By Prince Bill M. Kaping’a Political/Social Analyst

When President Michael Sata came under a barrage of stern criticism from some of us regarding the appointment of his kith and kin to key government positions; he retorted thus during one of his swearing in ceremonies, “I don’t balance tribes, I balance brains!”

What do we make of this?

We don’t have to be geniuses or indeed consult the Sangomas to help us fathom whether the man people loved to refer to as King Cobra was bluffing or not. This was nothing but absolute attempt to camouflage the ugly head of tribalism and nepotism rampant in his government, and he got away with it. Those of you with the memory of an elephant would recall that in 2012 or there about, I was almost locked up for high treason for churning out an article, “Sata’s Family Forest Explained” detailing the stinking whiff of nepotism and tribalism in the PF regime. Edgar Lungu was Minister of Home Affairs at the time. Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy, you should have seen on ZNBC TV main news. He was banging and slamming his shiny mahogany desk and seething with uncontrollable rage as he urged the investigative wings to bring the culprits to book!

Anyway, once the millionaire businessman cum cattle rancher turned politician Hakainde Hichilema swept to power, he went out of his way to assemble a cabinet which is representative of the national character by nature – unlike in the past, all the regions of our great nation are represented in the current establishment.

But lo and behold, if we analyze the performance of some of the ministers, it leaves one wondering whether tribal balancing is indeed a blessing or a curse. It’s as clear as day light that some of the minsters aren’t delivering at all. We feel pity for the president that he has to maintain dead wood in cabinet lest he’s accused of purging certain tribes from government.

Let’s take Minister of Information and Chief Government Spokesperson madam Chushi Kasanda for instance; does she still exist? The madam hasn’t been keen to grab the bull by its horns feature on live phone-in programmes to explicate government policies! She’s rather comfortable dispatching written press statements from the comfort of her office. When the nation is grappling with numerous challenges such as load shedding, increase in the price of fuel and essential commodities, we expect Kasanda firing on all cylinders trotting to every radio and TV station debunking the lies and innuendos that the enemies of progress are peddling against the New Dawn Administration.

We come to achimwene bambo Mtolo Phiri the Minister of Agriculture; does he really understand what is expected of him each time he reports for work? The distribution of farming inputs for the current farming season has been chaotic and shambolic to the say the least! We expected Phiri to jump into his work suit and gumboots and embark on traversing the countryside to ensure that inputs are getting to the farmers in good time. What has been situation on the ground? Farming inputs have been getting to our people halfway into the farming season! Who does that?

The energy sector is even worse! It had to take the entire President to excuse himself from his busy schedule to intervene in the energy crisis. What was Peter Kapala doing all that time? Why was he finding it a challenge to dash to Kariba Dam or Maamba Collieries on a fact-finding mission to appreciate the magnitude of the problem and propose alternative solutions?

The president has a passion for this country, there’s no question about it. The man is in a hurry to address the stinking mess left behind by the previous regime. Unfortunately, though, most of his ministers don’t seem to move in synergy with him. They are either lost at sea or busy enjoying the trappings of power to make up for the lost time in the wilderness.

We would like to appeal to the president to immediately undertake, not only the performance appraisal of his ministers and aides at State House, but also seek to know which of his officials are engaging in corrupt activities. If it is so established that Minister XYZ has failed to perform to expectations or they’ve indeed become instant millionaires boasting of fleets of cars, mansions and colossal sums of cash in offshore accounts, the issue of tribal balancing mustn’t even stand in the way! We expect heads to role.

For instance, there’s been a lot of petty talk bordering on the demotion of the Presidential press aide Anthony Bwalya with some alleging that he’s lost his job based on tribe. However, Economic Front leader Wynter Kabimba has shared intelligent sentiments about the same. Speaking in an interview with the press, the former PF Secretary General says Bwalya must have crossed the red line for him to lose his much-coveted job at plot 1 and not some rubbish called ethnic grounds! It’s unfortunate that some opposition party leaders and their blind followers have gone wild spreading lies that can further polarize the nation. UPND media and the entire government machinery, please wake up!

By Choolwe Chibomba – Spokesperson, Zambia Is Back

In 2022, the New Dawn government set out to release supply bottlenecks, remove
unnecessary red tape and create an economic environment that nurtures investment
and businesses. Following the 2023 budget, it is clear that the upcoming year is
going to be monumental for Zambia’s economic recovery, with the rate of GDP
growth forecast to increase by nearly 4% and a debt restructuring agreement firmly
on the horizon. It has never been a better time to invest in Zambia.

As we look to 2023 one thing is for sure, Zambia’s economy will continue to thrive;
blossoming into a new investment hub for Africa. Following years of economic
instability and financial hardship, key economic indicators are now painting a positive
picture. According to Bloomberg, in December, inflation fell to below 10% for the first
time in almost three years and that rate is expected to average out at 8.5% in 2023.
This fall in inflation shows that Zambia is not just welcoming investors but has an
economy that can support them. Stable and low inflation reduces uncertainty and
price distortions creating an environment to nurture investments, ensuring ample
returns to businesses. This was highlighted in February last year when S&P Global
Ratings improved the country’s credit rating. As a result, the Zambian economy
continues to be one of the most economically stable investment environments in
southern Africa, instilling confidence in investors around the world.

