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Liquid Telecom Chief Executive Officer Susan Milikiti says she is privileged to have been invited to Habitat for Humanity Women’s Build 2019 initiative alongside first lady Ester Lungu and finance Minister Margaret Mwanakatwe.

Milikita says the work that Habitat for humanity does in improving the lives of people especially women and children by building decent houses for them is very important and has therefore called on people to take advantage of this opportunity and contribute whatever they have for the betterment of society.

“Women are naturally care givers and can do more for society. I am therefore calling on women holding positions as well as those that can afford a decent living to come on board and join Habitat for humanity in providing decent shelter and decent living conditions for women and children who are in desperate need. There is no greater joy than helping a fellow human being,” she said.

And Habitat for Humanity Zambia Resource Development and Communications Manager Thandi Phiri-Chanda said her institution has so far build 3,800 houses for the most vulnerable in society since its establishment 35 years ago.

She said Habitat for Humanity has partnered with international communities to build decent housing, improved sanitation units and insectcide treated mosquito nets per housing unit. She says each beneficiary family is provided with in child care, basic house maintenance, succession planning, will writing and HIV/AIDS and Malaria prevention and care.

She says the project of building houses for the vulnerable in our communities is not an easy job and there is need for companies and individuals in society to come on board and contribute whatever they can to this project so has to make the work more easier.

“We need people to contribute whatever they can including physical presence at the construction sight as we are building these houses. Sometimes a contribution of money whatever amount can really add value to improving lives in our communities,” she said.

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Liquid Telecom Chief Executive Officer Susan Milikiti

Companies

The Ministry of Finance has announced that it had deferred the implementation of the migration from the Value Added Tax – VAT system to the Goods and Services Tax – GST to July 1, 2019 by its revenue agency, the Zambia Revenue Authority – ZRA.

Giving an update during a parliamentary session, Finance Minister Margerate Mwanakatwe stated that government has made progress and that the draft GST bill is ready and will be presented to the legislators on 4 April 2019.
She explained that the implementation of GST is meant to address the perpetual net refund position to tax payers, a situation that has resulted in the accumulation of VAT refund arrears and contributed to declining revenues for spending on social and economic development needs of the country.
Mwanakatwe further explained that this exercise had earlier been envisaged that it would be completed within the first quarter (January to March 2019) but her complex and delicate nature of this migration had necessitated the need for more time. The time will be used to refine and find time the draft bill that will be subject to further stakeholders engagements.
Lusaka based financial analyst Maambo Hamaundu raised concerns that time was running out for GST implementation. He stated that there is need for government to timely explain the mechanism of how sale tax will be operationalized before it is fully implemented by the business community.
Last year on Friday 28 September, 2018, Finance Minister Margerate Mwanakatwe announced during the 2019 budget presentation that government will abolish Value Added Tax – VAT and replace it with Non-refundable Sales Tax effect on April 1st 2019 which is more likely to help government boost revenue collection and bring down mounting debt.
Haamaundu told the Zambian Business Times – ZBT in an exclusive interview that the level of sensitization on the soon to be introduced Goods and Services Tax – GST should be enhanced to enable the business community prepare adequately for the transition.
The financial analyst said there are no available details in the public domain on how this tax will operate and institutions administering GST such as the Zambia Revenue Authority – ZRA should advice on the rates to be adopted under the sales tax.
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The Ministry of Finance has announced that

Agribusiness

The World Food Programme – WFP in collaboration with the National Food and Nutrition Commission have called on members of the Sun Business Network-SBN involved in food production, processing and marketing to engage and explore opportunities for growing their businesses while contributing to the positive nutrition outcomes.

Speaking during a meeting attended by the Zambian Business Times-ZBT held on Match 27th in Lusaka, WFP Country Director Jennifer Bitonde said the platform aims at mobilizing businesses to act and invest in sustainable actions and operations that contribute to positive nutritional outcomes.

Bitonde said WFP will intensify the engagement between government and private sectors in promoting dialogue to maximize private sector’s expertise and resources in contribution to nutrition.

And Zambia Bureau Standards-ZABS says the company has laboratories which should serve manufactures to have their products tested before putting on the market to ensure that they are of good quality.

