"The GOAT Media Centre"

As UFEZ Backs Reforms to Turn Momentum into Jobs and Investment By Francis Maingaila ♥️ Lusaka, Zambia24  --- 31 December 2025) Zambia’s economy outperformed the Southern African Development Community (SADC) average in 2025, recording an estimated growth rate of about 5.8 per cent. This places the country among the fastest-growing peer economies in the region and creates an opportunity to convert reform momentum into jobs, investment and enterprise expansion, the United Federation of Employers in Zambia (UFEZ) has said. UFEZ President Dr Humphrey Monde told journalists at a media briefing that Zambia’s performance stood in sharp contrast to the wider SADC region.  He said regional real GDP growth was projected at around 2.2 per cent in 2025, according to the African Development Bank’s Southern Africa Economic Outlook. Dr Monde attributed the slower regional growth to structural constraints, weak investment and subdued performance in several large economies. He said Zambia’s current gro...

Movement of opposition political parties and civil society launches unified platform, eyes Government of National Unity By Francis Maingaila ♥️ Lusaka, Zambia 31 – Socialist Party President Dr. Fred M’membe has been named the People’s Pact presidential candidate for the August 2026 general elections. Dr. Cosmas Musumali, Secretary General of the People’s Pact, told journalists at a media briefing that a new coalition of opposition parties and civil society organisations had launched a unified platform aimed at forming a Government of National Unity. He said the unveiling of Dr. M’membe marks the formal launch of the People’s Pact, a broad-based citizens’ movement seeking to unite political and civic forces.  "The movement aims to offer Zambians alternative leadership focused on national unity, democratic renewal, and economic justice." Dr. Musumali explained that the People’s Pact emerged from initiatives by civil society groups, faith-based institutions, and concerned citize...

Chikuse says, together Alliance have achieved national unity, food security, and economic growth By Francis Maingaila ♥️  Lusaka, Zambia24  --- (December 30, 2025) – The UPND Alliance is celebrating the restoration of peace, improved food security, and economic recovery as the major achievements of 2025, while urging citizens and leaders to continue prioritizing national interests as Zambia enters 2026. Speaking at a year-end press conference, UPND Alliance Spokesperson Leslie Chikuse said the government’s most significant accomplishment remains ensuring peace and stability in public spaces across the country. “Markets and bus stations are once again places of commerce, not violence,” Chikuse said.  “Communities are safer, and citizens are free to live, work, and worship without intimidation. This peace belongs to all Zambians and must be protected by everyone.” Chikuse also praised the Alliance’s disciplined leadership, noting that disagreements were resolved through dialogue rather t...

Halwampa says New Dawn Administration Reforms and macroeconomic stability drive over 114,000 jobs between 2021 and 2025 as mining, manufacturing, and energy lead growth By Francis Maingaila ♥️  Lusaka, Zambia — 2024 Zambia has recorded USD 14.1 billion in actualised investments and created more than 114,000 jobs between 2021 and 2025, driven by policy reforms, improved macroeconomic stability, and renewed investor confidence, with growth led by the mining, manufacturing, and energy sectors, the Zambia Development Agency (ZDA) announced on Tuesday. The investment growth follows debt restructuring, improved macroeconomic stability, and policy reforms that have restored investor confidence after years of economic decline. ZDA Director General Albert Halwampa said the country had previously experienced high inflation, debt distress, and weakened investor confidence, which led to many licensed projects failing to take off. He said government’s decision to openly address the debt crisis, res...

Alliance with CCPC drives consumer protection across Zambia By Francis Maingaila ♥️  Lusaka, Zambia24 – (December 30, 2025) The Zambia Compulsory Standards Agency (ZCSA), in partnership with the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC), has stepped up efforts to protect consumers, expanding regulated products and removing thousands of unsafe goods from the market to safeguard public health and the environment nationwide. Speaking during an end-of-year media briefing in Lusaka, ZCSA Executive Director Gerald Chizinga said the agency declared 41 new Zambian standards compulsory in 2025, increasing the number of regulated products from 61 to 102.  He said the move significantly strengthened consumer protection, public health, and environmental safety. Chizinga explained that the new compulsory standards were issued through Statutory Instrument No. 20 of 2025 by the Minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry, Chipoka Mulenga.  "The standards apply to both locally manufactur...

