The Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) has recorded over 9,000 new registrations, representing 25 percent of the projected total of 39,947, as of the close of Monday, 24 November 2025, in Chisamba District.

ECZ Commissioner, Ndiyoyi Mutiti is impressed with the registration process, which is coming to an end today.

She was speaking to the media when she concluded her monitoring tour of voters registration exercise in Chisamba District of Central Province yesterday.

Commissioner Mutiti acknowledged the slow pace at which the exercise started but noted that it gained momentum in the third to sixth phase, registering more participants during an extension period.

“I’m pleased with the outcome of this whole program. We began on a very slow note particularly in phase one and phase two. As we moved towards phase three right up to phase six, the statistics began to peak. I’m particularly pleased that we had an extension, because with the extension we have been able to see even more people turning to register, which has helped us to build up on the statistics” she said.

Ms Mutiti appealed to those who have not yet registered to do so before the extension comes to an end on 26^th November 2026.

“My appeal to our people is that in this remaining time, turnout and register as voters because if you don’t register you will not have an opportunity to elect your leaders which is your democratic rights,” Commissioner Mutiti said.

Meanwhile, District Registration Officer (DRO) Chamuka Muwamba said the district had managed to capture 9,818 new registrations as of the close of business on Monday.

“New registrations alone stand at 9, 818. So, if we take that into percentage against the target of 39, 947 it means we are standing at 25%. It has been testified that the target is based on the ZAMSTAT Data, but we still feel that the target is quite high,” Mr Muwamba said.

Mr Muwamba said it has been a challenge to register people working in the commercial farms that are located in the three wards of the district because the employers were not releasing their employees.

He said two registration kits have now been allocated to the commercial farms to ensure that no one is left out.

Mr Muwamba is, however, optimistic about attaining above 30 percent of the target at the close of the exercise.

“Three wards in Chisamba are under commercial farms. Big farms like ZRC, CRC, Bush Cut, those are occupying about three wards. So, it’s a challenge to get people from these farms to come to registration centers. But we have dedicated two kits to these farms so that we can give the farm workers a chance to register,” he said.

The two weeks extension period is coming to an end at the close of business today.

Kafue District has received five investment proposals from companies seeking to establish solar power plants, in a development expected to boost the district’s contribution to Zambia’s growing renewable energy sector.

The proposed projects have a combined generation potential of 550 megawatts, making them some of the most significant renewable energy investments earmarked for the district.

Kafue District Commissioner Maurice Hikapulwe confirmed that once operational, the power generated from the solar plants will be fed into the national grid through the ZESCO sub-station in Kafue, enabling nationwide distribution and supporting government efforts to enhance energy security.

“Kafue District has received five proposals from companies seeking to establish solar power plants and the combined generation potential is 550 megawatts,” said Mr Hikapulwe.

He disclosed that the proposals range from 250 megawatts at the highest to 10 megawatts at the lowest and are currently undergoing technical, environmental and regulatory assessments.

Mr Hikapulwe explained that investors are attracted to Kafue due to its strategic location, abundant sunlight and proximity to major transmission infrastructure.

“Kafue has a big ZESCO sub-station; that’s why we are seeing increased interest in the district,” he said.

He added that the anticipated investments are expected to spur economic growth through job creation, infrastructure development, and increased private-sector participation in the district’s energy landscape.

Milenge District has launched the distribution of farming inputs under the 2025/2026 Food Security Pack (FSP), targeting 1,517 vulnerable but viable households.

District Administrative Officer Lawrence Nkolonga detailed the inputs being distributed, which include 3,068 bags each of Compound D and Urea fertilizers, 1,517 bags each of orange maize seed fortified with vitamin A and white maize seed, as well as 759 bags of beans and 758 bags of groundnuts.

Mr Nkolonga noted that the FSP serves as an alternative support system for households that are unable to benefit from the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP).