ZABS Director of Technical Services Margaret Lungu says the company will latter this year launch a front-of-pack certificate mark called “Good Food logo” to promote consumer awareness about good nutrition leading to increased demand for nutritious products.

Speaking in a separate interview MUSIKA project manager for Agricultural Markets and Nutrition Jonathan Mwewa told ZBT that the company’s contribution to scaling up nutrition business is to implement a market development initiative that integrates maximization of nutrition outcomes for women, children the poor and small holder farmers into the Zambian agri-food market.

Mwewa said MUSIKA’s aim is to align incentives and create opportunities with the agricultural economy for the private sector to sustainably integrate nutrition objectives into its business models that relate to the rural poor.

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The World Food Programme - WFP in

Agribusiness

The Japan International Corporation Agency-JICA in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture have embarked on a rice cultivation dissemination project to increase its production through enhancing rice research capacity and the agriculture extension system that supports the crop.

JICA Assistant Resident Representative Matsui Yoji told the Zambia Business Times – ZBT in an interview that the project is aimed enhancing productivity and livelihoods of small scale farmers in rural areas to enhance access to high quality seeds and varieties, introduction and development of sustainable crop management practices, and strengthen new technology adoption

Yoji said the Agency is building in rice research and extension through training and conducting dissemination of information on rice as it is considered a promising crop that is traditionally consumed and has a high demand that exceeds the local supply.

He added that the extension system for rice cultivation is established in target areas which include Northern, Luapula, Muchinga, Western, Eastern, Copperbelt and Lusaka provinces.

And Zambia Agriculture Research Institute – ZARI says JICA’s initiative to train farmers in the production of rice and promote appropriate rice cultivation practices is a welcome move to the Zambia’s Agricultural sector.

ZARI Executive Director Moses Mwape told ZBT in a separate interview that the project is also set to introduce the growth of rice in areas where maize is a traditional crop to enable farmers growth rice in different areas adding that the exercise will result in increment in rice productivity and promote the market for farmers.

“As ZARI we will ensure that framers are trained on methods of general crop management which will look at how to plant and take care of the crop so that we can increase on the productivity and production of rice in Zambia,” he said

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The Japan International Corporation Agency-JICA in collaboration

Markets

Zambia National Commercial Bank – Zanaco has projected that the introduction of the Goods and Service Tax – GST will result in the country’s inflation to rise to a double digit through to 2020 while the currency is likely to depreciate to 13 kwacha per USD.

Giving a presentation on the Economic Outlook for the First Quarter of 2019, Zanaco Head of Economics and Research Dr. Patrick Chileshe said the Implementation of good and service tax is going to result in an elevated cost of production for most entities. Most entities will aim to pass on the costs to the next person in the line of production or consumption resulting in higher prices.

The commercial bank has projected a number of risks which are likely to affect the growth of the economy in 2019. This includes the fiscal challenges that are ongoing especially with respect to debt service obligation as it has been observed that government’s debt service have been increasing causing negative effect on the aggregate demand of goods and services.

The rising levels of debt service will also have a negative impact on government ability to finance other sectors of the economy as this will hurt private economic activities resulting in slower growth for the year 2019.

The level of production in the Agro sector is 2019 is also likely to be poor compared to last year despite having good rains in the northern part of Zambia as much of the maize is cultivated on the southern part of Zambia.

Dr. Chileshe has also warned that low water levels in the Kariba dam may result in low electricity supply and load shading that will inturn result in low production in the manufacturing and mining sector.

The Zanaco Head of Economics however stated that despite the many challenges and risks identified; Zambia still have the chance to experience economic growth provided the right economic tools and interventions are put in place.

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Zambia National Commercial Bank - Zanaco has

Companies

Lusaka City Council (LCC) workers have boycotted work and demanded the payment of K3.9 million by council management for their February and March salaries as well as K7 millions which the Local Authority owes them.

Thousands of angered workers gathered this morning at the city council chanting a slogan “Ayende” in reference to calls that the town clerk should resign from his duties as he and the local authority management have failed to take care and represent the workers well.

The workers have also demanded government to centralize the payroll system for council workers so as to equalize salaries for all council workers in the country regardless of the location they operate in.