AIPAC advise  government to consoder assigning the ZNS to manage CDF road grading By Francis Maingaila Lusaka, Zambia24 --- (December 30, 2025) --- The Acton Institute for Policy Analysis Centre (AIPAC) has warned that the Kasupe Bridge is at risk due to neglect and has called on the government to urgently assign the Zambia National Service (ZNS) to manage Constituency Development Fund (CDF) road grading, saying failure to act could cut off Kasupe Kawaya residents from Lusaka’s central business district. AIPAC Executive Director Solomon Ngoma said the organisation’s position is based on observations of CDF-funded road works and growing concern over weak oversight, which he said threatens the quality and sustainability of key community infrastructure. Ngoma said the Zambia National Service has demonstrated strong capacity, discipline and efficiency in infrastructure development, adding that placing CDF road grading under ZNS would improve accountability and ensure timely, high-quality o...

Journalists Urged to Produce Clear, Impactful Stories By Francis Maingaila  Lusaka, Zambia24,  (December 28, 2025) -  The Zambia Compulsory Standards Agency (ZCSA) has challenged journalists to simplify reporting on product safety and quality, warning that weak media coverage could put consumers’ health and safety at risk. In a statement issued by ZCSA Manager for Communications and Public Relations Brian Hatyoka, Executive Director Gerald Chizinga said journalists are critical partners in ensuring consumers make informed choices and avoid unsafe products.  He spoke while officially opening the 3rd ZCSA Media Awards Adjudication Committee meeting in Lusaka. “Product safety and quality may seem technical, but they affect the daily lives of every Zambian. Unsafe products—ranging from food and beverages to solar equipment and household electrical appliances—can endanger lives and harm the environment if not properly regulated,” Mr Chizinga said, according to the statement. The statement s...

How an Overlooked State Agency Quietly Determines Who Loses and Who Gains when measurements are violated  By Francis Maingaila ♥️  Lusaka, Zambia 24 – (26 December 2025) Fuel that seems to vanish faster than expected. A bag of mealie meal that feels just a little too light when lifted. A farmer leaving a buying depot unsettled, certain something was wrong but unable to prove it. Across Zambia, such experiences are common. They provoke irritation, resignation, and muted suspicion—seldom resistance. Most people shake their heads, blame circumstance, or absorb the loss as part of everyday survival. Few recognise that these moments are linked. Together, they point to an unseen system that decides whether money quietly drains from households, whether businesses compete on equal ground, and whether public revenue is fully collected.  At the centre of that system sits the Zambia Metrology Agency (ZMA). Created under the Metrology Act No. 6 of 2017 and operating under the Ministry of Commerce,...

NGOCC warns of persistent GBV, high living costs, and stalled reforms affecting women and girls in Zambia By Francis Maingaila ♥️  Lusaka, Zambia24, --- (27-12-2015) — Gender rights in Zambia remain under serious threat, with women and girls continuing to face high levels of violence, economic hardship, and stalled reforms, the Non-Governmental Gender Organisations’ Coordinating Council (NGOCC) has warned as 2025 comes to a close. NGOCC Board Chairperson Beauty Katebe told journalists in a statement that the persistent prevalence of gender-based violence is a stark indicator that Zambia’s commitments to gender equality have not translated into tangible protection for women and girls. She revealed that Zambia recorded an average of about 10,400 Gender-Based Violence (GBV) cases per quarter in 2025, almost unchanged from 2024. Data from the Zambia Police Victim Support Unit show that by the third quarter of 2025, GBV cases had risen to 31,246, up from 29,800 cases during the same period ...

