"The GOAT Media Centre"

Government challenges industry to take affordable insurance to farmers, informal workers and small businesses as uptake rises from 6.3% to 10.4% By Francis Maingaila ♥️ Lusaka, Zambia24 — 21 September 2026 — Government has challenged the insurance industry to move beyond its traditional customer base and take affordable, relevant and easy-to-understand insurance products to millions of Zambians who remain outside formal insurance protection. Permanent Secretary for Economic Management and Finance Mulele Mulele said the rise in insurance uptake from 6.3 percent in 2020 to 10.4 percent in 2025 was encouraging, but also showed that a large part of the population remained without adequate insurance protection. Mr Mulele said the figures should therefore not only be viewed as evidence of growth in the sector, but also as a reminder that the industry still had a large population to reach, particularly people whose livelihoods depended on small-scale farming, informal businesses and dai...

NGOCC says gains in female parliamentary representation remain insufficient as women occupy 22.4 percent of National Assembly seats By Francis Maingaila ♥️ Lusaka, Zambia24 — 20 September 2026 — Zambia has recorded an increase in the number of women in the National Assembly following the validation of 40 Proportional Representation (PR) seats, but women’s representation remains far below the 50-50 gender parity target. The Non-governmental Gender Organisations’ Coordinating Council (NGOCC) says 26 of the 40 PR seats validated by the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) have gone to women, raising the total number of female Members of Parliament to 63 out of 281 seats. In a statement signed by NGOCC Executive Director Anamela Mbewe Njekwa, the organisation said the figure includes 34 elected female MPs, the Vice President, Speaker and Deputy Speaker. NGOCC said this translates into 22.4 percent representation of women in the National Assembly. The organisation said the figure is an impr...

Digital marketplace to sponsor October birthday celebration for children, widows and vulnerable people at Umoyo Centre By Francis Maingaila ♥️ Lusaka, Zambia24 — September 20, 2026 — Lubaud Digital Mart is coming in to support HOPe Africa USA’s October birthday celebration for children, widows and other vulnerable people at Umoyo Widows and Orphanage Centre (UWAOC) in Lusaka. The sponsorship follows HOPe Africa USA’s launch in September of its Zambia–USA Monthly Inclusive Donations and Birthday Celebration Initiative, which seeks to bring some joy to people who may otherwise have little or no one to celebrate their birthdays with. HOPe Africa USA, working with its Zambia representative Delphine Lengwe, is preparing for the October event, which is expected to bring together Lubaud representatives from the United States, local partners, volunteers, community members and other well-wishers. The October celebration will bring together children, widows and other eligible members of t...

Kamanga memorial reignites calls to preserve freedom fighters’ sacrifices, values and history for future generations By Francis Maingaila ♥️ Lusaka, Zambia24 — 19-09-2026 — Zambia’s independence generation has challenged the country to preserve the history of those who fought for freedom and pass their values of sacrifice, patriotism, unity, integrity and public service to future generations. Green Economy and Environment Minister Gilbert Siame said the call was particularly urgent as the number of surviving freedom fighters continued to decline, with many now advanced in age. Speaking at a memorial gathering for Zambia’s first Vice-President, the late Right Honourable Reuben Chitandika Kamanga, Mr Siame said the occasion was not only about remembering the former Vice-President but also reflecting on the generation that laid the foundations of the Republic. Mr Siame, who delivered a message on behalf of President Hakainde Hichilema and Government, said Zambia’s independence was ...

Kufanga calls for stronger mental-health support, protection from abuse and tighter controls on poisonous substances By Francis Maingaila ♥️ Lusaka, Zambia24 — 19 September 2026 — Zambia must stop treating suicide as an individual or private problem and instead strengthen mental-health support, address abuse and other pressures, make it easier for people to seek help, and restrict access to highly lethal poisons that can be used in suicide. Swala Pilu Chief Executive Officer and Founder Mary Kufanga said the reported rise in suicide cases should be treated as a national concern requiring action from Government, families, churches, schools, communities and civil society organisations. Kufanga said people facing depression, relationship problems, financial difficulties, abuse, family conflicts and other forms of emotional pain should not suffer in silence. She said people going through difficult times should be encouraged to talk to trusted relatives, friends, neighbours, church l...

Communities urged to harness local land, skills, knowledge, networks and resources to create businesses, jobs and sustainable opportunities instead of relying mainly on external support By Francis Maingaila ♥️ Lusaka, Zambia24 — 18 September 2026 — Communities should stop viewing themselves only as recipients of development support and instead harness their land, skills, knowledge, networks and other local resources to create businesses, jobs and sustainable economic opportunities. Chief Economist Morgan Mwese, representing Ministry of Small and Medium Enterprise Development Director Pamela Chitulangoma, said organised communities had the capacity to identify their own priorities, mobilise resources and build partnerships that could transform local assets into sustainable economic activity. Mr Mwese said this during the Community Foundations Fair and Strategic Plans Launch held at Levy Shopping Mall in Lusaka under the theme, “Showcasing Community Power in Action.” He said communities ...

Bureau steps up quality testing, standards development and market surveillance By Francis Maingaila ♥️ Lusaka, Zambia24 — 18 September 2026 — The Zambia Bureau of Standards (ZABS) has tested 8,571 samples and certified 2,220 products in the first eight months of 2026 as it steps up efforts to ensure that products on the Zambian market meet required quality and safety standards. ZABS Executive Director Nathan Sing’ambwa told Zambia24 that the testing was part of the Bureau’s responsibility to protect consumers and ensure that businesses comply with the required standards. According to Sing’ambwa, the samples were tested between January and August at ZABS laboratories in Lusaka, Kitwe, Chipata and Mongu. Sing’ambwa said the samples included food and beverages, consumer goods, agricultural inputs, petroleum products, construction materials, medical consumables, infection prevention supplies, water and environmental samples. He said the testing was important in checking whether pro...