By Felix Nkinke

“I cannot partner with any of these taxi companies using Apps. They are not offering a fair deal to drivers,” said David Mwangala.

He added bluntly, “I am better off working as a pirate taxi man than joining these operators.”
Mr Mwangala, 55, has been a pirate taxi driver for most of his adult life.

Born and raised in the sprawling township of Bauleni, east of Lusaka, the father of five has crisscrossed the streets of Lusaka picking, and dropping off clients every day.

“That has been my life. I have worked for different car owners, but this far the money I make is enough to support my family and send my children to school,” a smiling Mr Mwangala said.

He continued that though it has been challenging working under his terms on meeting the weekly cashing target, it is better than the incentives being offered by ride-hailing operators.

However, some taxi drivers have a different view regarding the ride-hailing business. While they agree that ride-hailing operators are offering drivers a raw deal, they note that the new taxi business is better.
Many taxi drivers have embraced the rapidly growing App taxi business that has arrived in the country through technological innovation.

“This business is not new in Zambia,” said Drivern Taxis executive director Joseph Chikota, who is seemingly the pioneer of the ride-hailing business in Zambia

Driven Taxis introduced its App on the Zambian taxi market in early 2010 but fizzled out less than two years in operation.
“We used to run our taxis called London Taxis. There was a prominent feature around hotels and the international airport,” disclosed Mr Chikota.

Now, that the ride-hailing business has grown some players have entered the market.

A couple of months ago, Yango Taxi rolled out its App joining local operator Ulendo which has been in operation for over five years now.

The growing number of Taxi App operators is a testament that Zambia has potential for the ride-hailing business.
“Yes, there is potential for ride-hailing in Zambia because it is a new industry in the transport sector. One that has brought a lot of benefits to passengers and drivers,” agrees Mr Chikota.

During the launch in Lusaka, General Manager for Yango in Africa Adeniyi Adebayo also acknowledged that Zambia’s ride-hailing industry is destined to rapidly grow.

“Zambia has a growing, actively developing economy and there is a high demand for a modern ride-hailing service. We are convinced that people in Zambia will appreciate the ride-hailing service,” Mr Adebayo said.

The new industry already boasts of players like local startup Ulendo, Kenyan taxi-hailing App Little Cab, Tukuya taxi, which launched a couple of months ago, and Taxmania Taxi, soon to launch an App.

Ride-hailing taxi is a new transport subsector in Zambia quickly catching the attention of taxi hire enthusiasts in most cities and rural areas across the country.

“I am impressed with the coming of these taxi App operators. They are doing a great service. One doesn’t need to walk a distance to hire a taxi. You just download the App and you are good to go,” said Racheal Chiyokuma, a Lusaka resident.
Indeed, ride-hailing has quickly become very popular in Zambia.

The service refers to an act when a customer orders a customised ride online usually using a smartphone application, in essence, it is similar to a taxi service.

The customer orders the ride from a ride-hailing platform, a third party that mediates the service between the driver and the passenger.

“The way this service works is simple,” explains Olson Hatembo a ride-hailing taxi driver with Yango.
Mr Hatembo also explained that the drivers, or partners as they are referred to by some App operators, are the main actors and should be the key beneficially.

“We are at the centre of the entire business process. Without us, the App operators wouldn’t make money,” he said.
He further explained that the drivers provide the cars used.

“All we do is to register with the App service provider and download the App onto the smartphone. Then we are good to go. The payment is charged automatically and the income is shared between the mediator and us the drivers.

“We get a commission based on the amount of money one has made,” he said.

While some drivers have welcomed the App system in terms of doing business others have cited unfair trade practices by App service providers, especially with commission rates and payouts.

All the drivers have one unified position concerning the rider-hailing business. What they are paid from the signed agreements with the App service providers is not enough.

Most agree that the drivers, who are the owners of the cars used for hire, get a small percentage of the income generated.
“There is a raw deal here. Despite us being the owners of the cars, service providers get something between 10 to 15 per cent. This is also beside us using our fuel,” said Fred Mwela, Taxi App driver.

These sentiments are shared by many ride-hailing taxi drivers in the country.

They argue that App service providers are riding on their backs while getting the lion’s share of the cash.

They further say drivers have to contend with car maintenance and fuel costs yet they get a share of the cake not proportional to their input.

Recently, a meeting of Ulendo drivers was convened in Lusaka to hear their concerns following mounting competitive pressure being exerted by the arrival of other players on the market.

