Join our community of SUBSCRIBERS and be part of the conversation.
To subscribe, simply enter your email address on our website or click the subscribe button below. Don't worry, we respect your privacy and won't spam your inbox. Your information is safe with us.
Bank of ZambiaTHE Bank of Zambia (BoZ) expects all commercial banks to finalise the adjustment of the Automated Teller Machines (ATMS) by end of this month to ensure that they are able to take in new notes once customers deposit.
BoZ director of banking, currency and payment systems, Lazarus Kamanga, said it was the expectation of the central bank that all deposit taking ATMs could be sued to deposit new notes.
Mr Kamanga said during a media tour of the BoZ stand at the just ended 93rd Zambia Agriculture and Commercial Show that five of the banks had however adjusted their deposit taking ATMs.
“The latest information we have is that there are five banks with ATMs that are accepting deposits of new notes and some of the machines have started operating.
“We do not expect us to go beyond this month, we expect all ATMs that are deposit taking to start accepting new notes,” Mr Kamanga said.
In September last year, the BoZ upgraded the Kwacha with new security features to distinguish a genuine from a counterfeit note.
One of the introduced security features called Sparklive was incorporated in the figure on the lower right hand side to further shield the banknotes from being counterfeited.
Meanwhile, BoZ deputy Governor, Francis Chipimo, said the central bank would this year launch its Primary Dealership initiative meant to boost investment in Government securities.
Dr Chipimo said BoZ had engaged commercial banks on the planning of the initiative.
“We have done a lot in terms of moving to a primary dealership, we were meant to launch mid this year. That programme is still there in terms of us wanting to launch.
“Clearly the economy has been through some challenges this past period and so what of the things we are doing is to make sure that the necessary things to launch the initiative is done,” Dr Chipimo said.
The initiative, Dr Chipimo said, would boost the financial sector and encourage people to trade government securities on a secondary market.
Dr Chipimo said, “We have engaged the bank, some of them have come on board and we have discussed the planning we need to have the primary dealership. But we still going to launch it this year but it will be subject to conditions generally on the market.”
Power Dynamos are looking forward to Tuesday’s pre-season friendly match against Tanzanian side Simba Sports set for the National Stadium in Dar-es-Salaam.
Power have set up a five-day training camp in Tanzania after arriving there on Sunday.
Team Manager Lombe Chipupu said Power are treating the friendly against Simba seriously.
“We are taking this game very seriously,” Chipupu said from Tanzania on Monday.
“We haven’t come here for holiday. This is good preparation for the new Zambian season,” he said.
Coach Fordson Kabole is expected to test newly acquired players in the Simba friendly.
Power have signed striker Jacob Phiri from Kabwe Warriors, Congolese striker Judo Bolondia of Roan United and defender Raphael Makubali from Nchanga Rangers.
Commerce Minister Christopher Yaluma introduces Vice-President Inonge Wina to exhibitors. – Picture courtesy of SUMA SYSTEMS.
By Derrick Silimina
Vice-President Inonge Wina says Government has opened up market linkages in China in a bid to stimulate local manufacturing industries.
Speaking on the side-lines of the 93rd Agricultural and Commercial Show in Lusaka under the theme Embracing Industrial Development, Ms Wina said creating market linkages through activities such as the annual show was vital to help grow the local industries.
It was for this reason Government was creating an environment conducive to the emergence of small sector producers, manufacturers and industrialists.
“We have opened up market linkages in China to scale up local producers in the areas of farming such as those involved in producing cooking oil, edible oils find markets not only in Zambia but also into the surrounding countries.”
The vice-president also stressed that value addition among small farmers was key to enhance industrialisation in the country in order to spur economic development, adding that local manufacturing industries ought to actualise the potential existing in the country.
“We have the potential but we have to actualise this potential as Zambians because we can’t have to talk about this potential year in year out. I hope this exchange of knowledge and ideas will help us understand the dimensions of industrial development.”
