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New quality deal targets fuel measurement disputes, product safety and stronger regional trade. By Francis Maingaila ♥️ Lusaka, Zambia24 — 14-10-2026 — Zambia and Mozambique have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at easing cross-border trade, improving product safety and tackling fuel measurement disputes along the Beira Corridor, where differences in recorded petroleum quantities can lead to costly disagreements. Permanent Secretary Crusivia C. Hichikumba said the agreement brings together Zambia’s three national quality institutions—the Zambia Bureau of Standards (ZABS), the Zambia Compulsory Standards Agency (ZCSA) and the Zambia Metrology Agency (ZMA)—and Mozambique’s National Institute of Standardization and Quality (INNOQ). She said the partnership would allow the institutions to work together on standardisation, product testing, measurement, accreditation and technical training. Hichikumba said closer cooperation would help businesses avoid unnecessary repea...
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HOUSING CAN UNLOCK JOBS, INVESTMENT

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Affordable finance, local manufacturing and private capital seen as key to expanding homeownership and driving Zambia’s economic growth By Francis Maingaila ♥️ Lusaka, Zambia24 — 14-10-2026 — Zambia can use housing as an engine of economic development, but the benefits must reach ordinary citizens, not only property developers and people who can already afford expensive homes. Speaking ahead of the 42nd African Union for Housing Finance (AUHF) Conference and Annual General Meeting, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Finance and National Planning Mulele Muketo Mulele said housing should be treated as a driver of economic growth, with benefits extending beyond the construction of houses. Mulele said Zambia needed practical solutions to help low-income households access housing finance while creating opportunities for local businesses, workers and investors. He said housing development could stimulate local manufacturing, create jobs, support planned urbanisation and help househ...
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GOVT RACES TO CLOSE ENERGY GAP

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Government targets 10,000MW of electricity generation by 2031, with investment in renewable energy and infrastructure to expand access and support industrialisation. By Francis Maingaila ♥️  Lusaka, Zambia24 — 12-10-2026 — Zambia is targeting 10,000 megawatts of electricity generation by 2031 as Government works to increase power supply, attract investment and extend electricity access to underserved communities. Ministry of Energy Permanent Secretary for Electricity, Eng Arnold Simwaba, told Zambia24 in a statement issued by the Ministry’s Principal Public Relations Officer, Bob Sianjalika, that Government was implementing policy and regulatory reforms to attract investment, increase electricity generation and improve access to reliable and affordable energy. The 2026 Energy Week runs from October 12 to 16 under the theme, “Bridging the Energy Gap – Accelerating Universal Access and Industrialisation.” Eng Simwaba said the theme reflected Government’s commitment to addressing the ener...
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CHILD MARRIAGE STILL THREATENS ONE IN FOUR ZAMBIAN GIRLS

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NGOCC calls for stronger enforcement of child marriage laws, expanded fast-track courts and increased investment in girls’ education as defilement cases remain high. By Francis Maingaila ♥️  Lusaka, Zambia24 — 13-10-2026 — The Non-governmental Gender Organisations’ Coordinating Council (NGOCC) says child marriage continues to threaten the education, health and future of thousands of Zambian girls, despite a decline in prevalence from 29 per cent in 2018 to 23.9 per cent in 2024. NGOCC Executive Director Anne Mbewe-Anamela says nearly one in four young women still marry before the age of 18, warning that the progress made in reducing child marriage must be strengthened through sustained investment in girls’ rights, education and protection from abuse. In a statement issued on Tuesday to commemorate the 2026 International Day of the Girl Child, under the theme “End Child Marriage and Invest in Girls’ Rights,” the council said child marriage continued to deprive girls of their right to ed...
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CHILDREN’S RIGHTS NEED FUNDING, NOT PROMISES

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UNICEF calls for stronger services and measurable results as Zambia reviews child protection reforms for 2028–2032. By Francis Maingaila ♥️ Lusaka, Zambia24 — 13-10-2026 — Zambia’s efforts to improve children’s lives risk falling short without adequate funding, stronger protection services and sustained government commitment. Children continue to face poverty, violence, exploitation, child marriage and teenage pregnancies, raising questions about whether existing laws, policies and programmes are translating into meaningful protection for those who need it most. Ministry of Community Development and Social Services Permanent Secretary Angela Chomba Kawandami said the review provided an important opportunity for Zambia to assess progress in child protection, identify gaps and agree on priorities for the 2028–2032 reform period. She said the review should help government and its partners move beyond laws and policy commitments to ensure that children receive the protection and support th...
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FUNDING GAPS, DRUG SHORTAGES THREATEN HEALTHCARE

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Health leaders demand timely financing, stronger partnerships and urgent action against cholera as Zambia pursues its development goals. By Francis Maingaila ♥️ Lusaka, Zambia24 — 13 October 2026 — Zambia’s efforts to improve healthcare are facing a familiar challenge: hospitals and clinics need money released on time, medicines must reach patients when they need them, and preventable diseases such as cholera must be brought under control before more lives are lost. Health leaders say these challenges cannot be ignored as the country pursues its development ambitions. Behind the figures on health budgets and investment plans are patients waiting for treatment, families struggling to access care and health workers expected to deliver services even when supplies and funding are not readily available. Permanent Secretary responsible for Donor Coordination George Sinyangwe said stronger cooperation between Government and its partners was necessary to address the country’s health need...
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NUPPEZ DEMANDS ACTION ON EDUCATION PROMISES

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Dr Kampamba says teacher shortages, overcrowded classrooms and poor working conditions require urgent action to turn government commitments into results. By Francis Maingaila ♥️ Lusaka, Zambia24 — 11-10-2026 — The National Union of Public and Private Educators of Zambia (NUPPEZ) has called on the Government to urgently implement its education commitments, saying teacher shortages, inadequate classrooms and poor working conditions require practical solutions. NUPPEZ Executive President Dr Charity Kampamba said President Hakainde Hichilema’s address to Parliament on Friday, October 9, 2026, had highlighted important priorities, including teacher recruitment, school infrastructure, teachers’ housing and the implementation of the competency-based curriculum. Dr Kampamba said these were issues the union had consistently raised with the Government, adding that their inclusion in the presidential address showed the importance of engagement between education stakeholders and authorities. ...
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