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DON’T USE UPND TO BLOCK CLEAN-UP

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Imenda backs Lusaka City Council street trading crackdown, says party members must support a clean and orderly CBD By Francis Maingaila ♥️ Lusaka, Zambia24 — 02-10-2026 — The ruling United Party for National Development (UPND) has distanced itself from people masquerading as its members while demonstrating against the planned removal of street vendors from undesignated trading areas in Lusaka’s central business district (CBD). UPND Secretary General Batuke Imenda told journalists at a press briefing in Lusaka that the party does not support street vending and disorder in areas such as Cairo Road, Cha Cha Cha Road and Freedom Way. Mr Imenda said those claiming to be UPND members while resisting the clean-up exercise do not represent the party’s position. “We would like to make it clear as a party that those people who are masquerading as members of our party, to the extent of demonstrating and putting on regalia, are not our members,” Mr Imenda said. He said belonging to the UPN...
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WONDERFUL GROUP GOES BIG

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Group steps up fertiliser, energy and skills investments as it backs Zambia’s drive to grow more food and cut reliance on imports By Francis Maingaila ♥️ Lusaka, Zambia24 — 01-10-2026 — Wonderful Group, through its component United Capital Fertilizer (UCF), is putting more money into fertiliser, energy and skills as it looks to play a bigger part in Zambia’s push to grow more food, create jobs and reduce the country’s dependence on imported inputs. For a country whose farmers have often had to look outside its borders for fertiliser, the group says it wants to see more of what Zambia needs being produced at home. Acting Board Chairperson Margaret Mudenda says the group is not prepared to sit back and wait for Zambia to hit its production targets before putting the necessary capacity in place. She said Wonderful Group was already contributing to several of the Government’s targets, including agriculture, energy, mining and agro-processing, through its various subsidiaries. “Our ...
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PASSENGERS FOIL PLANE CRASH

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Israel Embassy says Israeli passengers stormed cockpit and helped prevent suspected terror attack By Francis Maingaila ♥️ Lusaka, Zambia24 — 01-09-2026 — Israeli passengers aboard a Flydubai flight reportedly stormed the cockpit and overpowered a pilot after Israeli authorities said the pilot intended to crash the aircraft with everyone on board. According to the statement issued by the Embassy of Israel in Lusaka, the incident occurred aboard Flydubai Flight FZ 1630 travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv. In a statement issued by Ambassador of Israel to Zambia, Zimbabwe and Botswana Ofra Farhi, the Embassy said initial information available to Israeli authorities indicated that the incident was being assessed as an attempted jihadist terror attack targeting Israeli civilians, the United Arab Emirates and the spirit of the Abraham Accords. The Embassy said preliminary findings indicated that the pilot’s apparent intention was to crash the aircraft with all passengers on board. Israeli pass...
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CULTURAL GROUPS DRAW THE LINE ON MAKISHI

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Traditional associations warn of decisive action after Likishi is filmed fighting in Livingstone By Francis Maingaila ♥️ Lusaka, Zambia24 — 1 October 2026 — The five cultural associations representing traditional leaders and communities that practise Mukanda and Makishi have drawn the line on what they describe as the continued abuse of the sacred tradition in Livingstone. The associations have warned that decisive action will be taken after a video circulated on social media showing a Likishi involved in a physical fight in one of Livingstone’s compounds. Prince Brian Kambeu told journalists at a media briefing that the incident was among several cases of what the cultural associations consider abuse of Mukanda and Makishi, despite previous efforts by traditional leaders and the associations to stop the practice. Kambeu said physical confrontation was not part of Makishi culture and described the latest incident as an abomination that should not be allowed to continue. He said...
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BORROWING COSTS BEGIN TO EASE

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Kalyalya says lower inflation cuts benchmark rate to 10.75%, with loan rates expected to fall to about 22% By Francis Maingaila ♥️ Lusaka, Zambia24 — 30-09-2026 — The Bank of Zambia has cut its Monetary Policy Rate by 250 basis points to 10.75 per cent, a move that could bring some relief to people and businesses struggling with expensive loans. Bank of Zambia Governor Dr. Danny Kalyalya told journalists at a media briefing this morning that the decision was mainly driven by the lower inflation outcome and a better inflation outlook. Dr. Kalyalya said the benchmark rate had been reduced from 13.25 per cent to 10.75 per cent, with loan interest rates expected to fall to about 22 per cent. For a small business owner who has been putting off expansion because borrowing is too expensive, or a family already feeling the weight of monthly loan repayments, the reduction could eventually make borrowing less painful if commercial banks pass the lower rate on to their customers. Dr. Kaly...
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CLEAR THE STREETS, SAVE THE LIVELIHOODS

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Katungu urges council to clean up the CBD without worsening vendors’ hardships, calling for dialogue and organised trading spaces By Francis Maingaila ♥️ Lusaka, Zambia24 — 29-09-2026 — The debate over Lusaka’s streets has taken a sharper turn as the city council prepares to remove street vendors from undesignated trading areas. While the council says it wants to bring order, ease congestion and make the central business district (CBD) cleaner, there are growing concerns about what will happen to people who depend on street trading to put food on the table. Lusaka Mayor Simon Mwewa Chutambala told Zambia24 that the council would begin enforcing the removal of street traders after the September 29 deadline and move them into designated markets. But Lusaka Central Constituency Youth Wing Information and Publicity Secretary Simon Rashid Katungu questioned whether simply pushing vendors off the streets would solve the problem. He said the council should talk to the traders and find...
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MORE POWER, LESS DELAY

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Acting Energy Minister calls for faster solar investment and project delivery as 40MW Kafue Solar finally reaches financial close after eight years By Francis Maingaila ♥️ Lusaka, Zambia24 — 29-09-2026 — Zambia is accelerating investment in solar power as Government moves to reduce the country’s dependence on hydropower and secure reliable electricity for households, businesses and industry. Acting Minister of Energy Situmbeko Musokotwane said Zambia could no longer afford lengthy delays in delivering new power projects amid growing demand for electricity, describing the eight years taken to bring the 40MW Kafue Solar Project to financial close as unacceptable. The milestone was formally marked by the signing of the financial close certificate , bringing together Minister of Finance and National Planning Situmbeko Musokotwane, the British High Commissioner, German Ambassador to Zambia Söenke Siemon, representatives of KfW, the Ministry of Energy, Standard Chartered Bank and ZESC...
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