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Lifestyle

Lusaka’s most active Civic Leader (Councilor) Mainda Simata has charged that several civic leaders in Zambia are resigning from their positions due to the low pay, which has put them at or below the poverty level.

Simata said the recent resignation of Kaela ward councilor in Lupososhi District of Northern Province, Baron Kaunda, to join a cleaning job in the Ministry of Health as a cleaner, speaks volumes of low remuneration and expressed concern over the impact on service delivery and representation.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with the Zambian Business Times- ZBT, Simata disclosed that the k3000 monthly remuneration for councilors is not enough and does not correlate to the amount of work that councilors are expected to perform.

He explained that councilors are mostly forced to use their personal money to fund ward development committees (WDCs).

Simata revealed that with the enhanced Constituency Development Fund (CDF) disbursement, councilors have a lot of administrative work to do as they are expected to sensitize people on CDF, help people apply, and provide logistical support. “Councilors also have to travel from one place to another, educating people about CDF.”

He said this creates a financial burden for councilors, who do not receive any other allowances apart from the k3000 monthly allowance.

“In remote areas such as Lupososhi, there is a member of Parliament who is not always present, so the responsibility of ensuring that the CDF service delivery is going on in the ward is for the councilors, and it is not a cheap thing. The particular councilor in Lupososhi resigned because he was looking for income that could sustain him and his family because councilor work is volunteer work,” said Simata.

Simata noted that if not properly managed, the continued resignation of civic leaders due to low remuneration will affect members of the general public in terms of service delivery and representation, which might also trickle down to the government in terms of incurring costs of by-elections.

“It’s quite unfortunate that the civic leader has resigned and he’s not the first councilor to resign, others have joined the teaching service and other professions and it’s sad because this will continue to affect people in terms of service delivery and representation because by elect elections take time and are costly. There have been talks that the allowances are going to be increased which has been going on for the past three years and up to now there is still no implementation so I think perhaps some frustration could have gotten to our fellow councilor in Lupososhi,” he said.

He since called for councilors’ remuneration to be increased so that they can perform their duties without having an impact on their personal income.

Simata said that talks to increase councilors’ remuneration have taken longer than expected, and councilors’ allowances must be increased to allow them to perform their duties without having an impact on their personal income or without them having to make sacrifices from their pockets to fund operations that are beneficial to the people and government.

“Councilors allowances must be increased. We are not saying that they must be paid a lot of money but councilors must have allowances to allow them to perform their duties without having an impact on their personal income or without them having to make sacrifices from their pockets to fund operations that are beneficial to the people and government,” said Simata.

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Lusaka’s most active Civic Leader (Councilor) Mainda

Lifestyle

The Zambia Medical Association (ZMA) has expressed concern about the growing self-diagnosis, prescription, and inappropriate use of antibiotics by some members of the public which he says is a serious growing concern.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) occurs when bacteria, virus and fungi and parasites no longer respond to antimicrobial agents and as a result of drug resistance antibiotics and other antimicrobial agents become ineffective and infections become difficult or impossible to treat increasing the risk of disease spread, severe illness and death.

Antimicrobial resistance isn’t just a human health concern but also affects animals as well of which Resistance bacteria can be transmitted between animals and humans through various means.

Antibiotic resistance can occur naturally but human activities like the overuse of antibiotics have accelerated this process.

Responding to an inquiry by the Zambian Business Times – ZBT, ZMA Public Health Board Chairperson Dr. Gabriel Sialubono said that self-prescription is one way that contributes to antimicrobial resistance due to the inappropriate use of antibiotics.

Dr. Sialubono said that it is very important for members of the public to consultant healthcare professionals for accurate diagnosis, treatment and prescription to combat antimicrobial resistance.

“Self-prescription is one way that contributes to antimicrobial resistance due to the inappropriate use of antibiotics. It is very crucial to consult healthcare professionals for accurate diagnosis and prescription to combat this growing serious issue,” said Dr. Sialubono.

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The Zambia Medical Association (ZMA) has expressed

Companies

Following the official statement released that the transaction for the take over of Atlas Mara by Access Bank has been completed, it has emerged that some operational and legal obstacles may still stand in the way.

A check by the Zambian Business Times – ZBT revealed that critical actions such as the timelines for the rebranding of Atlas Mara branches and facilities to Access bank have not yet been finalized or communicated, a notable gap in change in control best practice procedures.

