State owned enterprise Zamtel says it is positioning itself to become an Integrated Digital Service Provider that will integrate all sectors of the Zambian economy.

Zamtel Chief Executive Officer Sydney Mupeta said Zamtel will provide digital services by way of forging strong partnerships with industry players.
Mr. Mupeta said Zamtel will start off as a “Driver of Digital Transformation” by way of moving to open architecture through the deployment of cloud-based virtualized and Software Defined Networks with open Application programming interfaces (APIs).

He said Zamtel’s deliberate choice of open architecture is meant to support easy integration of partners which will inspire growth through digital transformation across all sectors of the economy.

Mr. Mupeta was speaking on Wednesday evening during a welcome cocktail for delegates attending the Second Regional African International Telecommunication Society Conference at the Intercontinental Hotel.

The two day conference is being held under the theme “Communications and Applications for All-The ICT thrust Transforming Business, Competition, Policy, and Regulation.”

“The Journey towards digital transformation is just starting and this Conference could not have picked a better theme. For us at Zamtel, it’s a question of once beaten, twice shy. This time, we are taking digital transformation head on! We are embracing the future and bringing scale to all our partners across different sectors of the economy,” Mr. Mupeta said.

He observed that the global network has introduced opportunities and challenges for telecom operators such as the coming of Over-The-Top (OTT) players that offer diverse applications and content, such as WhatsApp and Skype, directly to consumers.

Mr. Mupeta said this is leading to a decline in revenues from traditional telecom services such as voice and messaging.

“The OTT Disruption, is pretty similar to the Mobility Disruption of the early 1990s that we experienced as Zamtel. OTTs do not come with legacy issues, no in-country taxes and regulatory fees, and no investment in networks. Granted, OTTs are eating into telecom revenues and becoming stronger, however it is our considered view as Zamtel that even though OTT services, are substitutes to traditional services, they still need telecom operator-networks to access the customer,” he stated.

He added, “Monetizing OTTs will require service awareness which most Telco’s can do to some extent and in general the need to undergo “Digital Transformation”. This transformation has already started and the case-in-point is vertical integration into the financial sector through Mobile Money Service.”

Mr. Mupeta said Mobile Money is one of the first successful vertical integrations and it is expected to champion a cashless society through end-to-end electronic payment methods.

“Zamtel is championing cashless transactions and we expect to create winning partnerships with other industry players. Existing Players may see this as a threat, but this should be viewed as an opportunity to maximize value for all players in the financial ecosystem. Current trends are showing that Telco’s will continue to contribute “Scale” through Mobility and associated Financial Inclusion which will maximize value for every player in the expanded ecosystem,” he said.

And International Telecommunication Society Chairperson Dr Stephen Schmidt said the conference is important as it accords an opportunity for telecom players, governments and the academia to share knowledge on the recent advancements taking place in the global telecoms market.

Zambian students are training to be the next generation of nuclear scientists, thanks to the country’s close ties with Russia. There are over 1,200 foreign students studying at nuclear universities in Russia and among them are 40 of the finest minds from Zambia.
Last year, the government in Lusaka and the Russian State Atomic Energy Corporation Rosatom signed several agreements for developing nuclear technology in Zambia. The plan will see the two countries set up regulatory bodies and an atomic research centre in the capital, followed by the construction of Zambia’s first nuclear power plant.
Minister of Higher Education Nkandu Luo mentioned that the first Zambian nuclear power plant will be critical to ensuring sufficient supply of electricity to power the economy for decades. She said the government working with the Russian government and the International Atomic Energy Agency are partnering in the nuclear science programme.
The project also includes training Zambians in atomic science and engineering, spearheaded by Rosatom. “As part of the agreement with Zambia, Rosatom will offer a wide range of long-term and short-term training and educational programmes for personnel with various backgrounds and educational levels, which are crucial for the centre’s successful implementation and nuclear power plant operation,” said Viktor Polikarpov, Rosatom regional vice-president, of Central and Southern Africa.
“Since 2010, Rosatom has been running a global project to train staff for partner countries aimed at creating an integrated system for training qualified specialists for the nuclear power industry. We provide scholarships to foreign students to study, intern and/or participate in on-the-job training in Russia. The training that the students go through equips them with the sufficient skills and knowledge to operate nuclear plants or participate in and eventually take over atomic research in their home countries”.
The 40 Zambians chosen will be part of the first team of scientists, assisted by Russian experts, to work at first Zambian nuclear facilities. Mabvuto Banda, studying for bachelor’s degree at the nuclear power engineering and thermal physics department of the Russian Nuclear Research University MEPhI, says: “Zambia, along with many other countries in Africa, have in recent years suffered the harsh consequences of their overdependence on hydropower when much of the southern parts of the continent experienced unexpected droughts and erratic rainfall”.
He added: “The flaw in our country’s power generation strategy was made abundantly clear by the partial drought of the 2014/2015 rain season that caused water levels in our reservoirs to drop to record lows, leading to power rationing lasting for as long as 16 hours each day in some areas. We could have avoided this had we invested in sources of energy less reliant on weather patterns. However, it is gratifying to see that as a country, we have learned our lesson and are actively seeking new ways to generate electricity – nuclear energy being one of them.”
By comparison, nuclear energy is one of the most efficient forms of energy in use today according to Richard Vlahakis, another beneficiary of the Rosatom/Zambia scholarship programme.
He said: “One atom in a nuclear reaction produces approximately 10 million times more energy than burning one atom of a fossil fuel like diesel or coal. Unlike hydropower, wind and solar energy, nuclear reactors are not dependent on weather patterns making them the more reliable option in the long run”.
“Atomic energy also has a very low carbon footprint. Looking at Zambia’s rising demand for energy on its quest for accelerated growth, a source of energy as efficient, clean and reliable as this is vital to the country’s economic development.”
Machona Mbahwe, another nuclear power student, said: “I would like to see a situation where Zambia no longer has a power deficit. With nuclear technology, we could potentially see a time when every community, rural or urban, has access to affordable and reliable power supply. I certainly hope I can contribute to achieving this once I graduate.”
Mr. Polikarpov concluded: “These students are the future and soon it will be their job to use science and their specialized skills gained to improve their home country and the world at large. I hope that they will take advantage of this unique learning experience from Russia’s cutting-edge universities to acquire the skills necessary to lead their country forward.”
Russia has committed to further increase its cooperation with Zambia in the education sector by increasing scholarships for local students wanting to study abroad.