Insiders disclosed that at that meeting, drivers sought deliberations on several burning issues to even the playing field.
Most drivers across all ride-hailing service operators speak one voice regarding certain issues seen to be fuelling the unfair pacts between operators and drivers.

“Drivern Taxis is now back in Zambia,” said Mr Chikota, adding “We have looked at what is happening in the industry. We believe that drivers deserve more and that is our main objective.”

He added that under Drivern Taxis, the commission is pegged at five per cent, unlike other players whose rate oscillates between 10 to 15 per cent.

“We have also formed a cooperative for our drivers. Those that join us have the option to also become a member of the cooperative which has so many benefits,” the Drivern Director said.

He added that the ride-hailing business will impact positively on the taxi transport subsector and hoped the government will hastily address the bottlenecks around its smooth operation.

Mr Chikota pointed out that a lot of jobs, especially among the youth, have been created and the business has brought new taxi customers that would otherwise have never considered taking a cab.

A couple of weeks ago, Transport Minster Frank Tayali assured taxi App operators that the government will soon provide legislation on how the new industry would operate so that it contributes positively to development.

Concerns are being expressed that the current laws, which do not encourage ride-hailing in Zambia, might cause uncertainties regarding the future of the promising industry.

Chief Mpande of the Mambwe people of Senga Hill District in Northern Province has died.

Senga Hill District Commissioner, Jestus Sikazwe  confirmed the death of Chief Mpande in a telephone interview with ZANIS today.

Mr. Sikazwe said the traditional leader died at Maina Soko Military Hospital in Lusaka yesterday around 19:30 hours.

He explained that Chief Mpande who ascended to the throne in 2012 has died at the age of 73 years.

Chief Mpande whose name was Mathias Mpande was a minerals economist and served as a lecturer in the school of Mines at the University of Zambia.

Dr. Mpande also served as Deputy Minister of Mines and Mineral Resources as well as Deputy Minister of Education in the MMD government.

Livestock farmers in Chavuma district in North-western province have expressed worry over the spike in cases of livestock theft in the area.

The farmers are now calling on the police to work hand in hand with the farming community to formulate crime prevention measures, such as the introduction of neighbourhood watch and the use of technology to tackle thefts on farms.

After getting fed up with being targets for criminals, including thieves and scammers, Josephine Muloji and her fellow farmers are prepared to embrace modern methods to protect their traditional way of life.

Ms. Muloji, an elderly farmer in the district, suggested that farmers use social media and whatsApp groups to keep local farmers informed of any suspicious activity in the area.

“Rural crime is a worry for all farmers but I am especially concerned about elderly farmers like me in our community who are more vulnerable to these crimes.

“My advice to all farmers is to remain vigilant and to take any possible measures to improve on-farm security to deter these criminals.

Another farmer, Justin Chiteta lamented that rural crime has continued to wreak havoc on farms especially on the west bank, causing not only financial but emotional pressures on farming families.

“We have had ladders, tools, chickens, goats, etc. stolen and because we have no police station on the west bank, these thieves that are coming in now are taking advantage of the situation because back then we had fewer cases of theft now it has become common.

Our poor farmers for example from Nguvu west, for one to reach Chavuma centre takes the whole day walking and still if one reaches the town center, going to Chingi where the police station is located is very far. No wonder other farmers opt to report these cases to village headmen but little is done for them,” Mr. Chiteta said.

Meanwhile, Acting District Commissioner, Kenny Mungendenge has called on the victims to exercise patience as the government works tirelessly to ensure that their issue is addressed before the end of the year.

He said people in the district move more than 10 kilometers to seek police services at Chavuma police station which is located near the Zambia–Angola border post.

Mr. Mungendenge said the government is working towards relocating the police station to the central business district.

He added that there is a need to enhance police patrols through the Constituency Development funds (CDF) by constructing new police stations on the west bank.

“Police offices are far from the people. Development is in town and we need security unlike walking 10 kilometers to the border post for police services, therefore famers should exercise patience as the government strives to handle their issues soon”, Mr. Mungendenge said.

President Hakainde Hichilema is tomorrow expected in Kafue district where he is scheduled to commission the 150 million United States dollars Kafue Bulk Water Supply project.

Lusaka Province Permanent Secretary Robert Kamalata announced that the constructed water treatment and supply plant has improved water supply in Lusaka and Kafue districts.

He stated in an interview with ZANIS that the Kafue bulk water project came as a result of the ever-increasing population in the two districts which led to increased demand for water.