Further, a legal case was in November 2023 initiated by prominent Zambian businessman and founder of Finance bank – Rajan Mahtani against Atlas Mara accusing the bank of failing to pay off what they owed him. It’s not clear if this London high court case will not affect the change in control processes.

While the acquisition was announced to have been completed and all necessary regulatory approvals obtained, sources suggest that the there are still some obstacles in the way.

In an exclusive interview with the Zambian Business Times – ZBT, inside sources revealed that the acquisition process has not yet been completed and that the two banks will continue to operate independently until further notice.

Despite Access Bank assurances that both banks will continue to operate independently, the further delay in the change over and full integration process may lead to loss of market share and clients by both entities.

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Following the official statement released that the

Companies

Following a successful takeover of African Banking Corporation Zambia Limited, trading as Atlas Mara Zambia by Access bank Zambia limited, the Union of Financial Institutions and Allied Workers (ZUFIAW) has emphasized on the need for Atlas Mara employees to be paid their separation packages or be given an option to choose whether to continue with the new employer or not.


Recently, Access Bank Zambia Limited announced the completion of the acquisition of African Banking Corporation Zambia Limited, trading as Atlas Mara Zambia after obtaining all requisite regulatory approvals which means that Atlas Mara is now a wholly owned subsidiary of Access Bank Zambia.


Speaking in an exclusive interview with the Zambian Business Times -ZBT, ZUFIAW Union Secretary General Kasapo Sundrea Kabende said that the union is committed to ensuring that employees of Atlas Mara bank are not disadvantaged.

Kabende revealed that the union is already doing background consultations to ensure that the take over process is followed in line with the provisions of the labor laws.

“Our position remains that our members at Atlas Mara should be paid their separation packages and obviously be given an option to choose whether they would want to continue with the new employer or they would want to separate. We will ensure that our members are not disadvantaged. The law has to be protected during this process of legal take over and we are already doing consultations in the background with our social partners to ensure that the process is followed to the latter in line with the provisions of the labor laws of this country,” he said.

“As a union we are alive to the fact that we have labor laws in our country that govern how an employee should be treated once the company has been taken over. We have members at Atlas Mara and we are well positioned to make sure that our members are treated in accordance with what the law provides,” said Kabende.

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Following a successful takeover of African Banking

Tech

The continuous depreciation of the Kwacha, the official currency of Zambia, is having a significant impact on various sectors of the country’s economy. One of the most affected sectors is the vehicle industry, which has witnessed a significant rise in the prices of motor vehicles due to unstable exchange rates. The steady fall of the Kwacha against the United States dollar has led to high inflation, making even the cost of living in Zambia more expensive.

According to the monthly inflation report released by the Zambia Statistics Agency (ZAMSTATS), the price of Toyota Hilux motor vehicles has risen sharply from about K900,000 to around 1 million 3 hundred kwacha annually, representing an increase of about 45 percent year-on-year from November 2022 to November 2023. On a monthly basis, the price increased from about 1.2 million in October 2023 to about 1.3 million in November 2023, indicating a 9 percent increase.

Similarly, Toyota Corollas have witnessed an annual increase of 48 percent from 742, 000 to 1.1 million between November 2022 and November 2023. On a monthly basis, these vehicles increased from 972, 000 to 974,000, representing a 12 percent increase for the month of November.

commenting on this development Kelvin Kameta, spokesperson for car dealers, told the Zambian Business Times – ZBT, in an exclusive interview that the increase in prices was mainly due to the appreciation of the dollar against the Kwacha, which has also caused business sales to depreciate.

Kameta remarked that the cost of doing business is increasing, and the exchange rate is forcing them to increase motor vehicle prices. He noted that the dollar has been fluctuating upwards and has not been stable for quite some time.

He further explained that the landing cost of motor vehicles is going up, forcing prices up, thereby affecting customers. He highlighted that they do not order these vehicles in Kwacha but in dollars. Therefore, whenever the dollar goes up, they are hit by the increase in the vehicle industry.

Kameta said the business has been tough in the last quarter of 2023 as compared to the previous three quarters calling on the Zambian government to work towards stabilizing the exchange rate to ensure proper planning and good business in the industry.