Meanwhile, Agriculture Minister Michael Katambo echoed the vice-president’s remarks and stated that Smart Agriculture and value addition are components that farmers ought to be empowered with through affordable mechanism.
“Value addition and Smart Agriculture are the key components that our farmers are supposed to be empowered with through mechanised equipment that are affordable.”
Mr Katambo said to enhance production and productivity, farmers needed proper equipment to become part of industrialisation.
“This theme suits us very well because if our farmers are adding value to the crop commodities or even to livestock or fisheries, then we will be creating employment and uplifting livelihoods of our people and then our citizens will be generating income out of the whole process of value addition,” he said. – Courtesy of SUMA SYSTEMS.
The Vice president arrives for the official opening of the show. – Picture courtesy of Suma Systems.
Some foreign exhibitors at this year’s Agriculture and Commercial Show have described business as slow.
Those talked to by ZNBC news say the number of people that turned up to buy their goods was low.
And Lusaka Province Minister Bowman Lusambo has urged local businesses to use platforms such as the Agriculture and Commercial show to create linkages with their colleagues from other countries to explore possibilities of exporting their goods.
Mr. Lusambo observes that local businesspersons can thrive by creating partnerships with foreign businesses.
He was speaking in an interview at the just ended Agriculture and Commercial show in Lusaka.
Information and Broadcasting Services Minister Dora Siliya says her ministry is formulating legislation that will guide and harmonize policies in the film industry.
Ms Siliya says in the next few weeks, the ministry will be calling for meetings with stakeholders to make suggestions on what areas require government legislation in the film industry.
She was speaking in a speech read for her by Ministry of Information Acting Director Press and Media Development Modern Mayembe during the film and Television Market fair at the 93rd Agriculture and Commercial show.
Ms Siliya explained that Government is prioritising the film industry because it has potential to contribute to the country’s economy through job creation.
And Ms Siliya stated that Government has also invested in Digital migration which is also benefiting filmmakers.
And Multi Choice Zambia Telecast Academic Director Berry Lwando said it is critical for local film makers to improve content so that they can compete on the international market.
Meanwhile, a visiting film producer from the United States of America Christian Epps said Africa has potential to grow the industry.
The Institute of International Finance has projected that Zambia’s debt could rise up to as much as 90% of the Gross Domestic Product(GDP).
IFF Associate Economist Gregory Basile said that the Institute expects Zambia’s debt to continue to grow to 90% of GDP, assuming a modest baseline.
Mr Basile however said the trajectory is highly susceptible to shocks.
“A sharp depreciation would have a significant effect, quickly raising the level of debt, before automatic dynamics take effect,” he wrote.
“On the other hand, a significant shock to real growth would not only raise the level of debt (relative to GDP), but also change the debt trajectory, “pushing” the slope of the curve up. But these channels do not operate separately.”
Mr Basile warned that if investor confidence weakens and or copper prices decline, both could experience a significant shock.
“This would balloon the debt as well as financing needs, despite long maturities on foreign debt.”
A 39 year old South African national has died in a fire incident in Kitwe’s Nkana East area in which two more South Africans and a Zambian survived.
In the latest incident, the deceased died when their rented house caught fire and was extensively burnt in the early hours of this morning.
Lubwa Ward Councilor Julius Kaunda has told ZNBC News that of the three survivors, two have been injured while one escaped unhurt.
Mr Kaunda who rushed to the scene , said fire started this morning and by the time it was put off, the South African national was already dead.
One of the survivors Anthony Irvin a South African national, said the fire started from the kitchen around 01:50hrs.
He said the whole house was engulfed in smoke but he managed to get his colleagues outside the house except the deceased who he could not locate.
Mr Irvin suspects that the fire could have been started by some gas explosion in the kitchen.
The four fire victims work for ENL, an electrical firm.
And Kitwe Teaching Hospital Public Relations Officer Phoebe Chileya has confirmed receiving the body of the deceased.
Ms Chileya could however not disclose the names of the deceased.
This comes barely 24 hours when another house in Chachacha area of Kitwe was extensively burnt together with an undisclosed amount of money belonging to a Chinese national who was renting the property.
