Government has launched the Presidential Irrigation Initiative (PII), stating it is not only a response to climate viability and drought but also a strategic measure aimed at guaranteeing food security.

Lusaka Province Permanent Secretary, Joe Kalusa said this during the launch at Thorn Park Primary School, in Lusaka today, indicating that 33 schools and colleges in the province have been selected to pioneer the programme, which aims to strengthen food security, through irrigation- based agriculture.

He cautioned that no school in Lusaka should fail, given the care taken in selecting schools for the programme, saying government has committed substantial funding, training and technical support to ensure the programme succeeds.

Mr Kalusa said the initiative is expected to transform schools into centres of production, innovation and practical learning, while equipping learners with skills in climate-smart agriculture, water management and food systems management.

He indicated that the performance of the first group of schools would determine the programme’s expansion, urging education authorities and communities to take ownership of the project.

“There should be no school that fails in Lusaka because government has taken care in selecting these institutions, training will be provided and significant resources will be allocated to each school,” he said.

And Provincial Education Officer, Terry Changwae said the Ministry of Education  was ready to contribute towards the province’s target of producing 350,000 metric tonnes of maize by 2031, through school production units.

“When there’s a directive from our President that by 2031 the province has to produce 350,000 metric tonnes of maize, then we are saying as education, we need to be part of that and we are ready through our production units,” Mr Changwae said.

Meanwhile, Provincial Agriculture Coordinator, James Mwale said despite the challenges posed by climate change, Lusaka Province had made a contribution to the country’s maize harvest and was optimistic that irrigation initiatives would further increase production.

“We have challenges which we have been facing, issues of climate which are affecting us as a nation. Through the Ministry of Agriculture, Lusaka Province has also contributed significantly by producing 140,000 tonnes of maize, which is a major contribution to this year’s harvest,” Mr Mwale said.

Kafue District Education Board Secretary, Levy Matongo expressed gratitude for government’s continued commitment to strengthening agriculture, saying the programme would help improve food security and enhance livelihoods.

LUSAKA: Zambia’s national power utility, ZESCO, has assured the country that nationwide load management is not expected to resume this year or in the foreseeable future, pointing to meaningful improvements in electricity generation and sustained investment across the power sector as the foundation of a more stable supply outlook.

ZESCO Managing Director Justin Loongo said the country’s electricity supply situation has stabilised following a series of targeted interventions aimed at strengthening generation capacity and improving the reliability of the national grid. He attributed the improved outlook to increased output from hydro, thermal and solar power sources, as well as deepened partnerships with Independent Power Producers and Independent Power Traders, which have collectively enhanced the resilience of Zambia’s electricity system relative to previous years.

Mr. Loongo said the combined effect of these measures would support a consistent and dependable power supply for households, businesses, mines, industries and other key sectors of the economy that depend on reliable electricity to function.

He did, however, caution that isolated outages may still occur in certain areas as a result of vandalism of critical electricity infrastructure or localised network faults, emphasising that such disruptions remain distinct from the structured, nationwide load management that characterised previous periods of power deficit. He urged the public to report unplanned outages, suspicious activities, vandalism and any damaged electrical infrastructure through ZESCO’s customer service platforms and offices across the country.

In a separate announcement, Mr. Loongo revealed that ZESCO will next week conduct a media tour of selected power generation facilities in Maamba, Livingstone and surrounding areas. The tour, he said, forms part of the utility’s broader effort to maintain transparency and keep the public informed about developments in the energy sector. It will include visits to ZESCO-owned generation plants as well as partner-operated thermal power stations, offering first-hand insight into the measures being undertaken to secure and sustain the country’s electricity supply.

Mr. Loongo reaffirmed ZESCO’s commitment to improving service delivery and maintaining open and regular communication with its customers and stakeholders as the utility continues to work towards a more reliable national power system.

Solwezi-based Youth Activist, Asa Lukamata has called on young people to refrain from selling their voters’ cards, describing the practice as equivalent to selling their democratic rights to vote.

Mr Lukamata says voter cards should not be exchanged for money, as doing so compromises citizens’ ability to influence governance through the electoral process.

“Once youths or any citizen sell their voter cards, even if it is for five hundred thousand kwacha, the money will eventually finish. However, when they vote, their choice contributes to a governance system that will serve them for five years,” Mr Lukamata said.

“Young people and the citizens of Zambia should not be used as tools of political violence,” he said.

Mr Lukamata further said the destruction of political campaign materials and Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) voter education materials constitutes electoral violence and should not be tolerated.

“It is saddening that some people have even resorted to destroying election education materials which are meant to educate citizens on how to vote,” he said.

Mr Lukamata urged all stakeholders to promote peaceful participation in the electoral process and respect voter education initiatives.

Police in Northern Province have opened investigations into a suspected defilement case involving a 12-year-old girl of Mporokoso District.

Northern Province Police Commanding Officer Simunji Mulonda says the alleged defilement occurred on June 7, 2026 at about 19:00 hours in a village within Chief Mumporokoso’s Chiefdom, in Mporokoso District.