He explained that the current situation makes it difficult to plan, and customers wait for the dollar to go down before buying vehicles.

  

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The continuous depreciation of the Kwacha, the

Tech

Development Analyst Charity Musamba says that Zambia’s education sector has been messed up due to the hazardous educational reforms that have been taking place post-independence and has called for more investment in critical thinking in the country’s education system.

In an exclusive interview with the Zambian Business Times –ZBT, Musamba said the education curriculum has changed over time, but that it was messed up after 1990 when the country began undertaking education reforms. She said it was started by promoting basic education which meant that primary education was more concentrated at the expense of secondary and tertiary which is where skills are built. “We had a lot of people learning English, writing, literacy skills, but not critical thinking and putting in practice what they are learning,” said Musamba.   

She said that between 1964 and 1990 Zambia had very educated intellectuals who had both the theory and practice at hand. “The post-independence intelligencer and academic groupings were very practical,” said Musamba.

Musamba said that Zambia has messed up its educational processes due to the hazardous educational reforms that have been taking place since 1990. “These reforms were basically in my view trials by both domestic and external education experts. Because they were funded by donors, we had very little to say in terms of assessing the appropriateness of these reforms.”

She further noted that the global economy is moving towards service economies, but noted that developing countries are still at production level.

Musamba said Zambia is part of the globalized village noting that globalization has left no one behind, but has incorporated everyone. She said considering the model of development that has evolved, most of the advanced countries which include the first and the middle world have invested heavily in technology and services because they have passed the primary commodity production phase of development.

She said most of the productivity activities are informed by technological advances and service provision. “If you look at access to education, and health, a lot of these services are now based on technology. Meaning that more and more we are eliminating the physical human participation in the productivity processes” said Musamba. She said those in advanced economies are in a safe zone because they can still access incomes, but developing countries such as Zambia still need to depend on human labor for people to survive.

She said there is a need to invest more in critical thinking to think critically about changing the environment.

Musamba added that the agriculture sector is heavily populated by labor (intensive activities). She however mentioned that there is a need to start investing in some form of technology to help serve on time.

Musamba further mentioned that during the first republic, Zambia was known to provide one of the best education services in the developing world. “That is why if we look at our first politicians, they sent their children to ordinary schools where everyone was going. The government invested adequately and built confidence that if we use these services we will improve our lives” said Musamba.

She said that what has changed now apart from being part of the globalized world is that the country’s political and policy leads acknowledge they are not doing well when it comes to policy and financing hence award themselves privileges to send their children to good schools.

“This is what is defining the social class because when people finish school, those who went to good schools will get good jobs, those who went to bad schools will remain jobless, and so the cycle of poverty continues that way,” said Musamba. Zambians should be alert and start demanding that all should have access to the same opportunities as it defines everyone’s future and livelihood.

Musamba noted that most governments are now investing in vocational-orientated education systems. She said this means that from the early stages of education, the skills and talents of the learners should be identified and concentrated on that line. She said that as learners are being taught, attention must be paid to what they will do after school. She said it is one of the biggest discouraging points to have a mass of people who completed school but are at home for years which is not the whole purpose of going to school. “We should be matching our education system with industrial and productive activities, meaning that the government should invest in job creation, industrialization, and manufacturing,” said Musamba.

She said other educational reforms were undertaken that are now trying to push for vocational skills building such as tailoring and agriculture among others.

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Development Analyst Charity Musamba says that Zambia’s

Mining

Boudot Cement is on record for failing to submit quarterly cement production returns to the Ministry of Mines and Minerals Development leading to a loss of revenue for the local authorities.

Despite the Company confirming that they have been producing and that their cement is available on the market, the Company’s mineral production returns since April are missing in the consolidated mineral productions report.   

Boudot Cement has failed to submit production returns for since April 2023 a situation which has also seen a decrease in the country’s official recorded cement productions.

According to official reports obtained by the Zambian Business Times – ZBT, Cement production at Baudot Cement has decreased in the first 3 quarters from 21, 667.40 metric tons in 2022 to about 7,350.15 metric tons within the same period in 2023.

Sources from the Ministry of Mines however say the Company has not been producing as there have been some issues affecting production. “They have been loading with stock, the reason why the number is 0 was because they were installing the dedusting system (Bag house filters) which was a huge project at the time. Initially, they were using a water scrubber system”

Meanwhile, Boudot Cement has denied any wrongdoing and has alleged that the Company is up to date with mineral production returns.

