Africa needs China-NEPAD

Dr Mayaki

DOREEN NAWA

Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe

THE New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) says the China-Africa relationship is not romantic.

NEPAD chief executive officer Ibrahim Mayaki said China is an economic power that Africa has to deal with in order to realize the continent’s industrialization dream.

Dr  Mayaki said the current configuration of the world places china as a critical actor because china has money.

“In terms of reserves, China has trillions. We cannot do without China. The question is we need to be profoundly conscious of our interests when dealing with China, this is not a romantic relationship. It’s not that we love them and they love us, no, there is no love into that.  It has to be based on our interests,” Dr Mayaki said.

Dr Mayaki was speaking in an interview yesterday at the sidelines of the on-going 2018 Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA) Week themed “Realising Africa’s Integration through Smart Infrastructure and Good Governance” in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe.

Dr Mayaki said Africa needs to know its interests which are fundamentally to protect and create the jobs of the continents youthful population.

“Africa has 400 million youths that need employment. In every African country today, we have the common factor of youths protesting. We have to be very careful and if we do not accelerate the industrialization dream, then we are in trouble,” Dr Mayaki said.

He said China has to help Africa industrialize by transferring the necessary skills that can help the continent in its quest to industrialize.

“Africa should not be a dumping ground for Chinese products and Chinese medicine. Just like Japan did for China, we need China to do the same to Africa.  When you see most brands of television sets like Panasonic, it is a Japanese brand but made in China. We want to see Huawei made in Africa,” Dr Mayaki said.

He said China should localize their technology, products and services thereby helping in transforming Africa.

For Africa to develop, Dr Mayaki said the continent has to prioritise industrialization adding that China is a recent example of how industry can drive economic transformation.

He said Africa must develop its industries in manufacturing, technology, agriculture, banking and finance, transport which will result in large scale production of goods that will be available to the African consumers at much cheaper rates.

Through industrialisation, Dr Mayaki says Africa can guarantee that its people will enjoy a rise in the standard of living.

Good governance key to Africa's infrastructure growth-AfDB

Ms Moono Mutopola (far right) during a panel discussing at the 2018 PIDA week.

DOREEN NAWA

Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe

GOOD Governance is key to Africa’s regional integration, African Development Bank (AfDB) Director for Regional Development and Regional Integration, Moono Mupotola has said.

Speaking on the sidelines of the on-going 2018 Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA) Week in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, Ms Mupotola said there is need to reflect on the challenges and pace of infrastructure development on the continent.

Ms Mupotola said good governance in the implementation of infrastructure projects is also key to building confidence of donors and financiers.

Further, Ms Mupotola noted that with good governance, Africa can grow investor confidence and this would certainly attract more investor interest and capital to the continent.

“Establishing good governance frameworks and mechanisms for sub-Sahara Africa infrastructure projects would not only boost investor confidence, it would also guarantee timely delivery of projects, within budget and to specification,” Ms Mupotola said.  

She said AfDB’s role as financier, facilitator and honest broker in the actualization of infrastructure projects is helping to build the much-needed capacity and institutional frameworks on the continent.

“These will be crucial for establishing good governance and structuring disciplined financing required to deliver smart infrastructure in energy supply, regional transport corridors, internet connectivity as well as trans-boundary water management,” Ms Mupotola said.

Commenting on the 2018 PIDA Week themed, ‘Realizing Africa’s Integration through Smart Infrastructure and Good Governance,’ Ms Mupotola said given that the interests and challenges in developing infrastructure are common across countries, international good practices can help governments better seize opportunities and meet related challenges.

“One natural starting point in this case is to assess the challenges that arise when governance arrangements fall short of stipulated requirements and benchmark.

She said poor governance is a major reason why infrastructure projects fail to meet their timeframe, budget and service delivery objectives.

Ms Mupotola said infrastructure projects with deficient governance often result in cost overruns, delays, underperformance, underutilization, accelerated deterioration due to poor maintenance, and, occasionally, expensive “white elephants” and bridges-to-nowhere.

She noted that notable progress has been in some of the priority infrastructure projects in Africa.