President Edgar Lungu is today expected in Maputo Mozambique following that country’s signing of a long term peace pledge between its Government and the opposition Mozambican National Resistance.
Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi and RENAMO Leader Ossufo Momade on Thursday signed the peace accord to mark the official end of the conflict between Renamo armed men and the defence and security forces.
President Lungu will be in Mozambique in his capacity as the Chairperson of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Operation.
He will leave at 15 hours.
This is according to a statement issued to the media by Special Assistant to the President for Press and Public Relations Isaac Chipampe.
Government has warned Truck Drivers not to go ahead with their planned work stoppages and allow government and their representatives’ resolve their issues.
Transport and Communications Minister Mutotwe Kafwaya is concerned with the voice and text messages circulating on social media by a selection of serving drivers and non-serving drivers who are inciting other drivers to go on a work stoppage.
Mr. Kafwaya is concerned that this is being done without respecting the process that has been agreed upon by the Drivers Associations, Driver Unions and Government through his Ministry and Ministry of Labour and Social Security to address the many issues affecting them including low salaries.
“I want to urge all well-meaning drivers to be patriotic to this country and ignore those that are bent at negating the positive contribution of your services to this economy”, he said.
Mr. Kafwaya said government is concerned with the conduct of some transporters that pay meagre salaries to their drivers and will do everything possible through his Ministry and Ministry of Labour and Social Security to ensure that conditions of service are harmonized and improved in earnest.
He said his Ministry will also ensure that employment of foreign drivers when such services can be offered by local drivers is stopped with immediate effect.
Mr. Kafwaya said he is aware that some demands have already been acted upon by his Ministry through the Road Transport and Safety Agency while other Ministries are equally working on the components that relate to their respective portfolio functions.
He said going forward, Government will immediately embark on consultations to consider implementing sector based minimum wage for the transport sector and has called on all drivers to call off their impending action and wait for the execution of the agreed actions with your union.
Mr. Kafwaya said his Ministry remains open to positive contribution from all Zambians for the country to achieve its Vision of becoming the hub of transport and logistics in Southern Africa by 2030.
He has urged all Professional truck drivers to have a united front through their union and engage the Ministry of Labour and Social Security for guidance on the means of uplifting working conditions for all drivers in the sector.
Mr. Kafwaya has also requested all stakeholders in the road transport sector to work with Government to enhance a sustainable road transport system for the country.
A senior member of the ruling Patriotic Front has appealed to President Edgar Lungu to reconstitute his cabinet and to quickly set up a team of elders who should be advising him on political issues.
The official who is a member of the PF Central Committee choose to remain anonymous because she is not authorized to speak to media but stressed that most Ministers in the cabinet are not working.
She said the recent mini-reshuffle did very little to inspire confidence among Zambians.She said the recent changes to cabinet can be described as cosmetic.
“The general feeling is that President Lungu is carrying with him a lot of deadwood in that cabinet. Even us in the Central Committee fear that going to a general election with the kind of people close to President Lungu will be disastrous,” she stated.
She added, “ With the next election only 17 months away, the people sitting in cabinet are not helping the President, the majority of those are merely serving their personal interests.”
The official singled out President Affairs Minister Freedom Sikazwe as someone who has failed to effectively executive his duties.
“All we see him (Sikazwe) is smiling and clapping around the President. A State House Minister ought to be active and offer support to the boss(President Lungu) but Mr Sikazwe fails to do so. The country has had previous Presidential Affairs Minister who were far more active. Let Mr Sikazwe learn and emulate Erick Silwamba when he served as Dr Chiluba.”
She said President Lungu should transfer Dr Dennis Wanchinga from the Ministry of Water Development to Luapula Province and move Charles Banda from Local Government to Eastern Province.
The official further suggested that Kantanshi Member of Parliament Anthony Mumba be appointed as Commerce, Trade and Industry Minister replacing Christopher Yaluma who should be dropped.
