By Michael Kaluba
Economist Chibamba Kanyama has attributed the depreciation of the kwacha against the US dollar to the importation of electricity from South Africa.
The kwacha is trading at k14 against the US dollar from k13.
Mr. Kanyamna tells phoenix business news that this is because Zambia is purchasing the power in us dollars.
He however says that a further depreciation of the local currency is not expected if no more power imports are made.
PHOENIX NEWS – 18.11.2019
By Michael Kaluba
The media institute of southern Africa-MISA- Zambia has warned politicians and other stakeholders not to take advantage of the impending media regulation to infringe on media freedom in the country.
Misa Zambia board chairperson Hellen Mwale says media bodies and practitioners will not allow anyone to abuse the provisions of the self-regulation framework backed by a statute.
She says the media in Zambia remains resolute to put together a self-regulatory framework backed by a statute especially that the ministry of information and broadcasting services gave the technical committee a go-ahead last week after a meeting with stakeholders.
Ms Mwale has assured media practitioners that MISA will not allow government regulated media laws but will work with other stakeholders in the technical committee to deliver a self-regulated media in the country backed by statute.
Information and broadcasting services minister Dora Siliya last week hinted that government would formulate a self-statutory regulatory framework for journalists alleging that the media had failed to do so thereby hampering the enactment of the access to information (ATI) bill.
PHOENIX NEWS – 13.11.2019
By Michael Kaluba
A Consortium Of Local Contractors and Allied Suppliers on the Copperbelt has accused the ROAD DEVELOPMENT AGENCY-RDA-of failing to implement the 20 percent sub-contracting policy despite being given the power to do so by President Edgar Lungu.
Consortium Chairperson John Chilupula has lamented the alleged continued uncooperative response from RDA on capital projects in the country despite a presidential directive for 20 percent sub-contracting and the need to review bill of quantities-BOQ’s and make them public documents after contracts are awarded.
He says it is also unfortunate that it has to take the head of state to intervene and institute deliberations on contentious issues to do with contractors despite the existence of line ministries whose mandate is to ensure implementation of the 20 percent sub-contracting policy.
Mr. Chilupula adds that it is unfortunate that most of the concerns raised continue to deter the full implementation of the 20 percent sub-contracting despite been a source of concern for stakeholders since the policy was pronounced.
But when contacted for a comment, RDA Director of Communications and Corporate Affairs Masuzyo Ndhlovu has assured that the agency is doing everything to ensure effective implementation of the policy.
Last week, President Lungu directed RDA to carry out a review of all contracts signed between foreign contractors and local contractors and ensure strict compliance with the 20 percent subcontracting policy.
PHOENIX NEWS – 11.11.2019
By Michael Kaluba
A blame game has ensued between zesco and Nkana water and Sewerage Company over who should take responsibility for the erratic water supply in some parts of Kitwe.
Nkana water and sewerage company public relations manager, Biven Saluseki recently attributed the reduced hours of water supply in kitwe and surrounding areas to the increased hours of load shedding by zesco which is affecting Nkana water distribution centers.
Mr. Saluseki told phoenix news that zesco has been load-shedding Nkana water distribution centers causing the water utility to fail to supply water.
But zesco director commercial services, Chiti Mataka has revealed that Nkana water installations are not load-shaded and accused the water utility of owing the power utility colossal amounts of money.
Mr Mataka who could not disclose the exact amount told concerned kitwe residents that water utilities in the country are owing zesco a lot of money and advised them to stop hiding behind load-shedding for their inefficiencies as water installations are not load-shaded.
PHOENIX NEWS – 07.11.2019
By Michael Kaluba
The civil society for poverty reduction –CSPR- has revealed that the hunger situation in the country has continued to worsen with people in some parts of western province surviving on cooked mangoes.
CSPR Programs Manager Chimuka Nachibinga says government efforts to distribute relief maize remains inadequate with many affected areas still faced with worse hunger situations than before.
And on social protection programs, Mr. Nachibinga says cspr welcomes calls by community development and social services minister Kampamba Chewe for president Lungu to allow between 0 to 10 percent of toll fees collected in the country to go towards social protection programs including the social cash transfer.
He notes that judging by revelations that national road fund agency made over K400 million above its target last year and the reduced percentage of social protection allocation in the 2020 national budget from the 2019 national budget, it is justifiable to add other sources of funding to increase the number of beneficiaries of social cash transfer and other social protection services.
The 2020 national budget shows a 0.1 percent reduction of the social protection allocation from 2.5 percent of the total 2019 national budget to 2.4 percent proposed in the 2020 budget.
PHOENIX NEWS – 07.11.2019
By Michael Kaluba
The Zambia chamber of mines has attributed the continued slump in the country’s copper production this year to regulatory challenges and the uncertainty the country encountered over sales tax since January 2019.
Chamber of Mines President Goodwell Mateyo has revealed to phoenix news that most mining companies have deferred their expansion programs due to the current unfavourable mining tax regime and the challenge that the much talked about sales tax posed before it was announced that the country will stick to the vat tax system.