Mr Mulonda disclosed that the matter was reported to police on June 8, 2026 by a concerned teacher following the disclosure by the victim that she was defiled.

Mr Mulonda told the media that preliminary information indicates that the victim exhibited signs of distress while attending classes, therefore, prompting school authorities to engage her.

He added that after disclosing what happened, the matter was immediately reported to Mporokoso police for further action.

Mr Mulonda further added that during the incident the victim reportedly called for help hence causing the suspect to flee the scene.

He added that the victim was referred for medical examination and appropriate support services after which police opened a docket and launched investigations into the matter.

“No arrest has been made so far, and efforts to identify and apprehend the suspect are underway,” Mr Mulonda revealed.

He further expressed concern over the continued occurrence of sexual offences against children despite the existence of stringent legal sanctions.

 “I encourage members of the public to remain vigilant, promptly report suspected cases of abuse, and support efforts aimed at protecting children and ensuring offenders are brought to justice,” he said.

He has since called for a coordinated multi-sectoral approach involving families, communities, educational institutions, traditional leaders, faith-based organisations, civil society, and law enforcement agencies in strengthening child protection mechanisms and preventing such offences.

A youth in Solwezi District of North-Western Province says youths have a critical role to play in shaping the future of the country.

Speaking in an interview with to the media in Solwezi today, Henry Banda said as Zambia prepares for the general elections there is need for youths to positively contribute to having peaceful elections.

Mr Banda stated that youths have the potential to influence positive change by promoting peace and unity and coexisting despite having different political affiliations.

He expressed concern that the country has already started recording cases of political violence and called on youths to stop being used as tools of violence.

Mr Banda stated that political violence is retrogressive to the country, and called for concerted effort in engaging in constructive criticism during campaigns.

He called on Zambians, especially youths to join hands and reject all forms of political violence before, during and after the elections.

Mr Banda further appealed to youths to be ambassadors of peace by promoting harmony as the country heads towards elections.

The Department of Health Services in Nakonde District has restated its commitment to eliminating all preventable maternal deaths across the district.

The renewed emphasis follows an incident at Nakonde Urban Clinic where a pregnant woman with severe hypertension and edema initially declined referral to the district hospital during a routine antenatal visit.

The patient was later counseled alongside her husband and subsequently agreed to transfer to the district hospital for specialised care.

Nakonde Urban Clinic In-Charge Bievenue Kalambote stressed the importance of adhering to medical advice given during pregnancy.

“When expectant mothers ignore professional guidance, they expose themselves and their unborn babies to serious complications that can be avoided,” Mr Kalambote said.

Mr Kalambote added that conditions such as high blood pressure and swelling were warning signs that required immediate clinical assessment and treatment.

“Dangers in pregnancy can escalate quickly if left unmanaged, and timely intervention saves lives,” Mr Kalambote said.

He reaffirmed that achieving zero maternal mortality remained the guiding objective for all maternal and neonatal health services in the district.

And Nakonde Urban Clinic Nursing Officer Emily Chokolo has called on male partners to expectant women to participate actively in maternal health decisions.

Ms Chokolo noted that male involvement improves adherence to treatment plans and reduces delays in seeking emergency care.

“Men must accompany their spouses to antenatal visits, understand the risks, and support medical recommendations without hesitation,” Ms Chokolo said.

Zambia Consumers Association (ZACA) Executive Secretary, Juba Sakala has welcomed the reduction in the price of mealie meal, describing the move as a positive development for consumers.

Mr Sakala said maize meal remains a staple food for most Zambians and any reduction in its price, brings relief to households, especially in ensuring food security.

He however, expressed concern that the price reduction has not been uniformly implemented across all townships, urging that the development should benefit all consumers.

“The reduction of maize meal from K300 to about K220 in some areas is quite encouraging to most consumers. As we know maize meal is a staple food in Zambia, so if the staple food is affordable then we know that each and every Zambian at least will not go to bed hungry,” Mr Sakala said.

Mr Sakala urged that retail outlets in townships should also reflect the reduced prices to ensure that ordinary consumers directly benefit.

“So, we hope that this pronouncement will trickle down to the townships because these are the people who feel the pinch, they buy maize meal day in, day out. Whether in Pamela form, 1kg, so if the prices are just pronouncements, then that won’t help,” he said

He further called on millers and government to invest more in infrastructure that promotes value addition in the maize.

“Let’s see that we have outlets which are in the townships providing or selling those maize meals at that price that they have said, that will really help,” he said.

Mr Sakala said improving value addition in maize production could also encourage increased agricultural activity among farmers and reduce over-reliance on subsistence production.

He added that with proper infrastructure and deliberate policy support, more farmers could be encouraged to engage in maize production and related industries such as stock feed manufacturing.

“Besides that, we also want to urge millers and government let’s try at times to invest in infrastructure which will help us in value addition because most of the times maize is just not for feeding but we can also add value,” he said.