The Speaker of the National Assembly of Zambia, Nelly Mutti, has been honored with the prestigious Commonwealth Parliamentarian of the Year 2023 award. This recognition was bestowed upon her during the 66th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference held in Accra, Ghana.

Ms. Mutti’s outstanding achievements and dedication to her parliamentary duties were acknowledged by the selection committee, which conducted a thorough adjudication process involving eight nominations from across the Commonwealth. Her unwavering commitment to upholding the rule of law, promoting transparency in parliamentary processes, and ensuring citizens’ access to parliamentary information and proceedings were commended by the committee.

In her acceptance speech, Speaker Nelly Mutti graciously dedicated the award to all female parliamentarians in the Commonwealth. She highlighted the collective efforts of women in the field of politics and their ongoing endeavors to achieve gender parity in parliaments worldwide.

This recognition not only reflects Ms. Mutti’s individual accomplishments but also serves as a testament to the significant strides made by Zambia in parliamentary governance and the promotion of gender equality.

The government’s implementation of the free education policy has resulted in over 2.3 million children returning to school, ensuring greater access to education without discrimination, according to Education Minister Douglas Syakalima. The policy has been instrumental in providing educational opportunities for children across the country.

Speaking during this year’s World Teachers Day commemoration, Minister Syakalima highlighted the government’s commitment to enhancing the welfare of teachers and improving their living standards. Acknowledging the pivotal role teachers play in the education system, he emphasized the need for educators to continue advancing themselves professionally.

Daphne Chimuka, Chairperson of the Teaching Service Commission, revealed that the pupil-teacher ratio has been impacted by the implementation of the free education policy. To address this issue, she stressed the importance of the government’s continued recruitment of teachers as a means of improving the teacher-pupil ratio.

UNESCO Representative Remmy Mukonka also weighed in on the global teacher shortage issue, affirming its significance and the need for action on a global scale. Addressing the teacher shortage is a collective challenge that requires attention and solutions at both national and international levels.

The government’s commitment to improving education access and supporting its teaching workforce has been a cornerstone of its education policy. As the country continues to focus on education development, it remains poised to address challenges and ensure that every child receives a quality education.

President Hakainde Hichilema has called on African leaders to invest in digital transformation.

The head of state said African countries should not just invest in digital transformation but also accelerate the digitalization agenda.

Mr Hichilema observed that investing and accelerating digital transformation has potential to propel economic development not only to the African continent but beyond.

He noted that if African leaders can acknowledge the importance and the value that digital transformation has to an economy, it will allow people to work longer hours thereby improving economic growth.

President Hichilema said this when he officially opened the 2023 Digital Government Africa Summit in Lusaka which is being held under the theme: Transforming governments for the digital age.

Mr Hichilema, however, disputed statements that embracing digitalization will bring about job losses.

He acknowledged that some jobs will be affected but that this will spur economic growth where people will be working from 08 hours to 24 hours as opposed to the old way of working hours from 08: 00hours  to 17: 00hours.

“ Dear delegates, I have a number of examples that I can give on how Zambia has transformed by using technology. We have one Open Border Post here in Zambia which had difficulties in clearing some trucks. I must mention that after installing and embracing new technology there, we clear more trucks than we expected. President Hichilema stated.

Mr Hichilema said embracing technology will help reduce inefficiencies that come with digital challenges.

President Hichilema also urged African leaders to also find ways and means of embracing technology especially on road blocks unlike doing it manually where police officers physically inspect vehicles.

He said physical checkups of the vehicles on road blocks delays traffic thereby slows productivity hence the need for technology to be developed for road blocks.

And Tony Blair Institute for Global Change Executive Chairperson, Tony Blair has urged African leaders to be innovative, focused and determined if a digital transformed Africa is to be achieved.

Mr Blair who is also United Kingdom former prime minister said Africa should also draw and come up with a workable implementation plan for the digital agenda.

He said a strong digital infrastructure and identity is paramount in the effective implementation of digitalization.

Mr Blair urged African leaders to take advantage of the youths and involve them to help offer different innovation ideas in line with digital transformation.

“Africa has vibrant youths who are innovative. Please give them a chance and utilize them. Am telling you they will offer and share ideas that will help develop a digitally advanced Africa,” Mr Blair stated.

Speaking at the same event, Minister of Technology and Science Felix Mutati announced that Zambia has effective October 5 gone live on Starlink, a license that will offer improved internet services in the country.