Mr. Mateyo says other factors that have contributed significantly to the decline in copper production this year include the shutting of the Konkola copper mines smelter, the Chambeshi copper smelter and the Mopani copper mines smelter that have been offline since July 2019.
He adds that government needs to do more to ensure that the mining tax regime becomes more favourable to the mining subdivision to secure Zambia’s largest export sector and earner of forex to regain its viability.
The Zambia statistic agency’s monthly report has indicated that the value of refined copper exported decreased from 62, 795.6 tons in august 2019 to 51, 586.4 tons in September 2019 translating into 17.9 percent and resulting in a negative bearing on the country’s performance of traditional exports.
PHOENIX NEWS – 04.11.2019
By Michael Kaluba
Prisons Care and Counselling Association –PRISCA- Executive Director, Dr. Godfery Malembeka is concerned over the plight of children born to HIV positive mothers in correctional facilities and are not able to breastfeed.
Dr. Malembeka has since called on the church, civil society organizations and other stakeholders to come on board and compliment the Zambia correctional services in enhancing nutrition levels for such children and HIV positive prisoners.
And Dr. Malembeka has revealed that over 90 percent of prisoners in the country have been tested for HIV while over 90 percent of those found positive have been put on treatment.
Meanwhile, Dr. Malembeka is calling on government to quickly build clinics at correctional facilities to improve access to medical services for prisoners who currently have to be transported from various prisons to public hospitals.
PHOENIX NEWS – 02.11.2019
By Michael Kaluba
Mining expert Mwiya Songolo says government should consider nationalizing mines to keep the profits that are externalized by investors and private owners within the country.
Mr. Songolo however says this would only be possible if government commences a long-term plan to raise the funds that would be required to buy the mines in the country at market value which would be in excess of billions of dollars.
In the wake of revelations by the mine-workers union of zambia that Lumwana copper mines has been put up for sale by the owners, mr songolo is calling on government to rethink the model of selling mines to ensure the country benefits more from its mineral wealth.
He is further urging government to ensure there is a proper ownership transfer at Lumwana Copper Mines and avoid giving the new owners of the mine any tax benefits especially that they are buying an already operational and profitable mine.
Phoenix FM – 32.10.2019
By Michael Kaluba and Chileshe Mwango
The Energy Forum Zambia has questioned sentiments by ZESCO Managing Director Victor Mundende that he expects load-shedding to end by December 2020.
Forum Chairperson Johnstone Chikwanda says he welcomes the enthusiasm expressed by Mr. Mundende but wonders how ZESCO will end load-shedding by December 2020 if the country fails to harvest good rainfall in the next rain season especially that part of the interventions the power utility is banking on includes another water-based power plant at Kafue gorge lower power station.
Mr. Chikwanda however says the 750 megawatts Kafue lower gorge power station that is expected to be online next year will be a game changer if ZESCO manages to operationalize it.
His comments follow sentiments attributed to Mr. Mudenda who recently said load-shedding is expected to end by December 2020 with the impending construction of solar plants and operationalizing of the Kafue Gorge Lower power station.
And Mr. Chikwanda has called on government and other stakeholders to remain focused on diversifying the energy mix with more projects that do not depend on water bodies.
In a related development, Market Management at Mtendere’s Kazimai Cooperative Market in Lusaka are disappointed with ZESCO’s failure to connect them to a prepaid billing system despite their several appeals.
Market Chairperson, Moses Mwamba has told Phoenix News that after realizing that the K10, 000 monthly bill for the market remained the same for two months consecutively, despite the long hours of load shedding, they applied for a prepaid billing system at regional office where they were redirected to the commercial manager at the head office which has not happened.
And some marketers talked to have appealed to ZESCO Limited to consider providing them with electricity during the day and effect load shedding after work hours.
Efforts to get a comment from ZESCO Limited proved futile as National Spokesperson Henry Kapata requested for a text message to which he could not respond to.
PHOENIX NEWS – 23.10.2019
By Michael Kaluba
The Ministry of Mines has directed Mopani Copper Mines to immediately suspend the provision of boosters to its workers until the mine’s safety director’s office investigates contents of the said food supplements.
The Ministry has also directed that the mines should ensure that all issues raised by the miners with regards the boosters are addressed.
Mines Minister Richard musukwa has told Phoenix News that Mopani has no mandate to force any food substance on its employees clarifying that all foods given to workers must be agreed upon with the local union branches.
Mopani Copper Mines has introduced, future life high energy nutrient dense, a new food supplement to miners, which they say is being forced on them despite concerns that the food supplements are causing insomnia, stomach pains and high sexual drive in some miners.
And National Union of Miners and Allied Workers National Treasurer Saul Simunjika has told phoenix news that its members have rejected the south African food supplements and have suggested that Mopani copper mines gives them home grown and traditional foods to be supplied by a local caterer.
Meanwhile, Mopani Copper Mines Public Relations Manager Nebert Mulenga has told phoenix news that the mining firm would soon clarify its official position on the matter but explained that the embattled food supplement was readily available in several South African chain stores on the copperbelt.
PHOENIX NEWS – 04.10.2019
Michael Mwila Kaluba 