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SUICIDE IS PREVENTABLE

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SWALA PILU calls for collective action as Zambia commemorates World Suicide Prevention Day By Francis Maingaila ♥️  Lusaka, Zambia24 — September 10, 2026 — Swala Pilu has called for concerted national action to prevent suicide, urging communities to create safe and supportive environments where people can openly discuss their struggles and seek help, as Zambia joins the rest of the world in commemorating World Suicide Prevention Day and remembering people who have lost their lives. Swala Pilu Chief Executive Officer Mary Kufanga said suicide is preventable and that timely support can save lives, particularly as many people face difficult circumstances such as financial difficulties, relationship challenges, family problems, unemployment and stress that can affect their mental well-being. “As an NGO dedicated to suicide prevention and mental health advocacy, Swala Pilu will continue raising awareness and working with communities to address the growing challenge of suicide in our ...
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ZAM PUSHES LOCAL VALUE ADDITION

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ZAMBIA SUGAR’S K350,000 SUPPORT BOLSTERS MANUFACTURERS’ MONTH AS ZAM CALLS FOR STRONGER AGRO-PROCESSING, LOCAL SUPPLY CHAINS AND INDUSTRIAL GROWTH By Francis Maingaila ♥️  Lusaka, Zambia24 — 9/09/2026 -- The Zambia Association of Manufacturers (ZAM) has welcomed a K350,000 sponsorship from Zambia Sugar Plc towards the 16th Manufacturers’ Month, describing the partnership as an important step towards strengthening local value addition, agro-processing and industrialisation. Speaking at the cheque handover, ZAM Board Trustee Peter Cottan said agro-processing must be placed at the centre of Zambia’s industrial development because it creates opportunities for manufacturing, employment and stronger local supply chains. "Agriculture should be seen not merely as a source of raw materials, but as a foundation for building competitive manufacturing industries, creating jobs and expanding productive capacity," Cottan stated. He cited Zambia Sugar as an example of how processing agricul...
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AIPAC WANTS DEPUTY MINISTERS BACK

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Think-tank says absence of deputies is hurting service delivery, calls for Chiefs Affairs ministry to be restored By Francis Maingaila ♥️  LUSAKA, September 9, 2026 — The Acton Institute for Policy Analysis Centre (AIPAC) has called for the urgent return of Deputy Ministers, arguing that their absence is making it harder for Cabinet Ministers to manage government and deliver services effectively. AIPAC Executive Director Solomon Ngoma said the organisation’s research had found that the lack of Deputy Ministers had weakened governance and placed an added burden on Cabinet Ministers, who were expected to handle increasingly demanding portfolios. Mr Ngoma said Zambia and Kenya remained the only countries in Africa without Deputy Ministers, arguing that Zambia should reconsider a governance model it had adopted from Kenya. He said Kenya introduced the model through its 2010 constitutional reforms and warned against importing governance structures without first considering whether they suit...
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‘PUBLIC SAFETY IS NON-NEGOTIABLE’

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ZASAA chief calls for urgent action after traders are filmed operating beside active railway line at Kamwala Market By Francis Maingaila ♥️ Lusaka, Zambia24 — 9-09-2026 --  The Zambia Safety Awards for Excellence (ZASAA) has called for urgent action after a viral video showed informal traders operating dangerously close to an active railway line at Kamwala Market. ZASAA founder and chief executive officer Hellen Mwamba said the situation was a serious public safety concern, warning that railway corridors should not be used as trading spaces. “We are deeply concerned because railway corridors are not trading spaces,” Mwamba said. She said protecting people’s livelihoods should not come at the expense of their safety, particularly where preventable risks were involved. “Protecting livelihoods must never mean accepting conditions that expose people to preventable risks,” she said. Mwamba called for the immediate enforcement of existing restrictions, saying authorities should act ...
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SMES URGED TO TAP GROWTH

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Chiwala says small businesses should stop looking only at buying and selling and seize opportunities in mining, value addition and digital business By Francis Maingaila ♥️ Lusaka, Zambia24  - 8-09-2026 -- Marketing expert has urged small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to take advantage of opportunities emerging from the Government’s economic growth agenda instead of limiting themselves to traditional trading activities. James Chiwala told Zambia24 that SMEs have a big role to play in growing the economy, but need to look beyond the usual buying and selling if they are to benefit from the opportunities opening up in the country. Mr Chiwala said SMEs make up about 97 percent of businesses operating in Zambia and therefore cannot be left out of the country’s efforts to grow the economy. He said the implementation of the Local Content Act had opened up space for Zambian businesses, particularly in the mining sector. According to Mr Chiwala, SMEs can supply goods and services to minin...
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ZAMBIA POSTS MAJOR GAINS IN PISA 2025

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The country records sharp improvements in reading and science as OECD says Zambia has a strong foundation to build on By Francis Maingaila ♥️ Lusaka, Zambia24  -- 8-09-2026 -- Zambia has recorded major gains in the 2025 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), with learners showing marked improvements in reading, mathematics and science compared with the country’s previous performance. The results point to a significant shift for Zambia, which in the past struggled to keep pace with other participating countries. Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Dr Kelvin Mambwe, has challenged policymakers and other stakeholders to make practical use of the findings instead of allowing the report to gather dust on shelves. Dr Mambwe said the results should help the country determine whether the investments and reforms being made in education are translating into better learning outcomes. He said Zambia’s participation in PISA was about generating evidence on where...
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PISA RESULTS TO TEST ZAMBIA’S EDUCATION INVESTMENTS

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OECD and ECZ say assessment will show whether education reforms and investment are improving learning outcomes By Francis Maingaila ♥️  Lusaka, Zambia24  -- 07-09-2026 -- ZAMBIA is tomorrow expected to get a clearer picture of how its 15-year-old learners are performing when the OECD releases the 2025 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) results. The results will be released on September 8, 2026, at 09:30 Paris time. But for the Examinations Council of Zambia (ECZ), the results are not simply about finding out where Zambia stands on an international ranking. Dr Shadreck Nkoya, ECZ Director of Research, Planning and Information, said Zambia joined PISA to learn from other education systems and identify policies that could improve learning outcomes. He said Zambia was not taking part simply to compete with countries such as China, the United Kingdom, the United States, Finland and Singapore. “We want to understand what they are doing differently and see what we ca...
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