Bank of Zambia rules that all domestic transactions must be in local currency By Francis Maingaila Lusaka, Zambia24, December 26, 2025 — The Bank of Zambia has issued the Currency Directives, 2025, reinforcing the legal requirement that all domestic transactions be conducted in Zambian Kwacha and Ngwee. Assistant Director – Communications Besnat Mwanza said the Directives, effective December 26, 2025, were issued under Sections 18 and 73 of the Bank of Zambia Act, 2022. She explained that the move follows a February 2024 announcement that the Bank was considering measures to ensure the use of Kwacha and Ngwee in domestic transactions. The Bank, working with the Public Private Dialogue Forum (PPDF) and other organisations, held consultative meetings with stakeholders from mining, manufacturing, tourism, agriculture, financial services, and government. “These consultations, conducted across the country, ensured stakeholders were informed and could contribute to shaping the final Directiv...

Mulala says rising living costs, weak social dialogue and job insecurity continue to hit Zambian workers despite macroeconomic improvements, warns ZCTU President Blake Mulala By Francis Maingaila ♥️  Lusaka, December 2025 — The Zambia Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) has observed that workers continue to struggle despite recorded macroeconomic gains, warning that rising living costs, weak social dialogue and job insecurity remain major threats to livelihoods. Congress President Blake Mulala told journalists at the end-of-year briefing that while government has highlighted improvements such as debt restructurping and engagement with international financial institutions, these gains have not translated into better living and working conditions for the majority of Zambian workers. Mulala said the assessment was based on the daily realities faced by workers across all sectors, including those who sustain families and keep public and private institutions running under difficult conditions.  ...

Adherence to sound policies expected to improve employment, reduce inflation, and strengthen living standards By Francis Maingaila ♥️  Lusaka, Zambia – December 23, 2025 – The Zambia Institute of Chartered Accountants (ZiCA) has identified fiscal discipline as critical for Zambia’s economic growth, urging the government and stakeholders to strengthen transparency, invest in human capital, and implement sound economic policies.  ZiCA President Yande Siame Mwenye said in a media briefing fourth-quarter 2025 media briefing that the country had recorded a modest economic rebound between January and June 2025, with mining remaining Zambia’s largest source of foreign exchange, contributing US$440.5 million in the third quarter of 2025.  She attributed this performance to robust global commodity prices, sustained mining revenues, and stable domestic food supply.  However, Mwenye warned that unexpected pressures on agriculture, coupled with high baseline levels from 2024, continue to constrain...

SAAPA-Zambia says abuse in Lusaka CBD risks health, safety, and urban order By Francis Maingaila Lusaka, Zambia24 – December 22, 2025 Southern African Alcohol Policy Alliance (SAAPA) – Zambia has warned that illicit and unregulated alcohol has become a serious public threat, urging the public to recognize its dangers, support policy implementation, and participate in building safer communities while ensuring economic alternatives for those affected. Mrs. Evelyn Mooloko, immediate past President of SAAPA – Zambia, said the growing presence of illicit alcohol in Lusaka’s Central Business District (CBD) poses risks to public health, safety, and urban order. Speaking at a media briefing at Mwiluzi Lodge on Monday, Mrs. Mooloko described the situation as a growing public nuisance and a looming public health concern that is placing pressure on the health system and undermining dignity in the city. She said the CBD should remain a place of productivity, safety, and dignity, noting that it mus...

A Call to Praise Ahead of the National Day of Prayer By Francis Maingaila ♥️. Lusaka, Zambia24 October 10, 2025 — Organizers of the Judah Must Go First event have called on Zambians across all denominations to gather in unity and offer praise to God ahead of the National Day of Prayer, Fasting, Repentance and Reconciliation scheduled for October 18. Speaking during a press briefing in Lusaka, Bishop Billy Mfula, Chairman for the Declaration of Zambia as a Christian Nation, explained that Judah Must Go First is not the same as the National Day of Prayer but a preparatory event aimed at praising God as a nation. “There’s a big difference between Judah Must Go First and the October 18 gathering,” said Bishop Mfula.  “Tomorrow’s event is a celebration — a day of joyful praise. The National Day of Prayer, on the other hand, is a solemn assembly where we humble ourselves before God, repent of our sins, and seek reconciliation as a nation. Praise and repentance both have their rightful pl...

