Government has approved a sweeping energy initiative alongside key environmental and legislative reforms following the 22nd Cabinet meeting chaired by President Hakainde Hichilema at State House on Monday.
In a statement issued to the media, Minister of Information and Media Cornelius Mweetwa said Cabinet has endorsed the establishment of the Presidential Constituency Energy Initiative (PCEI), under which 2-megawatt solar farms will be constructed in each of the 156 constituencies, generating a combined 312 MW of power.
The initiative will be financed partly through the 2026 Constituency Development Fund (CDF), with private-sector involvement and support from cooperating partners, while Local councils will implement the projects, and the generated electricity will be sold to ZESCO.
Mr Mweetwa said the programme aims to expand rural electrification, strengthen energy resilience and create a steady income stream for constituencies through power sales.
He explained that a dedicated project management unit will also be established to fast-track deployment and align the programme with the country’s wider energy transition agenda.
Cabinet further approved the declaration of Mutinondo Falls in Lavushimanda District, Muchinga Province, as a national monument.
The site, one of Zambia’s most ecologically significant landscapes, hosts exceptional biodiversity, including 758 butterfly species (240 of them rare), several endemic species such as the Abantis butterfly and the frog Ptychadena mutinondoensis, 1,769 recorded plant species, 123 orchid species and 362 bird species, qualifying it as an Important Bird Area.
Mr Mweetwa said Mutinondo Falls’ ecological importance, scientific value and tourism potential justify long-term protection and may support a future bid for World Heritage Site status.
Cabinet also approved amendments to the Fisheries Regulations of 2012 introducing an annual fishing ban on Lake Tanganyika from May 15 to August 15.
The regulation aligns Zambia with a regional charter signed with Tanzania, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo and aims to curb overfishing, protect breeding cycles affected by climate change and strengthen coordinated cross-border fisheries management.
Additionally, Cabinet approved in principle the introduction of the Meteorology Bill, 2025, which seeks to partially commercialise meteorological services and enhance cost recovery.
Mr Mweetwa said the current legal framework has not kept pace with rising demand for accurate weather and climate services.
The proposed law will strengthen the Zambia Meteorological Department, improve disaster-risk reduction and support national climate-change mitigation and adaptation initiatives.
Mr Mweetwa said all decisions reflect government’s focus on energy security, environmental conservation and modernising key national services.