He urged community members to ensure fair access by avoiding double or triple dipping, stressing that the limited government-funded inputs must be shared equitably among eligible households.

“I implore you to allow households that have not benefited from FISP to access the FSP, rather than double-dipping and depriving others,” Mr Nkolonga said.

He further advised beneficiaries to use the inputs responsibly to boost food production and reduce malnutrition, cautioning them against selling the inputs for non-essential items such as alcohol and tobacco.

And Milenge District Community Development Officer Jackson Mwale emphasized that the inputs will this year be distributed to beneficiaries free of charge.

“No committee member should go to beneficiaries’ homes to demand repayment and even new beneficiaries who start in 2026 will not be required to pay back in their third year,” Mr Mwale said.

He encouraged beneficiaries to make full use of the inputs to improve food production and strengthen household food security.

Meanwhile, beneficiaries have expressed gratitude to the government for the support.

Speaking on behalf of others, Fridah Kweta said the initiative has significantly improved household food security in the area.

 North-Western Province Deputy Permanent Secretary Luckson Mulumbi has urged the Office of the Commissioner for Refugees to expedite infrastructure development in the Meheba Resettlement Scheme.

Speaking when a team from the Office of the Commissioner for Refugees paid a courtesy call on him today, Mr Mulumbi said the province has been eagerly awaiting the actual implementation of the Zambia Refugee and Host Community Project, which has already been launched.

He expressed gratitude that the team will be conducting infrastructure needs assessments in the resettlement area but called for swift progress once the assessments are completed.

“Our hope is that after you do these rapid needs assessments, the period between the conclusion of the assessments and the start of actual implementation must not be too wide,” Mr Mulumbi said.

He further stressed that the quality and detail of the infrastructure should not be compromised once construction begins.

Meanwhile, Zambia Refugee and Host Community Project Coordinator Hezron Chakanika said the project aims to improve the welfare of both refugees and the host community.

Mr Chakanika explained that infrastructure development is one of the project’s key components.

“We have a team that will be assessing the schools as well as the hospitals that we are going to improve. The original target is six schools, three in Meheba and three in the host communities,” Mr Chakanika said.

House of Clergy Zambia Chief executive officer, Trevor Muziya  has condemned the acts of violence being caused by youths in the country .
‎

‎Speaking during a media briefing, Mr Muziya said the disturbing incident in Chingola where youths resorted to throwing stones during a public gathering with the Republican President is unchristian and unacceptable.

‎“Such acts are unacceptable, unchristian, and a direct threat to the peace and stability that Zambians fought hard to cultivate,” he said.
‎
‎Mr Muziya said that any leader who promotes or normalises the vice, was supposed to reflect on the damage it caused in the past and refrain from disturbing  peace, protecting citizens, and ensuring that political spaces remain civil, lawful, and safe.
‎
‎”We condemn, in the strongest terms, every form of violence, whether physical, verbal, or incited by irresponsible leadership,”he said.
‎
‎He said violence has no place in  communities and no place in politics.
‎
‎”Those who engage in such acts, regardless of their political affiliation, must be held accountable, “he said .
‎
‎Mr Muziya said no political party should ever use youth as instruments of instability, and no leader should ever encourage conduct that undermines national peace.
‎
‎He said the house of Clergy is deeply concerned by a growing trend of subtle calls for caderism being made by
‎some political leaders.
‎
‎He said  such  statements risk taking Zambia backwards into an era of fear, intimidation, and lawlessness, an era this country has decisively walked away from.
‎

“Caderism has been significantly reduced, and this progress must be jealously guarded, not reversed,” Mr Muziya mentioned
‎
‎ And House of Clergy Zambia National Executive Director, Jimmy Ng’ambi said any leader promoting or normalising caderism must reflect on the damage it caused in the past and refrain from resurrecting a practice that brought pain and division to people.
‎
‎Reverend Ng’ambi has urged every Zambian citizen, political party, leader, and  youth to continue maintaining the path of peace.