Company Manager Patrick confirmed to the Zambian Business Times they are currently producing Cement and alleged that they have been submitting the returns to the Ministry.

He however Refused to avail the production report stating that they had already submitted the report to the ministry and there was no need to submit another one.  

“All the reports are there with the Ministry of Mines we can’t give you that report but we have it. So if you want that report tell the Ministry of Mines they will give you that report.

There have been also unconfirmed allegations that Boudot Cement may be involved in tax evasion, while others speculate that the company may be hiding something more sinister.

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Boudot Cement is on record for failing

Mining

Vedanta Resources Limited’s financial struggles in India have sparked concerns over the fate of Konkola Copper Mines (KCM), Zambia’s largest copper mining company.

As a result, KCM’s future has been thrown into doubt, with some industry experts speculating that Vedanta may divest from the company pledges. This would be another major blow to the Zambian economy, which relies heavily on copper exports, with KCM’s potential to account for nearly 40% of the country’s copper production.

The uncertainty surrounding KCM’s future has also raised concerns among stakeholders, who fear that employees may lose their jobs if the company is sold or shut down. KCM employs over 13,000 people, making it one of the largest employers in the country.

According to recent statements by sources close to the matter, Vedanta, who had previously returned as an investor at KCM, is facing financial difficulties in India. The issue has raised concerns over whether they will be able to honor their investment in KCM.

Vedanta had previously owned a majority stake in KCM before being forced out by the Zambian government due to alleged environmental and social violations. The company subsequently reacquired a stake in KCM. However, the current financial difficulties faced by Vedanta in India have cast a shadow over their ability to support KCM.

Economist Yusuf Dodia has said with the coming on board of new investors for both Konkola Copper Mine –KCM- and Mopani Copper Mines –MCM-, it is important for the government to get investment commitments to ensure the investors do not exploit the country by failing to meet their commitments.

Recently the Zambia Consolidated Copper Mines Limited -ZCCM-IH also announced the Dubai-based United Arab Emirates’ International Resources Holdings –UAE’s IRH- as the new strategic equity partner in –MCM-.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with the Zambian Business Times –ZBT, Dodia said there must be an investment plan with investment commitments not only agreed upon but documented on paper.

Dodia said –MCM- and –KCM- both have new investors and that both give a reason for concern. He reiterated that Vedanta who have been returned as investors at KCM are facing financial constraints in India noting that they have a lot of credit and it is in doubt of whether they will honor the investment in KCM.

He further noted that 85 percent of Mopani Copper Mines was owned by Glencore who sold their shares to ZCCM-IH at about 1.5 billion dollars. He said the Shares may have to be sold to the new equity partner who will then begin to run the mine. “Those people must be able to commit to paying the 2 billion, they must be able to commit putting another 1 or 2 billion dollars into the mining operations so that they make it a mine which is productive,” said Dodia. He said all commitments need to be on paper starting from how much money will be brought in, when it will be brought, and what they will achieve, as well as the benchmarks and milestones.

He said if this is done, Zambia will be in a position to monitor the investors and ensure that the country has a serious investor. “If that happens then clearly both Konkola and Mopani Copper Mine become productive mines, they produce copper and start exports,” said Dodia.

Dodia further mentioned that whether Zambia will benefit from the increased mining operation is a big question because companies are not compelled to bring their mining export earnings into the country, but keep their money outside. He said this is the reason the kwacha is depreciating.

He however noted that the initiative of the export proceeds tracking framework by the Ministry of Finance and National Planning will compel all exporters to bring their foreign exchange earnings into Zambian Bank Accounts.

He said with this initiative, it will be reassured that exports from -MCM- and KCM will add to the prosperity of the Zambian economy.     

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Vedanta Resources Limited's financial struggles in India

Agribusiness

The Zambia Cotton Ginners Association (ZCGA) has disclosed that the cotton industry is currently facing a significant crisis as several factories remain idle due to a severe shortage of raw materials.

The cotton industry has been a critical part of the global economy for centuries, providing vital raw materials for clothing, textiles, and other essential products. However, the current situation has made many factories be forced to remain idle leading to significant financial losses for businesses and a decrease in employment opportunities.