“Even President Lungu himself, knows that he has a lot of people who are simply liabilities. This is not the time to carry emotions but time to work and deliver before we lose power.”
“The new Sports and Youth Development Minister Hon. Mulenga should be taken to the Copperbelt Province and drop Mwakalombe. Charles Banda should go to Eastern Province and transfer Bowman Lusambo to either State House or Local Government.”
She also suggested that the Minister of Lands Jean Kapata he moved to Ministry of Gender or Community Development while Hon. Sydney Mushanga should be taken to the Ministry of Water and Sanitation.
“The current Minister of Gender be moved to Lusaka Province while Ronald Chitotela should be out of Cabinet altogether.”
Other changes suggested include that of Nickson Chilagwa whom she said would do well at Tourism while Makebi Zulu be transferred to the Ministry of Justice with Given Lubinda moving to Livestock and Fisheries.
Meanwhile, President Lungu has been advised to quickly set up a team of elders who should be advising him on political issues.
“It’s worrying that President Lungu doesn’t have a team of eminent elders to whom he could be receiving wisdom on governance issues. People like Kaizer Zulu cannot be political advisers as they lack wisdom.”
Headphone Music & Upfront Media teamed up with StormBox Media & Origin Motion to present to you Operation by Jay Rox. This video was done by a Zambian group of creatives. Screen play by Estelle Mantel.
File:President Edgar Lungu Meets Luvale-Lunda Chiefs In Zambezi.
President Edgar Lungu has called on the Church and other stakeholders to help unite the Lunda and Luvale people of Zambezi District in North Western Province.
The President said he is saddened by the continued tribal conflict between the two ethnic groupings which he said must be brought to an end.
President Lungu said the latest fighting between the two tribes during the delimitation exercise meeting organised by the Electoral Commission of Zambia in Zambezi District is embarrassing.
The President also wondered why the two ethnic groupings have continued to fight in Zambezi District despite them interacting freely in government.
President Lungu was speaking to Journalists at Kansanshi Hotel in Solwezi North Western Province on various issues affecting the National.
Meanwhile President Edgar Lungu is disappointed that some traditional leaders, Civil Society Leaders and Church leaders have misinterpreted his statement where he said the current UPND Leader cannot be President of Zambia.
President Lungu said it is disappointing that Traditional leaders and other stakeholders have twisted his statement claiming it was targeted at the Tonga speaking people.
“At no point did I say that Tongas will never rule this country, my statement was directed at one person whose character does not befit a national leader. How can people who are able to read and write twist my statement like that? This is embarrassing”, he said.
President Lungu maintained that one day Zambia will have a Tonga President but not Hakainde Hichilema.
Zambian YouTuber Lily Mutamz shares an exclusive interesting 2 part series of a Zambian Born British National Nola Vout. In the First part series Nola talks about her life in Chingola. Lily Mutamz met Nola at a corner shop in her town Stockton-on-Tees and Nola immediately guessed that Lily was Zambian via her accent. The two both born in Chingola have since been in touch and Nola has shared quite a lot of interesting History with Lily Mutamz audience on YouTube. Check out this interesting video and leave a comment if you recognize some of the history shared by Nola.
ACC deputy director general Rosemary Khuzwayo addresses journalists during the TIZ briefing Lusaka on July 11, 2019 – Picture by Tenson Mkhala
By Michael Chishala
For the month of July 2019, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) wins the award for the most useless public institution. It was a very closely fought battle with the Zambia Information and Communications Technology Authority (ZICTA), but ACC found some extra reserves in their tank over the last kilometre and won the Marathon of Uselessness.
The entire head of ACC comes on TV and starts saying things that can make you insult. She says that ACC has closed the 48 Flats case because the entire ACC with all the really smart people in it and government power backing them cannot trace anyone to charge with a crime. Hmmmm.
How about asking the 48 tenants to tell you who they have been paying close to K2 million per year in rentals? The names on the title deeds and utility bills may be useless, but whoever is receiving K2 million a year is surely the owner, or a front for the real owner, not so? I mean how can someone receive such large amounts of money and have nothing to do with the flats? I am 100% sure if they follow the money, ACC can also easily establish who built the flats.