The Constitutional Court has dismissed an application by the Law Association of Zambia (LAZ), three major church mother bodies, the Non-Governmental Organisations’ Coordinating Council (NGOCC) and LCK Freedom Foundation seeking to halt the work of the Presidential Technical Committee on Constitutional Amendments.

In a ruling delivered in chambers, Constitutional Court Judge Maria Kawimbe held that the petitioners failed to meet the legal threshold for the conservatory orders they sought, which would have stopped all sittings, consultations and drafting activities of the 25-member committee appointed on 2 October 2025.

The petitioners had argued that the committee was unlawfully constituted, lacked independence and was operating in violation of constitutional norms and the court’s June 2025 decision in Munir Zulu & Celestine Mukandila vs the Attorney General.

The petitioners further contended that the President had no authority to establish the body without a gazetted legal framework and that the accelerated 12-day national consultation period risked producing an illegitimate amendment process.

Affidavits and submissions by Counsel Linda Kasonde, the organisations warned that unless the court intervened, the committee would finalise its draft report before their main petition is heard, rendering the case “nugatory” and causing irreparable harm to constitutional legitimacy.

They also cited alleged procedural irregularities, poor publicity of sittings, exclusion of rural communities and what they described as a pre-determined agenda mirroring the previously rejected Bill No. 7 of 2025.

But the State, represented by Solicitor General Marshall Muchende, argued that the committee was properly appointed under Articles 91(2)(f) and (j) of the constitution and was operating lawfully.

An affidavit by committee Vice-Chairperson Landilani Banda stated that more than 11,000 submissions have already been received across the country and that the committee was now finalising its draft report, stating that halting the process at this stage, would defeat public interest and undermine the expectations of citizens who participated.

In her ruling, Justice Kawimbe observed that while the issues raised in the main petition are substantive and require full consideration by the full bench, the interim application could not succeed because the petitioners had not demonstrated imminent irreparable harm, nor that the balance of convenience favoured stopping the process.

She emphasised that a conservatory order must protect the public interest, not create conditions favourable to one party before the matter is fully heard.

“The relief sought,” she noted,  “drafted in very broad strokes and would effectively suspend the entire constitution-making process, an outcome that risked determining the substantive issues prematurely, which a single judge considering interim relief is not empowered to do”.

Justice Kawimbe also found that the petitioners’ fears about the committee’s eventual draft bill were speculative, as no final product exists yet.

The alleged harm, she held, was neither “unmistakably real nor capable of being assessed at this stage” she stated.

She cautioned the petitioners against introducing evidence from the main petition into the interim application, noting that doing so blurred the line between interlocutory and substantive proceedings.

On the balance of convenience, the court held that public interest favoured allowing the committee to continue its work, citing the large number of public submissions and the need to avoid undermining citizen participation already undertaken.

The judge stated that the petitioners had failed to satisfy the three-part test commonly applied in constitutional conservatory applications, establishing a prima facie case, demonstrating imminent irreparable harm and showing that public interest and the balance of convenience favour intervention.

“The petitioners have not successfully met the threshold for the grants of a conservatory order, their application is unsuccessful and accordingly dismissed.” She stated.

Each party was ordered to bear its own costs.

The main petition challenging the legality of the Technical Committee’s establishment and operations remains pending before the Constitutional Court.

Minister of Education, Douglas Syakalima, says the government remains committed to ensuring inclusive, equitable and quality education for all, including those in community and faith based schools.

Mr Syakalima reaffirmed the government’s pledge to support all learning institutions to ensure that no child is left behind.

He has since praised Civil Society Organisations and various cooperating partners for complementing the government’s efforts in delivering education to vulnerable learners.

The  media reports that the Minister was speaking when he officially opened the Zambia Open Community Schools (ZOCS) Annual General Meeting in Lusaka today.