Mr Mutati said Starlink will help close the digital gap that exists between the urban and the rural areas in the country.

Meanwhile, Home Affairs Minister Jack Mwiimbu said from the time the summit commenced yesterday, many agreements were derived pertaining to digital governance.

Mr Mwiimbu said the delegates agreed that collaboration and partnerships with different private sectors should be embraced if Africa is to be digitally transformed.

He said delegates also agreed that digital literacy programs should also be implemented for the citizens to be well informed of the importance of technology especially for those in the rural areas.

And Smart Zambia National Coordinator Percy Chinyama said over 40 countries have been represented at the summit.

Mr Chinyama said going forward delegates discussed that more bilateral and multilateral meetings in line with digital transformation should be held in order to foster digital transformation in Africa.

The Center for Trade Policy and Development (CTPD) held a press conference yesterday to present its in-depth analysis and recommendations regarding the 2024 National Budget, which was presented on September 29, 2023, by the Minister of Finance and National Planning, Honourable Situmbeko Musokotwane. The theme for the budget is “Unlocking Economic Potential.”

Below is a summary of the speech made available to the media by Mrs Natalie Kaunda, CTPD Acting Executive Director.

The 2024 National Budget marks a significant milestone as it represents the third budget under the UPND administration, following Zambia’s debt restructuring agreement with bilateral creditors under the G20 Common Framework.

Budget Overview

The proposed 2024 National Budget is projected to be K177.9 billion, a K12.6 billion increase compared to the previous year’s budget of K167.3 billion. It reflects the government’s commitment to maintaining macroeconomic stability, with targets such as real GDP growth of at least 4.8 percent, inflation within 6-8 percent, and domestic revenue accounting for at least 22 percent of GDP.

Expenditure

The 2024 National Budget is expansionary, with an overall budget increase of 6.3 percent compared to the previous year. Significant increases in budget allocations are observed in sectors such as economic affairs, education, and health. The economic affairs sector has received increased funding to revive key sectors like agriculture, manufacturing, and mining.

Revenue

Efforts have been made to shift sources of financing for the national budget, with foreign financing reducing by 55.3 percent and a minimal increase in planned domestic borrowing. A significant portion of domestic revenue will come from taxes, projected to account for 64 percent of the total budget.

Public Debt Management

The 2024 National Budget reflects the government’s continued effort to resolve Zambia’s public debt. There is a notable reduction in external debt service allocation, representing a 33 percent reduction compared to 2023. However, discussions on restructuring the country’s private debt, including Eurobonds, need to be accelerated, and strict adherence to the annual borrowing plan is essential. Operationalizing the sinking fund, as provided for in the Public Debt Management Act, remains unclear.

Mining Sector

The budget allocates a substantial increase in funds for geological mapping, which aligns with recommendations for the mining sector’s revival. The operationalization of the Mineral Regulation Commission is welcomed, provided it receives sufficient funding and resources for effective regulation. Declaring all minerals as strategic is forward-thinking, but clear strategies for sustainable development and utilization are necessary.

Agriculture Sector

While the agriculture budget has increased, specific production targets for key agricultural commodities are lacking. The government should set production goals to drive the sector’s development. Addressing rising food costs requires comprehensive measures targeting improved agricultural productivity and reduced production costs.

Energy Sector

The budget maintains that fuel subsidies will not be reintroduced, but strategies to mitigate the impact on the cost of living are not outlined. Diversifying energy sources beyond hydro-energy is essential to reduce dependency and fluctuations in rainfall patterns.

Constituency Development Fund (CDF)

Increased CDF allocation is positive, but effective utilization needs to be ensured through electronic monitoring and addressing human resource constraints.

Legal Reforms

While the budget mentions several legal reforms, comprehensive tobacco control legislation is notably absent. Enacting such legislation would improve public health and contribute to budgetary stability. An access to information law is also urgently needed for enhanced transparency in governance.

In conclusion, while the 2024 National Budget has positive aspects, it needs a clear roadmap to address the cost of living and challenges in key sectors earmarked for socioeconomic development. CTPD highlights areas of concern, including private debt resolution, operationalizing the sinking fund, setting agricultural production goals, energy source diversification, and the enactment of critical legislation.

The CTPD emphasizes the importance of a strengthened legal system, the urgency of comprehensive tobacco control legislation, and the need for an access to information law to enhance transparency and good governance in Zambia.