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NFF Rejects Draft Copyright Bill, Warns of State Control Over Artists’ Rights

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By Francis Maingaila Lusaka, Zambia24  --- (February 3, 2026) — The National Freedom Front (NFF) has rejected the Draft Copyright and Related Rights Bill, 2025, saying the proposed law weakens artists’ ownership rights and places excessive control of creative works in the hands of the State. Mulenga Tembo, Chairperson for Mobilization, told Zambia24 that although the Bill is presented as a modernisation of Zambia’s copyright framework, it undermines the fundamental principle of copyright law — the exclusive ownership of creative works by their creators. Tembo said the Bill’s provisions on collective management, particularly those in Part VII, propose the creation of a Rights Management Society of Zambia under extensive oversight by the Patents and Companies Registration Agency (PACRA) and State-appointed structures, shifting licensing, royalty collection, and distribution powers away from artists. He said the arrangement effectively turns regulation into State control and risks undermi...
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Voters Should Drive Election Coverage

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Trainer calls for reporting rooted in local realities and rights By Francis Maingaila ♥️  Lusaka, Zambia (03-02-2026) — Election reporting should be grounded in voters’ daily realities, stressing that the media has a responsibility to amplify the voices of ordinary people while holding political parties and candidates accountable to the electorate, media practitioners have been told ahead of the polls. Media trainer Gregory Gondwe told journalists during the election reporting for journalists training themed “Voter-Centred Election Reporting: AI and Accountability,” held at Melsim Lodge in Lusaka, that journalists play a critical role in informing citizens about political parties, candidates and electoral processes, while also exposing irregularities that undermine democratic participation. He said election coverage must go beyond campaign promises and political rhetoric, focusing instead on issues that directly affect voters, such as safety at polling stations, access to voter registe...
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CCPC Fines Dominant Firms

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Regulator cracks down on market abuse as investment approvals hit record K17.6bn By Francis Maingaila ♥️  Lusaka, Zambia24 (02 February 2026) – The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) has fined dominant firms for abusing their market position, marking a major enforcement breakthrough in 2025, while approving a record K17.6 billion in investment deals, CCPC Executive Director Eunice Phiri Hamavhwa said. Hamavhwa told journalists at a media briefing that the penalties reflect a shift toward stronger enforcement against anti-competitive conduct, even as the Commission recorded its highest-ever value of approved mergers and acquisitions. She said the Commission intensified oversight to ensure businesses followed fair competition principles.  In 2025, the CCPC handled 103 mergers, almost matching 2024, with a total investment value of K17.6 billion and 1,191 jobs created or preserved. According to Hamavhwa, major activity occurred in manufacturing, mining, services, agricu...
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Kasama Victory Celebrated

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GODAZA hails the outcome as a boost to Zambia’s democratic credibility ahead of national polls By Francis Maingaila ♥️  Lusaka, Zambia24--(1-02-2026) -- Governance and Development Advocates Zambia (GODAZA) has celebrated the UPND’s victory in the Kasama Mayoral by-election, describing it as a positive step for Zambia’s democracy, GODAZA Executive Director Elias Mulenga said on Sunday. Mulenga also commended President Hakainde Hichilema for assuring that the upcoming 13th August 2026 elections will be credible, peaceful, and transparent. He said the President’s commitment strengthens Zambia’s democratic credentials and promotes national unity. “Credible elections are the foundation of stable governance,” Mulenga said. He added that transparent processes build citizens’ confidence in the electoral system and state institutions. Mulenga called on political parties and civil society to support integrity in the electoral process. He stressed that assurances must be backed by practical measu...
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2025 Voter Registration Drive

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The CCMG report noted massive progress was made, but structural gaps that need to be resolved still persist By Francis Maingaila ♥️ Lusaka, Zambia24 — (January 30, 2026) — The Christian Churches Monitoring Group (CCMG) has found that Zambia’s 2025 Mobile Mass Voter Registration Exercise recorded notable improvements but also exposed serious structural and operational gaps that could affect inclusive participation ahead of the 2026 General Election. The findings are contained in CCMG’s final voter registration observation report titled From Queue to Register, which was launched in Lusaka on Friday and presents an independent assessment of the registration process conducted across all six phases in all ten provinces. Rev. Kasungami Evangelical Fellowship of Zambia (EFZ) Executive Rev. Allan Kasungami, speaking on behalf of CCMG Chairperson Fr. Francis Mukusa, told stakeholders that CCMG deployed trained and accredited observers throughout the entire voter registration period to independe...
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MESSI Targets 2 Million Trees

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Initiative completes Mwembeshi prison planting, sets two-year climate goal By Francis Maingaila ♥️  Lusaka, Zambia24 — (Thursday, January 29), 2026 — The Mupapa Environmental and Social Sustainability Initiative (MESSI) on Thursday completed the planting of at least 2,500 trees at Mwembeshi Open Air Prison, as the organisation announced an ambitious plan to plant two million trees across Zambia within the next two years in a major push to combat deforestation, restore degraded land and strengthen climate resilience. The tree-planting exercise, conducted in partnership with prison authorities and community stakeholders, forms part of MESSI’s broader environmental strategy aimed at addressing the rapid loss of forest cover while promoting rehabilitation, environmental stewardship and sustainable land use in public institutions. Speaking during the exercise, MESSI Director Ruth Chande Ironside said the Mwembeshi activity was both symbolic and practical, demonstrating how environmental res...
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Zambia Leads Renewable Energy Push

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Preparations for ZARACON 2026 highlight investment, research, and partnerships to drive the country’s energy transition By Francis Maingaila ♥️ Lusaka, Zambia24 --- (28-01-2026) – Zambia is positioning itself to lead a practical, investment-driven renewable energy transition through strong partnerships, credible research, and decisive action, as preparations for the Zambia Annual Renewable Energy Conference (ZARACON) 2026 were officially launched in Lusaka Tuesday. Speaking on behalf of Energy Minister Makozo Chikote, Ministry of Energy Director Brian Mainza said Zambia’s heavy dependence on hydropower has left the country vulnerable to climate-induced shocks, particularly prolonged droughts, making energy diversification an urgent national priority. Mainza explained that the government has introduced key reforms, including tariff adjustments and the open access regime, to attract private sector participation.  He stressed that energy security could not be achieved without sustained in...
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