“Delayed salaries for all categories of workers in the country is a cancer that must fought by all well-meaning Zambians. There is need to centralized the payroll system so that all council workers in the country can be paid equal salaries regardless of the location. Why should the salaries of management be kept a secrete while that of the head of state is known?” Zambia Local Authority Workers Union (ZALAWU) President Kinsley Zulu said as he addressed the workers.

The centralized payroll system will also ensure at the payday for council workers in known unlike the current situation where workers are paid on unknown dates.

“We refuse to be a laughing stock as some UNZA lectures are mocking and using us as examples of delayed salary workers. Instead of such an act by intellectuals, there is need to unit and fight against the system of delayed salaries that is becoming the order of the day. We demand that government gives us back intercity bus terminal so we can operate it and generate revenue for our salaries unlike the cadres running the bus station,” added Fire Union of Zambia Chairperson Julius Nkoma.

Nkoma has also urged government to speed up the process of centralized payments so that workers can know the exact day they will be having their salaries paid.

However, LCC Public Relation Officer George Sichimba could not comment on the matter but said management at the local authority will sit and deliberate on the outcome of the meeting that ZALAWU had with its workers.

Local government and councils in Zambia has struggled to recover after the centralization of key government services which was also coupled with privatization process which saw housing unitswhich were the main source of revenue  being sold to sitting tenants.

Local Government Minister Vincent Mwale had last year pledeged to set up a national waste management utility company which is yet to become operational, adding to a long list of unfulfilled promises from the local authorities.

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Lusaka City Council (LCC) workers have boycotted

Lifestyle

The Common Market for Eastern and Southern African-COMESA has implemented trainings for the US$ 12 million networking project termed 50 Million African Women Speak -50MAWS aimed at supporting women in business to access financial services and create business opportunities online.s

Speaking during the official opening of the project at Mika Hotel in Lusaka on 25th Match 2019 attended by the Zambian Business Times-ZBT, COMESA assistant secretary general Dr Dev Haman has described the project as a game changer in the drive to economically empower women entrepreneurs across the African continent.

Dr Haman disclosed that the digital platform is targeted to train 50 million women in the 38 African countries to use the information communication technology-ICT in addressing challenges that women entrepreneurs face in accessing financial and non-financial services which limits the size and growth of their business.

“You will agree with me that we are already experiencing the profound change and efficiency that modern technologies bring to the way we live, work, interact, and do business. Thus, the need to pull in one direction and share knowledge amongst ourselves cannot be overemphasized”, he said

And East African Community Secretariat-EAC principal gender and community development officer Generose Minani has commended COMESA for the opportunity given to women in business towards the operationalization of the digital platform.

Generose said the EAC and Economic Community for West African States-ECOWAS will work closely with COMESA on the content development to ensure that the platform can provide content that can benefit women in business adding that a lot must be done in terms of awareness, capacity building and advocacy.

In a separate interview, COMESA director of gender and social affairs Beatrice Simwapenga told ZBT that the digital platform to be achieved is a major milestone which has potential to transform the role of women entrepreneurs in Africa.

“Let us visualize the benefits and communicate the vision as we interact and engage with women in business, youths, government bodies, women’s organizations, civil society organizations, finance institutions and internet providers”, she said.

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The Common Market for Eastern and Southern

Mining

First Quantum Minerals (FQM) says it has stepped in to replace the Solwezi General Hospital’s maternity wing at an estimated cost of US$91,000 (about K1.1 million) which was damaged by a storm earlier this month

In a press statement availed to the Zambia Business Times- ZBT, the company says it has assessed the damage and has come up with a detailed plan to restore the roof, doors, electrical wiring and incubators that were damaged.

The entire roof of the hospital’s maternity wing and trusses covering an area of 768sq meters were blown off during a heavy storm on March 8, 2019.

“The company has been engaged in discussion with the government’s provincial administration since March 9 and together, we have managed to assess the damage and what needs to be done to replace the entire roof.

Bills of quantity have since been drawn up by government surveyors and the Kansanshi construction team, and the company has agreed to carry out comprehensive repair work at the hospital,” said Kansanshi Mine public relations manager Godfrey Msiska.

Msiska explained that repair works would commence as soon as the debris has been cleared by the provincial and hospital administrations.