So dear ACC, why don’t you drag whoever is collecting the K2 million to court and ask them to testify under oath? Even if the rentals are being collected by some shell corporation from Panama, they must be registered in Zambia with shareholders and directors listed at PACRA, not so? Why can’t these shareholders and directors be dragged to court where they shall sing like a Canary bird before a judge and we will get to know the owner of the 48 flats, who must have spent something in the region of K10 million to build them all? (Oh, and you might want to ask them where they got the K10 million.)
But as former President Kenneth Kaunda used to say, “Stupid question! Sit down!” The ACC employees would have to be complete and utter idiots not to ask such obvious questions and follow the money. They obviously did, and they have a nice fat dossier loaded with damaging incriminating information. Which then begs the question of what the hell is going on. Well, it’s very simple really.
ACC must be just following orders from “upstairs” not to go after the owner of the flats because he is “connected” to the top floor. This then begs another question. If the ACC employees are being hamstrung by the people from “upstairs”, why can’t they just leak the incriminating information to all the independent news outlets like News Diggers, Lusaka Times, Zambian Watchdog or Zambian Observer? It’s not too difficult to go to an obscure Internet Café somewhere and create a fake email address and anonymously send documents with details. Or maybe send using the contact forms on websites. (Of course you have to be extra careful when getting digital copies of the documents because there are too many shushushus in these public institutions).
So, perhaps ACC should stop wondering why people have stopped reporting corruption cases to them. Maybe they should change their name to PCC; Pro-Corruption Commission.
And for this, PCC, sorry ACC, wins the “Most Useless Award” for July 2019.
Now to the runner up, ZICTA.
They deserve a special mention because of how they have sat with their arms folded, watching our data bundles being stolen by the Internet companies due to silly expiry dates. Never mind that the expiration for airtime was scrapped more than 15 years ago, but the ZICTA people failed to apply the same logic to data bundles, even though they themselves are victims. Maybe some clever chaps at these internet companies get the expired bundles and resell them to other people who also end up not using them completely and the expired data is resold and so on. Pretty clever scheme, hey? The lack of action all these 15 plus years forces the public to begin speculating that maybe there are large brown envelopes involved. Enough said.
So dear ZICTA, why did it have to take the entire Parliament to get you to do your job? You are paid so much money that you don’t even know what to do with it, so you end up buying the American Embassy for $5 million and you even begin extending such a massive building. Your colleagues at Bank of Zambia (BOZ) did the honourable thing by stopping the thieving banks from slapping us with silly charges for everything under the sun, including closing your account, or for having a negative balance due to the monthly charges. There is so much automation using computer servers that one wonders why we previously had to pay K20 to close an account, something that can be done in 5 seconds at the click of a mouse, or otherwise automatically done by software for accounts inactive for over 6 months. BOZ did not wait for Parliament to tell it to do its job.
And let’s not forget the utterly useless service from the likes of Airtel who also need a change of name to Airfail (or is it Airhell?). More than half of Airfail, sorry Airtel calls either cannot go through, are dropped or you cannot hear or be heard. It seems the fines the mobile companies paid earlier this year to ZICTA are pocket change. How about increasing the charges ten times?
It should’t be too difficult to get the Minister in charge of Communications (Hon. Mutotwe Kafwaya) to sign a Statutory Instrument (SI) to this effect since the minister is also a victim of this nonsense from the mobile companies. Or are you people at ZICTA again waiting for Professor Geoffrey Lungwangwa to do his thing again?
Another candidate worthy of mention for this award was ZESCO, who despite loadshedding the whole country for 4 hours a day still often cuts power for the whole day claiming “maintenance”. When being considered for the Most Useless Award, they failed to make the cut because of very strong competition from ACC and ZICTA.
#MostUselessAwardsZambia
The author is a Zambian blogger, entrepreneur and web and software developer and is an Engineer by training. Email: michael [at] zambia [dot] co [dot] zm.
