,” He alluded.

Dr. Bulaya further attributed the hike in flour prices to the cut in the number of hectares for wheat that were cultivated leading to a deficit in terms of the number of farmers that had participated as well as the number of hectares that were cultivated for wheat.

Furthermore, Dr Bulaya disclosed that the effects of climate change had been a major contributor to the hike of prices of a number of crops on the market as the effect was not only limited to small-scale farmers but also had an impact on commercial Farmers.

“This had affected the output in terms of the yields of these crops due to the variabilities of the climate as you are aware mainly large-scale farmers are dependent on irrigation as these crops cannot grow in winter but there are certain areas where the water table is not being enough because of prolonged dry spells that had affected certain areas in terms of underground water,” He alluded.

Meanwhile, Dr. Bulaya further stated that the hike in these prices could also be attributed to the demand and supply of these commodities where it had been witnessed to have had a low supply of wheat production and high demand of it on the market.

He further urged that there is a need for the country to adopt climate-smart agriculture by incorporating technologies or techniques like minimum tillage, crop rotation, and residual retention.

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Agriculture expert Dr. Oliver Bulaya has urged

Tech

Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) Truck Drivers Association President Eugene Ndhlovu has called on the Road Development Agency (RDA) to resolve the traffic congestion between 10 miles and 6 miles, citing that it is slowing down regional trade.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with the Zambian Business Times (ZBT) Ndhlovu stated that RDA should engage the Contractor tasked with the Ndola dual Carriage way to initiate works in critical areas to avert the choking of the road.

“Something needs to be done urgently, what is obtaining on the ground on that stretch is slowing regional trade, Zambia facilitates regional trade and we cannot have a point that slows traffic to such an extent where you begin to cause long queues as far as 5 kilometers or even more, our appeal is let RDA with other key stakeholders engage the Contractor, let them start from critical points they make sure they do a thorough job to enhance smooth flow of traffic,” he said.

Ndhlovu stated that the timing of the construction is poorly displayed and there is a need for critical analysis of the situation.

“They should definitely up their game they are paid to make sure that the roads are made safe for all of us, where there is no other obstruction in terms of slowing economic progression, we are failing as a nation this situation is tarnishing the image of the Country that is supposed to take advantage of its geographical location, RDA and other stakeholders let them do a good job by putting their heads together to resolve the obstruction,” he said.

Meanwhile, Flash Buses proprietor Ishmael Nkakara also expressed his displeasure with the situation stating that there is a need for a roundabout for Mungule and Zangazanga to resolve the traffic challenges. He stated that the growth of the city has led to an adverse lack of spacing in terms of roads therefore RDA must establish three lanes.

“On the other hand that issue is not just because there are dual Carriageway works, we need a roundabout at the Mungule area, RDA and the Government are doing a wonderful job but they should engage stakeholders like ourselves so that we give our input on some of the Solutions to enhancing our road network, let’s hope they do that,” he said.

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Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) Truck Drivers