Outside of these top-level indicators, 2022 was an immensely successful year for
foreign investments in key sectors of Zambia’s economy, such as agriculture, mining
and tourism. In December, for example, the Radisson Blu hotel group opened a new
resort on the banks of the Zambezi – the group’s first ever safari resort in Africa. The
new resort will boast luxury rooms which include panoramic views across the
Zambezi river.

Elsewhere, PHYLA Earth, who use genetically modified seeds to improve crop yield,
announced that they will be developing a remarkable orchard in Chingola to combat
soil erosion. The programme will see 4,000 Pongamia seedlings be planted near the
Konkola Copper Mine. These are expected, once they have grown, flowered and
produced seeds, to improve soil fertility in the area. This in turn will support local
farming and increase ecological resilience, something that in the face of a climate
crisis is of more importance than ever.

Moreover, Zambian Breweries, owned by the multinational giant AB InBev,
announced they would be investing $80 million in capital investments to expand their
Lusaka factory and create 5,000 jobs. The investment will also target more
sustainable means of production, with 90% of the funds dedicated to innovating high-
tech equipment to make operations more environmentally friendly. This includes the
enlargement of the company’s agriculture out-grower schemes to offer more
procurement opportunities to local suppliers.
Perhaps the pinnacle for investments in 2022 was achieved during the US-Africa
Leaders’ Summit, when KoBold Metals announced their $150 million pledge to

develop the Mingomba copper-cobalt mine. The new project uses cutting-edge AI
technology to find new metal deposits; edging Zambia even closer to its copper
production target of 3 million tonnes by 2032.

President and Founder of KoBold, Josh Goldman, said that he chose to invest in
Zambia due to its economic stability and pro-business policies. He said that Zambia
is a “safe and peaceful place where we can hire exceptional people, where the laws
support investing for the long term, where we can operate in ways that protect the
environment and support local communities and where government supports our
investment with actions that are fair, transparent and fast.”

The investment hopes to break into the estimated 247 million tonnes of ore with
some of the highest grade of copper found throughout the world. The quality of
copper will be vital in providing batteries which can be used in renewable energy and
electric vehicles. It is estimated that the global copper industry will need $100 billion
worth of investment to meet its current demand by 2030. This presents a key
opportunity for Zambia to enable mining profits as well as power inclusive growth.

These investments as a whole will have a multitude of positive multiplier effects on
almost all aspects of Zambia economy, leading to more benefits to Zambians.
Through the New Dawn government’s reformed tax system, the more companies
that invest into Zambia the more revenue that can be collected. As this increases
more government spending can be allocated towards infrastructure such as roads,
healthcare and schools.

Outside of increased government revenue, high levels of international and domestic
investment will see business capacity increase, resulting in higher employment
opportunities, arming Zambians throughout the country with high-quality working
prospects.

The US-Africa Leaders’ Summit also represented a pivotal moment for African
leaders to meet and discuss global issues. Speaking about the KoBold investment,
President Hakainde Hichilema made it clear that international cooperation is key as
the world faces a myriad of uncertainties. “This investment today is not [just] about
Kobold and ZCCM, it’s not about Zambia,” he said. “It’s about all these and the rest
of the world as we grapple with climate change issues, as we grapple with replacing
climate damaging fuels with green fuels, and therefore electric vehicles, very, very
important to us.”

Looking ahead to 2023,the World Economic Forum meets in Davos this week,
presenting Zambia with another opportunity to market itself on the world stage. The
event will host over 2,700 leaders from government, business and civil society,
meeting to discuss topics, ranging from agriculture to the conflict in Ukraine, to digital
infrastructure.

Zambia will be represented by Finance Minister Situmbeko Musokotwane, who will
be looking to advance relationships with international partners, as well as
representatives from the private sector to further boost sustainable investment into
Zambia and advance our country’s reputation as a premier location to do business
on the African continent. Last week, the World Economic Forum published an article

outlining that even in the face of global economic uncertainty more businesses than
ever are looking to emerging economies, such as Zambia, to meet their ambitious
business plans. This is exactly why Zambia should be putting itself in front and
centre to welcome more foreign investments, leading to tangible benefits for
Zambians throughout the country.

Promoting investment is key to the work we do at Zambia Is Back. We work
alongside the New Dawn government and the Zambia Development Agency to
connect Zambian businesses with investors from around the world to make it easier
than ever to do business in Zambia.

Now is the time to invest in our nation and we are excited to meet with more
businesses to unlock Zambia’s potential. This year marks a new chapter in Zambia’s
history and we are looking forward to seeing what is in store for businesses over the
next few months and helping to coordinate investments that promote all aspects of
our economy and its communities.

If you are interested in investing or want to find out more, head to our website,
www.zambiaisback.com.