“In order to speed up the repair works which are estimated to take about six weeks, Kansanshi Mine will deploy its construction division to do the work. The company also plans to hire local contractors in an effort to complete the works on time,” Msiska said

The Public Relations Manager adds that a written authority to proceed with the repair work has since been granted to Kansanshi Mine by the provincial administration which has also stipulated the minimum quality standards to be observed in the repair work. This is standard practice and is intended to prevent any structural failures in future. 

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First Quantum Minerals (FQM) says it has

Markets

Minister of Trade Christopher Yaluma has urged the Zambian Business Community to step up in addressing the trade in-balance between Zambia and Egypt which in December 2018 showed that export to Egypt stood at a meager US$1.3 million while imports were over US$108 million.

Speaking at the singing in ceremony of a Memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the Zambia Chamber of Commerce Trade and Industry (ZACCI) and the Federation of Egyptian Industries-FEI at Taj Pamodzi Hotel on Match 19th 2019 attended by the Zambian Business Times – ZBT, Yaluma said the private sector has a vital role to play in enhancing the economic relations between the two counties.

The minister said Government is delighted to note the growing interest from Egypt to Invest in Zambia as evidenced by the number of inward missions that are undertaken to explore opportunities for investing and trading with Zambia.

“Our desire therefore is that an improved investment and trade climate in both countries supported by the MoU that will be signed here today, we will see more investment moving in both directions and as well as increased trade in value added goods and services”. He said

He added that the current trade and investment between the two countries is not encouraging as at December last Year, 2018, Zambia’s export to Egypt stood at a meager US$1.3 million while imports were just over US$108 million hence this platform will yield sustainable investment and trade benefiting both the Zambia and Egyptian economies.

And ZACCI president Michael Nyirenda said the MoU between the two countries play a vital role in economic development since it provides employment and is an important source of foreign for imports of capital and intermediate goods. Nyirenda said the initiative creates a platform which will help in dissemination of information on investment opportunities and create linkages.

Speaking at the same event, FEI head of delegations Dr Sherif EL-Gabaly said the strategic objective of federation has always focused on creating and enabling business environment for national and international investors.

He said FEI is also looking forward to initiate contacts with esteemed organizations in Zambia to discuss opportunities for cooperation and sharing knowledge and experience between the two countries, exploring the investment climate in Zambia, exploring possibilities for integration offset through agreements and possible cooperation based on win-win foundation.

Meanwhile, the Egyptian Ambassador to Zambia Ahmed Mostafa said the agreement between the two countries will be able to push forward economic relations on all levels and increase investment between Zambia and Egypt.
The Ambassador said both countries are ready to complement each other in terms of trade and investment adding that level of corporation is evident in growing business between the two countries.

“I am not happy to have learned that the trade volume between the two sister countries Zambia and Egypt who enjoy excellent political relations is only US$ 1.3 million in exports for Zambia, hence I took it as a priority to look into ways of how to correct the situation, he said.

Yaluma has however encouraged Zambian counterparts and local businesses to take this “opportunity” to positively explore and ensure that a lasting business partnership to benefit the two people is created.

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Minister of Trade Christopher Yaluma has urged

Tech

The National Biosafety Authority has destroyed various food products and feed containing uncertified Genetically Modified Organisms – GMO’s which were seized last month from three top supermarkets that include Food Lovers, Game Stores and Spar.

The products which were destroyed in the presence of Zambia Police officers and Store representatives include biscuits, chips, soups, spices, soya pieces, cornflakes and assorted crackers whilst feed included dog and cat food.

The products were seized for not having been subjected to risk assessment after which permits or certification for import or placing on the market are issued by the Authority once such products are found to be safe for human consumption.

The Authority pounced on the unsuspecting chain supermarkets at East Park, Arcades and Manda Hill Shopping malls in February for selling products containing genetically modified organisms which have not been assessed for their safety as food or feed thereby contravening provisions of the Biosafety Act No 10 of 2007.

The Authority told the Zambia Business Times – ZBT that it will continue its surveillance, spot and compliance checks to ensure that stores comply with the law.

“Surveillance, compliance and spot checks are ongoing. We are happy that some chain stores are complying with a good example being Cheers which was found to be in good books at the time of the spot visit as they had all the permits from their distributors,” they said.

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The National Biosafety Authority has destroyed various