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PROCUREMENT MUST DRIVE ZAMBIA'S ECONOMIC GROWTH

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ZIPS president Daniel Kabamba says the K284.8 billion 2027 National Budget presents an opportunity to grow local businesses, strengthen manufacturing and create jobs through effective procurement. By Francis Maingaila ♥️ Lusaka, Zambia24 — November 12, 2026 — The Zambia Institute of Purchasing and Supply (ZIPS) has called on procurement professionals to ensure that Government spending creates tangible economic benefits through local business participation, manufacturing and employment creation. ZIPS president Daniel Kabamba said the proposed K284.8 billion 2027 National Budget presented significant opportunities for Zambian suppliers, contractors and manufacturers to contribute to national development. Speaking during a media briefing in Lusaka, Mr Kabamba said procurement should go beyond purchasing goods and awarding contracts to become a tool for growing local enterprises and retaining more economic value within the country. He said ZIPS estimated that procurement-related expenditur...
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WOMEN MINERS BACK GOLD ROYALTY CUT

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AZWiM says rising licence fees and regulatory costs risk pushing small-scale operators back into informality despite tax relief measures. By Francis Maingaila ♥️ Lusaka, Zambia24 — November 12, 2026 — The Association of Zambian Women in Mining (AZWiM) has welcomed the proposed reduction in gold royalties from six per cent to three per cent for artisanal and small-scale miners selling through approved aggregators, but warned that rising licence fees could undermine efforts to formalise the sector. AZWiM President and Founder Namakau Amina Kaingu said the proposed reduction would ease financial pressure on women miners, improve their operating margins and encourage them to sell their gold through formal channels. In a press statement issued on November 11, 2026, Ms Kaingu said formal trading would also improve price transparency and mineral traceability while protecting miners from exploitation by middlemen. She also commended Government for raising the turnover tax threshold for artisan...
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PUT LIVES BEFORE TOBACCO REVENUE

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Tobacco Free Association of Zambia wants President Hichilema to assent to the Tobacco Control Bill, warning that the country cannot continue losing lives to preventable tobacco-related diseases. By Francis Maingaila ♥️ Lusaka, Zambia24 — November 12, 2026 — The Tobacco Free Association of Zambia says protecting people's lives should come before the revenue Government collects from the tobacco industry, as it pushes for stronger measures to prevent tobacco-related diseases, particularly lung cancer. Association Executive Director Brenda Chitindi has appealed to President Hakainde Hichilema to urgently assent to the Tobacco Control Bill, which was overwhelmingly passed by Parliament before the August general elections. Ms Chitindi said the legislation would strengthen tobacco control, discourage smoking and protect both smokers and non-smokers from the harmful effects of tobacco smoke. She said the call was particularly important in November, which is observed globally as Lung Cancer...
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RURAL LEARNERS NEED GREATER ICT ACCESS

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Chieftainess Shimukunami wants more computers and internet connectivity in rural schools to give pupils equal opportunities in digital education. By Francis Maingaila ♥️ Lusaka, Zambia24 — November 11, 2026 — Chieftainess Shimukunami of the Lamba people in Lufwanyama District wants more computers and reliable internet services in rural schools, saying children in remote communities deserve the same opportunities to benefit from digital education as those in urban areas. The Chieftainess said this when a Zambia Information and Communications Technology Authority (ZICTA) delegation paid a courtesy call on her at her palace in Lufwanyama. She said access to computers and the internet would give rural pupils an opportunity to explore a wider range of learning materials, improve their understanding of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) and acquire skills needed in an increasingly digital world. Chieftainess Shimukunami expressed satisfaction with ZICTA's efforts to ...
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ZESCO EYES 11,630MW POWER CAPACITY

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Utility targets 10,000MW by 2029 as Zambia accelerates energy diversification, private investment and transmission expansion. By Francis Maingaila ♥️ Lusaka, Zambia24 — November 11, 2026 — ZESCO has set its sights on increasing Zambia's installed electricity generation capacity to 11,630 megawatts by 2030 through increased investment in solar, thermal, wind and other energy sources, alongside expansion of transmission and distribution infrastructure, as the country seeks to strengthen power supply, attract investment and reduce dependence on hydropower. Minister of Electricity Peter Kapala has welcomed the progress being made in the sector, particularly improvements in ZESCO's financial performance and the diversification of electricity generation, describing the developments as evidence that the country is moving in the right direction. Eng. Kapala said ZESCO's reported financial improvement to US$6.5 million was commendable, considering the financial difficulties an...
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GOVT PUSHES FOR FASTER RURAL ELECTRICITY ACCESS

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Kapala calls for urgent clearance of electricity connection delays, stronger REA capacity and increased private-sector investment as the authority targets 74.4 per cent rural electricity access by 2030. By Francis Maingaila ♥️ Lusaka, Zambia24 — November 10, 2026 — The Government of the Republic of Zambia (GRZ) wants electricity to reach rural households faster, with priority given to customers who have already paid and communities still waiting to be connected. Minister of Electricity Eng. Peter Kapala said during a familiarisation tour of the Rural Electrification Authority (REA) headquarters in Lusaka that some customers who have already paid for electricity connections have been waiting for almost a year to receive the service, prompting calls for urgent action to clear the backlog and ensure that households and businesses get the power they have paid for. Kapala called for a deliberate strategy to clear the outstanding connections, stressing that customers who had already paid sho...
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ZCSA OPENS DOORS TO EXPORT MARKETS

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Chizinga says internationally recognised certification will help compliant Zambian products compete beyond the country's borders while protecting consumers from substandard goods. By Francis Maingaila ❤️ Lusaka, Zambia24 — November 10, 2026 - Zambia’s ambition to grow exports will depend not only on producing more goods but also on ensuring that locally manufactured products meet the quality and safety standards demanded by international markets, the Zambia Compulsory Standards Agency (ZCSA) has said. According to a statement issued by Brian Hatyoka, Manager – Communications and Public Relations at ZCSA, the Agency's mandate to inspect and test products against compulsory standards is central to helping Zambian manufacturers meet the requirements of international markets. ZCSA Executive Director Gerald Chizinga said certificates issued by the Agency enjoyed international recognition, allowing compliant products to access markets without repeated inspections and testing in ...
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