Youth platform looks to host two unparalleled music festivals in iconic Woodlands Stadium.

During the last weekend of April, Vodafone JUMP is set to rock Lusaka with the best music in two back-to-back events under the theme “All out for our own,” across the mainstream hip-hop and gospel genres at the iconic Woodlands Stadium.

The events, aimed at celebrating local and home-grown talent seek to sell-out and fill up the Woodlands stadium with a capacity of 15,000 – an undertaking only international artistes have thus far been able to accomplish.

After weeks of teasing, JUMP recently unveiled the crème de la crème of Zambia’s hip-hop community, Chefy 187 and Slap Dee, as the headline acts for the first day of the two day music extravaganza.

JUMP Regional Manager for Southern Africa, Mutale Kapaso said “We are looking to create an unparalleled music experience that celebrates the immense talent we have in Zambia. JUMP has long been a champion of promoting quality music to place Zambia on the entertainment map in the region and we are excited to host these two events.”

“Chefy 187 and Slap Dee are two mega stars who have made an indelible imprint in the corridors of Zambian hip-hop. An event of this magnitude is sure to cement their place in the annals of music history and Vodafone JUMP is excited to be a key orchestrator of their national and regional success,” she added.

Historically, Chefy 187 and Slap Dee have represented opposite sides of the hip-hop continuum polarizing fans across Lusaka and the Copperbelt. The “All Out for Our Own” hip-hop concert will be the first time the two stars collaborate highlighting the significance of the event.

In the next few weeks, Vodafone JUMP will unveil the headline acts for the gospel version of the event, keeping eager followers at the edge of their seats.

Pupils at Myooye Secondary School in Mumbwa district of Central Province have been spending nights in classrooms due to lack of dormitories at the learning institution.

However, Central Province Permanent Secretary Chanda Kabwe has said government is committed to addressing the challenges facing the pupils that are a result of years of neglect.

Speaking when he conducted an impromptu visit to the school this afternoon, Mr Kabwe said challenges facing the school need urgent attention and assistance from partners.

“We have seen the challenges that the boys and girls are going through, as government we won’t allow it to continue, the good part is that Central Province is part of the World Bank school project and this school will be given priority,” he said

He added ” I think as leaders especially those elected like Members of Parliament even as they sit in parliament should know that they have a responsibility to work for the people who put them in office. This area has had MPs and Ministers it is sad that upto now no amount of the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) has ever been allocated towards improving the infrastructure at this school which has existed even before independence.

He urged the pupils to work hard and not be discouraged by the existing poor conditions which has made learning very difficult

“His Excellency, President Lungu knows that education is the best equalizer that is why I want to assure you all that before the end of this year I will be back with my colleagues from the Ministry of General Education to attend to your needs,” Mr Kabwe said.

Meanwhile, the Permanent Secretary instructed the two District Commissioners from Mumbwa and Shibuyunji who accompanied him to ensure that the 100 bags of cement that the school requested for towards the completion of a staff house is delivered by Friday this week.