The impact of this shortage is not limited to the cotton industry alone, as it has also potential to affect other industries that rely on cotton products.

The Zambia Cotton Ginners Association (ZCGA) has revealed that cotton ginneries have become idle due to insufficient production of cotton.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with the Zambian Business Times – ZBT, ZCGA Executive Secretary Chabala Maliyangu disclosed that several companies own multiple ginneries but are unable to utilize them all due to an insufficient supply of cotton.

Maliyangu noted that Zambia has the potential to produce cotton of up to 2.5 metric tons but is only achieving a portion of the potential production capacity.

He said that although the production of cotton has increased this year from 25,000 metric tons produced last year to 45, 000 metric tons produced this year, the production capacity is still far from reaching the ginning capacity that cotton companies have which is over 400, 000 metric tons.

He therefore attributed the increase in cotton production this year to the high cost of growing other crops which prompted farmers to go back to growing cotton.

“A lot of our cotton factories or ginneries are idle because there is insufficient production of cotton to feed these ginneries. In terms of ginning capacity, there is more than enough capacity to gin cotton. Some companies own multiple ginneries but they only use one because of an insufficient supply of cotton I think Zambia’s cotton yield is probably one of the lowest in the world our yield per kg of cotton is quite low compared to West Africa where they produce about a minim of a ton but for us, our production per kg is between 300 – 400 kilograms of cotton which is unfortunate because cotton varieties here in Zambia are quite good and they can go up to 2.5 metric tons which is the potential target but we are only achieving a faction of that potential,’’ he said.

“The production for cotton has almost doubled this year, last year we produced 25, 000 metric tons of cotton produced while this year we have around 45, 000 metric tons but this production is far from the ginning capacity that we have. We can gin 400, 000 metric tons of cotton so 45,000 metric tons produced this year is a drop in the ocean. There is still a very large gap. The increase in production can be attributed to several factors but the prices of other crops that were high played a part because farmers went back to cotton which has better prices than other crops. Then I think because cotton does well in certain regions where rain is a problem. It’s a very resilient crop, especially in the valley areas of Southern Province and Eastern Province,’’ said Maliyangu.

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The Zambia Cotton Ginners Association (ZCGA) has disclosed

Agribusiness

Luano Honey has revealed that Zambia’s honey production has increased to 10,000 metric tons this year from the 5,000 metric tons produced last year leading to bee keepers running out of local markets to sell their honey.

Recently, the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock secured the European Union as an export market for organic honey, following the certification of Zambia’s residue control plan adding that this achievement will open up opportunities for citizens to participate in the production of honey and other bee-hive products as the market is readily available.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with the Zambian Business Times – ZBT, Luano Honey CEO
Miit Pandoliker said that one of the major challenges local bee keepers are faced with is the lack of markets to sell their honey, lack of bee keeping tools such as bee hives, bee foods and the knowledge in bee keeping.

Pandoliker expressed optimism that Once local bee keepers are equipped with bee keeping knowledge, given the right tools and the right market, the honey Industry in Zambia will thrive.

He revealed that South Africa currently has a huge trade barrier for honey exports adding that if the Zambian government can dialogue with the South African government to remove the trade barrier it would become easier for the honey Industry in Zambia to thrive.

“In terms of Zambia’s production capacity its about 10, 000 tons this year of which last year the production might have been half of this years production. In terms of local production there is more than enough honey. There is too much honey that farmers do not have a market for their honey.
Lack of market is the biggest challenge local honey farmers are currently experiencing and lack of inputs such as the beehives, bee foods, the tools and the knowledge in bee keeping. Once educated and given the right tools and the right market, the honey Industry in Zambia can thrive,” he said.

“In South Africa there is a very big trade barrier of honey exports to South Africa but if the Zambian government can talk to the South African government to remove the trade barrier it will be easier for us to survive,” said Pandoliker.

Pandoliker therefore emphasized on the need for the Zambian government to support honey companies to participate in international trade especially with countries where honey is scarce so as to increase the international market for the Zambian honey.

“We need more people participating in international trade shows and if companies can get support to go to markets where honey is very scarce , appreciated and valuable like the middle east where there is very little honey production and the United kingdom where the value for honey is high or basically countries that import honey, it can increase the Zambian honey market,” emphasized Pandoliker.

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Luano Honey has revealed that Zambia's honey