“This is evident of the government’s commitment to ensuring improved water supply to all citizens, ” he said.

Mr Kamalata said that the project is expected to add 46,000 households to the existing water and sewer network in the two districts.

He announced that President Hichilema is expected to arrive in Kafue at 10 hours after which he will pay a courtesy call on senior Nkhomeshya  Mukamambo  the second,  Chieftainess Chiawa  of the Goba people before commissioning the water project.

President Hichilema is expected to return to Lusaka after the scheduled programme.

A summit designed to facilitate access to capital financing for women led businesses and women Entrepreneurs will be held on August 3rd in Lusaka.
The summit will be convened under the theme ‘Prepare for the Next Level’, brings together women led companies, project promoters, Small and Medium Enterprises (SMES), investors and Financiers so as to enable female entrepreneurs overcome the perennial barriers of business scalability.

According to the World Bank, Sub-Saharan Africa has one of the highest rate of female entrepreneurship in the world, (~ 42 percent of the non-agricultural labor force classified as self-employed or employers), yet most entrepreneurs are unable to grow their businesses beyond small-scale subsistence operations.

Some of the challenges impeding women businesses from scaling include financing barriers and business readiness for bankability. Only about 5 percent of the venture capital funding goes to female led businesses in Africa.

“Achieving gender parity in business financing is key to achieving sustainable development on the continent” said Meklit Haile, one of Drive Africa’s co-Founder and summit organizers.
The program will attract participants from the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the Common Market for East and Southern Africa (COMESA). The Minister of Small and Medium and Enterprise Development, Honorable Elias Mpundu will be officiate the summit.

Some of the speakers represented at the summit will include Prospero Limited, the Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs, KPMG, Dazzle Angels, Premier Credit, Inside Capital Partners and many more prominent women entrepreneurs, investors, and advisors from Namibia, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe. A key objective of the summit is to help women led companies to move their companies towards investment readiness and bankability. The summit will also include a short master class session geared towards investors and entrepreneurs on topics such early-stage investing, angel investment, as well as gender investing. The Summit is organized by Drive Africa, an organization that serves as a global investment facilitation platform for African business, innovation, and entrepreneurship.

Copperbelt-based Good governance activist Peter Mulenga has called on the Government to consider reducing further value-added tax on petrol and diesel as way of cushioning prices of fuel.

The PF Government suspended value-added tax (VAT) on diesel and petrol in an effort to avert an expected price increase early last year.

Then Finance minister Bwalya Ng’andu signed a statutory instrument zero-rating petrol and diesel with effect from 1 January 2021.

The PF government had previously charged VAT of 16% on petroleum products.

Commenting on fuel pricing, Mr. Mulenga has observed that the continued increase in fuel prices seen in the last six months has remained a huge burden to many Zambians.

The activist said he was aware that the issue of high prices has not only affected Zambia but other nations globally.

“Please Reduce VAT on Fuel in the best interest of People’s Welfare.As fuel pump prices continue to rise across the globe, I am calling on the Government to consider reducing value-added tax (VAT) on petrol and diesel in the best interest of the Zambian people.I strongly feel that reducing value-added tax (VAT) on petrol and diesel will help to stabilize the cost of fuel pump prices in the country,” Mr. Mulenga said.

“In order to reduce the burden of rising petrol and diesel prices, the central government should reduce (further) cut fuel duty, the tax on each litre of diesel and petrol bought in Zambia.This development will equally increase the spirit of cooperative federalism.This is not criticism but a humble request to the Government through the Energy Regulation Board (ERB) to consider millions of Zambians affected by the rising fuel prices,” he said.

Mr. Mulenga said more efforts are needed from the government to ensure that fuel prices are stable in the country.

“Considering the cut for two years might ease the pressure families are facing as increased fuel prices has been pushing the cost of living up.I know that high fuel prices are not only rising in Zambia but the entire globe with the conflict between Russia and Ukraine compounding the situation. This situation has pushed pump prices up to unprecedented levels.Fuel remains the engine of the local economy as it borders on all spheres of business,” Mr. Mulenga said.

Meanwhile, Finance Minister Dr. Situmbeko Musokotwane in January 2022 extended the suspension of customs and excise duty on petroleum products.

In Statutory Instrument No.2 of 2022, dated 11th January 2022, the excise duty on petroleum and diesel remains suspended until 30th June 2022.

To prevent fuel increase, the previous PF government suspended the collection of these taxes(customs duty, excise duty, and VAT) by the Zambia Revenue Authority.