Magistrate blast Police investigation and inconsistent evidence which could have deprived an innocent of Freedom By Francis Maingaila ♥️ Lusaka, Zambia24 – (December 22, 2025) – The Lusaka Magistrates Court has acquitted Chienge Independent Member of Parliament Given Katuta of a charge of threatening violence against Times of Zambia photojournalist Henry Chunza, with the court citing failure by the prosecution to prove the offence beyond reasonable doubt and serious shortcomings in police investigations. Delivering judgment, Magistrate Idah Phiri ruled that the prosecution failed to meet the legal threshold required to sustain a charge of threatening violence contrary to Section 90(A) of the Penal Code. She found that the alleged words attributed to Ms. Katuta were subjective and interrogative in nature and did not amount to a threat of violence in law. “The prosecution has not proven this case beyond a reasonable doubt,” Magistrate Phiri said. “The evidence presented is riddled with i...

Zambians urged to stay vigilant as final IMF disbursement signals milestone in economic recovery By Francis Maingaila ♥️  Lusaka, Zambia — The Civil Society for Poverty Reduction (CSPR) has urged the public to stay vigilant and demand discipline as Zambia concludes its IMF Extended Credit Facility (ECF) programme, following the sixth and final staff-level review by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), saying citizens must ensure that economic gains translate into real improvements for the population. CSPR Executive Director Isabel Mutembo Mukelabai told journalists in a statement that the final review, which is subject to IMF Executive Board approval, will unlock a final disbursement of SDR 138.9 million (about US$190 million).  According to Mukelabai this brings total IMF support to around US$1.7 billion since August 2022, with the programme scheduled to formally end on January 30, 2026. Mukelabai said the review shows that Zambia has made strong progress in stabilising the economy,...

Mwanajiti says passage of Bill 7 followed due process but warns against public misinformation By Francis Maingaila ♥️ Lusaka, Zambia24 — (December 22, 2025) — Human rights defender and democracy champion Ngande Mwanajiti says the passage and presidential assent of Bill 7 stand as clear proof that Zambia’s democratic system is functioning, but has cautioned that democracy does not end with legislation and must be protected from misinformation and public misunderstanding. Speaking in an exclusive interview, Mwanajiti told this reporter that the enactment of Bill 7 demonstrates democracy in action, noting that constitutional institutions followed the prescribed process from parliamentary debate to presidential assent. “The passage of Bill 7 and its assent demonstrate democracy at work,” Mwanajiti said during the interview, emphasising that due process was respected at every stage. However, he warned, in the same interview, against interpreting the development as the conclusion of democrat...

Inside ZCSA’s battle of Protecting Zambians From Dangerous Good By Francis Maingaila ♥️  Lusaka, Zambia24  --- (21-12-2025) -- For many years, unsafe food, counterfeit electrical appliances, contaminated cosmetics, used motor vehicles, and substandard construction materials quietly infiltrated Zambia’s markets.  Many of these products reached consumers who had no way of detecting hidden dangers concealed behind low prices and convincing packaging. Today, a growing share of such goods is intercepted before reaching store shelves, thanks to an enforcement system that largely operates out of public view.  In 2023, the Zambia Compulsory Standards Agency (ZCSA) conducted open market surveillance across six provinces, inspecting 2,540 outlets and withdrawing non-compliant products worth K271,266. Compliance rose to 89 percent, up from 85 percent in 2022. At the centre of this work is ZCSA, whose inspectors, laboratory  scientists and engineers  increasingly rely on intelligence-driven invest...