Mr Syakalima noted that community schools have continued to champion social justice by creating learning opportunities for children who would otherwise be excluded due to poverty and other barriers.

He said this year’s AGM theme “Hope Through Action and Transforming Lives Through Sustainable Education” aligns with the government’s broader agenda to prioritise education as a driver of poverty reduction and national development.

“Government has strengthened policies that promote access, quality and equity in the education sector, including increased grants, recruitment of qualified teachers, teaching and learning materials, and infrastructure development,

“Education remains a fundamental human right, and the government will continue implementing policies that guarantee every child the opportunity to learn,” he said.

And ZOCS representative, Rhoda Bwalya, said the organisation has remained committed to supporting vulnerable children since its establishment, focusing on equality, access and improved learning outcomes.

“ZOCS’ work is anchored on strengthening community schools, training volunteer teachers, advocating for supportive legislation and promoting early childhood education,” she said.

She noted that although funding challenges persist, the organisation appreciates the government’s continued support, particularly the free education policy, which has increased enrolment in community schools across the country.

Ms Bwalya said thousands of children have been able to access education through community schools.

“ZOCS will continue working with the government and partners to eliminate barriers that prevent vulnerable children from accessing quality education,” she said.

The AGM brought together education partners, government officials, community school representatives and stakeholders to review progress and renew commitments to supporting vulnerable learners.

The 18^th Africa Leather Value Chain Forum has today opened in Lusaka, bringing together industry stakeholders, policymakers, and development partners to chart a new course for the continent and beyond.

The media reports that speaking during the official opening of the forum in a speech read on his behalf by Minister of Tourism, Rodney Sikumba, Minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry, Chipoka Mulenga emphasised the country’s commitment to transforming the leather industry and create jobs.

Mr Chipoka said the leather sector presents great opportunities for employment creation, rural development, and export growth.

“We are deeply honoured to host this prestigious event and welcome our brothers and sisters from across the continent and beyond,” Chipoka said.

During the forum, the Africa Leather and Leather Products Institute (ALLPI) and Stanbic Bank Zambia signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to pilot a dedicated Small Medium Enterprise financing mechanism for the Zambia Leather Value Chain.

Mr Chipoka stressed that the MoU between ALLPI and Stanbic Bank is important for African MSMEs as it will give the leather producers the tools, capital, and confidence to compete on the world stage.

He added that the initiative is expected to be replicated across Africa, with Stanbic Bank committing to roll out the model in all its operating countries if the pilot succeeds in Zambia.

Mr Chipoka also highlighted that the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) has potential to boost intra-African trade, which currently stands at 15 percent.

“We hope the AfCFTA will present an opportunity to change this narrative,” Mr Chipoka said, urging member states to minimise non-tariff barriers and harmonise standards.

He expressed expectations that the forum will conclude with a renewed commitment to build a sustainable, inclusive, and competitive African leather industry.

And speaking earlier at the same forum, Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) Acting Secretary General, Dev Haman commended Zambia’s initiatives, including the establishment of Leather Manufacturing Centres, development of leather curricula, and implementation of hides and skins traceability systems.

“Zambia has shown commendable leadership in industrial diversification, SME development, and value-chain strengthening,” Mr Haman said.

Mr Haman noted that the forum is expected to shape the future of Africa’s leather industry, with discussions focusing on sustainability, standards harmonisation, SME financing, and distribution models.

He further reaffirmed COMESA’s commitment to working with ALLPI and other stakeholders to build a competitive, sustainable, and integrated African leather value chain.

Meanwhile, Africa Leather and Leather Products Institute Executive Director Nicholas Mundungwe called for Africans to consume and support African products adding that it will help create a market for African producers.

Mr Mundungwe emphasised the need for African countries to work together to industrialise the continent by implementing policies that support industries in Africa.

The 18^th Africa Leather Value Chain Forum, is being held under the theme, “Unleashing Africa’s Leather Potential: Sustainable, Inclusive and Competitive.”