By Mwizenge S. Tembo, Ph. D. Emeritus Professor of Sociology

“In my humble view, this book, Satisfying Zambian Hunger for Culture, fulfills the desire for understanding and appreciating our Zambian and African culture among my fellow citizens and non-Zambians whether they live here in Zambia or abroad in the diaspora”. —–President Kenneth Kaunda, p.12

Mr. James Mwape invited me to be a guest for two hours on his internet broadcast “Brain Drain Blog Talk Radio” in the State of New Jersey in the United States of America. The internet audience was about twenty thousand Zambians and those in the Zambian diaspora. I was a guest on 21st November 2009. I addressed “Immigration, Assimilation, Cultural traditions”. So many listeners called in with many questions.

I was a guest on Mr. Mwape’s “Brain Drain Blog Talk Radio” at least four times when I realized something disappointing and shocking: many Zambians especially in the diaspora did not know about our Zambian culture and indigenous technology. Virtually all the listeners were expressing a deep frustration and hunger for knowledge about Zambian culture and indigenous technology. To cut a long story short, this is why and how I decided to write and self-publish the book: “Satisfying Zambian Hunger for Culture”. The book was written in such a way that the vast majority of the 17 million Zambians with some good education would be able to read it.

The first nine of the seventeen chapters of the book describe our history of traditional Zambian culture and technology. The second eight chapters describe how Zambians, or you the Zambian reader can improve your life by applying or using the Zambian culture and technology in your life today. Ms Ruth Mugala and Ms. Claire Miti are two Zambian women who wrote Chapter two: “How girls and women are raised and their roles in traditional and modern Zambia.” Mr. James Mwape and I co-wrote Chapter six: “The role and influence of traditional dances among Zambians.”

The book’s seventeen chapters include: “The significance of identity, names, and naming customs in Zambian culture”, “Zambian traditional foods, nshima meals, eating customs and habits”, “The role of traditional medicine and healing among Zambians”, “The role and influence of religion and Christianity, witchcraft and spirituality among Zambians using some real life examples”, “How Zambians ruled and governed themselves in traditional and modern Zambia”, “How boys and men are raised and their roles in traditional, modern Zambia, and abroad in the Zambian Diaspora”, “How Zambians should adapt to traditional foods, nshima meals, eating customs, habits, and modern foods and eating styles,” “The evolution of government and multiparty democracy in modern Zambia from 1964 to 1991”, and “The challenges of life as a citizen and descendant of Zambia and global world”.

When the book was published in 2012, I had an opportunity and was honored to present a copy to President Kaunda who had graciously written the foreword. I called the State House and was in the process of arranging to present a copy to President Sata when I ran out of time and had to return to the United States. President Sata soon passed away. The book is so important that I was planning to ask President Sata to present a copy to each of his cabinet ministers. The book is so important that members of the NGO community, 17 million Zambians, teachers, lecturers, and students from the more than 30 Universities in Zambia should use it for teaching, learning, and writing papers in colleges and universities, about Zambian culture and indigenous technology in the global world.

Dr. Emeka Enweluzor, Nigerian Mechanical Engineer in the United Kingdom said about the book: “I recommend the chapters on raising boys and men and girls and women for counsellors, social work practitioners and international agency workers/NGOs who work in orphanages.”

The biggest question from the Zambian readers might be how is this book a gift when it is not free to every Zambian? There are internet scams and so much corruption today. Isn’t this Tembo man creating a clever publicity scheme in which he will sell millions of books fraudulently to make personal profit and become a rich millionaire? If it is an important gift to Zambians, why haven’t you heard about it? Why is this book not available at every corner bookstore right now in Zambia for free or at least at a very cheap price? These and numerous skeptical questions are legitimate. I will try to answer them as candidly as I can. If you do not believe me as a fellow Zambian, so let it be.

When I completed my Ph. D. in 1987 in the United States, I returned to work in Zambia at the University of Zambia and Institute of African Studies. The Zambian people had paid for my education from 1964 to 1987. My poor rural parents with 9 children would not have been able to pay for my education. I dedicated my life to try to help and thank my fellow Zambians in any way I could. I have a record of participating and being a leader in public service volunteer organizations in Zambia for the last 54 years. When I discovered to my alarm in 2009 that there was not one good source of knowledge about Zambian culture and indigenous technology, I chose to write the book over three years while working full time.

Numerous other people helped that I acknowledge in the book. There is only so much I can do as an individual to bring this gift back home to the Zambian people. I am not wealthy. To preempt any wild speculations, I have earned nothing from the book. The book is seven thousand and five hundred miles or twelve thousand kilometers away in the United States. Many copies of this gift need to be brought back to Zambia where the majority of the intended consumers live. This is where I will need your help.

Tell everyone about it including family, friends, students, teachers, and lecturers at universities and colleges. If you have contacts with President Hakainde Hichilema and his cabinet ministers, ask them to get a copy of the book. It is the best book ever for every Zambian that you may not have heard of that needs to be brought home to read and use. Ask your nearest bookstore for the book. Maybe ask to make a down payment to the bookstore before they order the book for you.