Aid Watch (China), 3rd Edition
China recently donated military and medical equipment to the Zambian defence forces to help improve operations of the country’s military hospitals. The donation was US$8 million. China's ambassador to...
View ArticleFiscal Incentives for Sports
Government has decided to work out a policy that will give additional fiscal incentives (tax exemptions) to companies that support sports in the country. Sports Minister Chishimba Kambwili recently...
View ArticleDebt Watch (World Bank), 4th Edition
GRZ recently signed US$155million loan agreements with the World Bank to help ZESCO Limited facilitate the Lusaka Transmission and Distribution Rehabilitation project ($105m) and for the water Resource...
View ArticleAnother day, another prison amnesty!
President Sata yesterday pardoned 500 prisoners serving sentences for various offences to mark the commemoration of Zambia’s 49 years of independence. The pardoned prisoners are from various prisons in...
View ArticleCorruption Watch (Courts, REA, Digital Migration)
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) recently arrested and charged Wilfred Serenje, the former Chief Executive Officer of the Rural Electrification Authority (REA) for Abuse of Authority of Office...
View ArticleSaving TAZARA
Transport Minister Yamfwa Mukanga MP says government has engaged a Chinese firm TSDI to carry out feasibility study on TAZARA in order to recommend to the Tanzanian and Zambian governments on what to...
View ArticleA broken tourism policy, 2nd Edition
Government has started opening offices for tourism promotion abroad. Tourism PS George Zulu says the countries were offices are being set up include South Africa, France, Spain, Britain and USA. In his...
View ArticleAnother day, another party (13th Edition)
Daniel Pule has formed a political party called the United People's Jubilee Party (UPJP). He says the party will “fight discrimination and tribalism of all kinds” and will be a party “for all...
View ArticleRestricting Maize Exports
The government earlier this month suspended maize and bran exports, the Ministry of Agriculture said in a latest move to ensure availability locally. According to Statutory Instrument No. 85 of 2013,...
View ArticleBye, Bye ZCCM-IH!
An important recent report which has not had much discussion. The Government recently announced that it plans to cede control of ZCCM-IH. Mines Minister Chris Yaluma says that Cabinet will decide on...
View ArticleMine Watch (Kabwe)
Berkeley Mineral Resources (BMR), through its Zambian subsidiary Enviro Processing Limited (EPL), is planning to reopen Kabwe Mine and is expected to initially invest US$300 million (about K1.5...
View ArticleDebt Watch (Saudi Arabia)
The government recently signed two loan agreements with Saudi Arabia worth $40m to buy urea fertiliser ($20m) and renovate the University Teaching Hospital ($20m). This is the third loan agreement with...
View ArticleChikwandanomics
Finance Minister Alexander Chikwanda on low mining revenues :[Members of Parliament] have rightly expressed their disquiet about the paltry contribution of the mining sector to tax revenue. The mining...
View ArticleA Zambian Conundrum (Guest Blog)
Here is a conundrum :You are a shrewd and very successful businessman. You started off in the mining supply business, before venturing into micro-lending where you made an absolute fortune charging...
View ArticleWhere Next for ZESCO?
Government has approved the proposal by ZESCO to increase electricity tariffs. Energy Minister Christopher Yaluma says that the Energy Regulation Board (ERB) approved ZESCO’s application, without...
View ArticleFree Riding Justice
William Harrington (Former Transport Minister) is asking for financial assistance to ensure justice is done. Mr Harrington intends to move a motion in the High Court to probe Tourism Minister Sylvia...
View ArticleThe Mining Employment Problem
KCM plans to cut at least 1,529 jobs by March 2014. The policy is with immediate effect. Some have already being laid off, though KCM disputes that. It cites the coming to end of the lifespan of some...
View ArticleGRZ Vs Mining Companies (6th Edition)
Vedanta Resources owned Konkola Copper Mines Plc is suing Zambia Revenue Authority over a K3.2 billion ($586 million) tax charge relating to exports of copper cathode. KCM wants the Lusaka High Court...
View ArticleThe Problem of Unemployment
Hakainde Hichilema (UPND) has responded poorly on the KCM crisis with this suggestion :“The PF government has the responsibilities of lowering the cost of doing business, not just for KCM, but for...
View ArticleAre expatriates taking Zambian graduate jobs?
One of the most common complaints I get is that many Zambian graduates do not have access to jobs because the jobs are normally given to foreign expatriates. Many see the challenge of unemployment as...
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