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Act on Disability Rights now

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... African Disab i l i t y prptocal advocates urge urgent ratification across the r e g i o n By Francis Maingaila ♥️ Lusaka, Zambia24 -- (March 25, 2026 ) – The Disabled Women in Africa (DIWA) network is calling on governments across the continent, including Zambia, to urgently ratify and domesticate the African Disability Protocol (ADP), warning that continued delays are prolonging discrimination and exclusion for persons with disabilities, especially women and girls. Ruth Mkutumula, Executive Director of DIWA, told journalists at the media briefing that the African Disability Protocol is a crucial framework for protecting the rights of all persons with disabilities, with a particular focus on women and girls. Mkutumula explained that women and girls with disabilities face serious challenges across the region. She said these include ritual attacks on women with albinism, denial of education for girls with physical disabilities, and discrimination in healthcare. Mkutumula ad...
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Industrial-Scale Defections Loom

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...As Clement Tembo Breaks ties with PF, Signals 2026 Endorsement By Francis Maingaila ♥️  Lusaka , Zambia24 – (25-03-2026) -- Former Presidential Empowerment Initiative Fund National Coordinator Clement Tembo has resigned from the Patriotic Front (PF), warning of major political shifts ahead of the 2026 general elections and signalling that he will soon endorse a presidential candidate backed by what he described as “well-organised grassroots structures.” Tembo, who is aspiring to contest the Kabwata parliamentary seat, said his decision to leave PF and relinquish his position as Lusaka Province Vice Secretary was both “timely and lawful,” adding that it clears his path to participate in the upcoming elections. He accused the former ruling party of abandoning its founding pro-poor ideology, arguing that it had shifted from serving ordinary citizens to benefiting a small group of elites within its leadership. “The PF was built on the strength of the grassroots, but over time that v...
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Industrial Harmony at Risk

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... UNZA Staff unions not only warn government and key authorities to resolve delayed payments and benefits or face industrial action but also set deadlines on longstanding issues. By Francis Maingaila  Lusaka, Zambia24  -- (24-03-2026) -- Two unions at the University of Zambia — the University of Zambia Professional Staff Union (UNZAPROSU) and the University of Zambia and Allied Workers Union (UNZAWU)— have warned that industrial harmony at UNZA is at risk if the government and relevant authorities fail to resolve longstanding issues within set timelines. Likezo Pumulo, president of UNZAPROSU, said the delayed release of negotiation parameters by the Emoluments Commission has stalled 2026 collective bargaining talks. Under Section 69 (1)(a) of the Industrial and Labour Relations Act, negotiations should begin three months before the expiry of existing agreements, but talks for 2026 have not started even three months after the 2025 agreements lapsed. “The delay is a blatant disregard o...
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ZTA Charts Tourism Expansion

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... Government and private sector unite for strategic planning, targeting 3 million international visitors and boosting tourism and jobs toward a $1B goal By Francis Maingaila ♥️ Lusaka, Zambia24 – 23 March 2026 – Zambia is intensifying efforts to grow its tourism sector, targeting 3 million international visitors and a $1 billion industry , with the Zambia Tourism Agency (ZTA) leading preparations for the Zambia Travel Expo (ZATEX) 2026 , a strategic platform designed to connect investors, buyers, local operators, and government institutions to foster partnerships, showcase authentic tourism experiences, and generate real business opportunities. At the media launch held at Sarovar Hotel in Lusaka , Minister of Tourism Rodney Sikumba highlighted tourism as a key driver of economic transformation , capable of creating jobs, attracting investment, and boosting foreign exchange earnings. “Tourism must benefit communities directly. People need to see how investments translate into ...
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Stay Non-Aligned

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Mwanza urges Zambia to engage both China and Western partners on equal terms while protecting sovereignty and national development. By Francis Maingaila Lusaka, Zambia24 -- (22-03-2026) -- The Zambian Civil Liberties Union (ZCLU) has urged Zambia to adopt a non-aligned, strategic, and self-confident approach that ensures a level playing field for all investors while strengthening regulation, transparency, and local participation in the economy as global powers intensify competition over the country’s critical minerals. ZCLU Executive Director Isaac Mwanza told Zambia24 that the ongoing debate around the proposed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Zambia and the should be used as an opportunity to redefine how Zambia engages foreign partners, rather than reducing it to a narrow political contest. “The issue is bigger than the MoU itself. It reflects shifting global power dynamics where Zambia has become a strategic arena, but it must act with agency,” Mwanza said. He stress...
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Protect Forests, Secure Food

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MESSI says conservation is critical for sustainable agriculture, linking trees to food systems, urging a shift from destructive charcoal practices, and warning environmental damage hurts livelihoods. By Francis Maingaila ♥️  Lusaka, Zambia24 — (21-03-2026) -- The Mupapa Environmental and Social Sustainability Initiative (MESSI) has called on Zambians to protect forests, plant more trees, and take collective responsibility for safeguarding the environment, fighting climate change, and securing the country’s food systems, stressing that forest conservation is essential for sustainable agriculture, food security, climate resilience, and the livelihoods of present and future generations. MESSI Founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Ruth Chande Ironside, said a healthy environment is fundamental to a healthy economy and national food security.  She highlighted that forests are more than just trees; they support agriculture, provide food, regulate climate, and generate economic opportuni...
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NGOCC Slams Misogyny

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Mbewe-Anamela Warns of rising attacks on women leaders By Francis Maingaila Lusaka, Zambia24, --- (March 20, 2026) — The (NGOCC) has slammed what it describes as rising misogyny targeting women leaders, warning that such attacks threaten democratic values and undermine women’s participation in governance. NGOCC Executive Director Anne Mbewe-Anamela told Zambia24 that the organisation is deeply concerned by repeated disparaging remarks directed at female leaders, citing recent public commentary by Mwewa Chitambala as an example of the trend. The organisation said the remarks reflect a pattern of questioning women’s competence based on gender stereotypes rather than merit, describing the rhetoric as “regressive” and harmful to national development. “We firmly believe that the progress of our great nation depends on the full and respectful involvement of all Zambian citizens,” NGOCC stated.  “When women in positions of responsibility are subjected to demeaning commentary about their tempe...
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