Some of the projects being showcased at the 2018 PIDA Week, include regional infrastructure transport projects like the Central Corridor Dar es Salaam to Chalinze Toll Road, the Kinshasa-Brazzaville Road and Railway Bridge, the High-Speed Rail Network (HSRN), the Abidjan-Lagos corridor and Praia-Dakar-Abidjan corridor projects; and the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) initiative. Regional power projects will also be showcased, so here we have the Ethiopia-Sudan Power Interconnector, Zambia-Tanzania-Kenya Power Interconnection, Batoka Hydropower Plant, and Inga III Hydropower project.

Climate change fuelling innovation in Eastern Province

Mr Kelian Tembo, 45, of Kazika Village in Katete district cycles around residential areas of the district selling woven baskets. PICTURE BY DOREEN NAWA

DOREEN NAWA, Chipata
IT’S spring, and Mr Kelian Tembo, 45, of Kazika village in Katete district is not in a hurry to prepare the field.
Instead, he is busy with his woven basket enterprise which he says is now a more lucrative business than growing maize.
Every day, he wakes up early in the morning to gather material for his baskets from the nearby Mphangwe River.
Now, his interest in farming is slowly going down because of the low yields he has been getting despite putting in all his energy and resources.
Mr Tembo remembers well his farming yields 25 years ago.
“The rains were plenty. I grew local maize varieties every season and received a bumper harvest. Just growing maize alone was enough both as a food and a cash crop. Maize farming sustained my family throughout the year. But now that is not the case,” Mr Tembo says.
However, with changing climate, Mr Tembo notes that maize no matter the variety, gives him no better yields any more.
In these years, he struggled to feed his family of nine children and wife Janet until last year when he ventured into woven baskets for a living.
“If the music changes, you must change the dance steps. This should be a step that small -scale farmers in the country should take. As farmers, we are experiencing some of the worst impacts of climate change and hunger and poverty in homes is getting worse because we are no longer food secure,” Mr Tembo says.
Today, Mr Tembo is not the only one who has quit his maize farm and is running a flourishing business.
Initiatives like the one Mr Tembo is involved in are trying to turn the tide by creating a positive feedback circle in climate change adaptation in Eastern Province.
Mr Tembo says if small-scale farmers can have innovation buy-in, then the country will have an enhanced national economy, and farmers will be made more resilient and less vulnerable to the menace of climate change.
With innovation taking place, Mr Tembo says there is hope for small-scale farmers in adapting to climate change.
Another small-scale farmer in Chipata district, Lucy Lungu is aware of the climate change effects and says the only hope for small-scale farmers is through innovative enterprises like growing Moringa tree.
Ms Lungu says growing Moringa trees on a larger scale to replace maize is not common in Chipata district.
She has grown Moringa trees for three years now.
“You need to know where you are to know where you’re going. We need a sound management plan to increase our food output, combat food insecurity,” Ms Lungu says.
Farmers like Ms Lungu, who are using climate-smart practices, understand that trees do a lot on farms.
“But in the face of climate change, such trees act as windbreaks, reducing soil erosion, trees create habitat for wildlife and wildlife corridors—the list goes on,” Ms Lungu says.
Ms Lungu has half of the maize field for Moringa trees.
Several action is not going to stop climate change. The small scale farmers need to look harder at how to live with it.
Natural disasters such as droughts and floods have been thwarting development in the country and beyond.
Fluctuations in agricultural production due to climate variations along with inefficient agricultural systems cause food insecurity, one of the most obvious indicators of poverty.
The severe change in weather patterns in Zambia as charged by the effects of climate change, crippled rain-fed agricultural production and left the over 15 million people foods insecure.
Without urgent action to reduce global emissions, the occurrence of climate shocks and stresses in the country and beyond are expected to get much worse.
That is why innovation seem to be the way out on climate change adaptation. Innovation may not always be complicated or complex but simple ideas which can be sourced from individuals or groups.
Such ideas include bee keeping.
In Nyimba district in Eastern province, Catherine Daka is making a living through honey production.
Mrs Daka says after growing maize and sorghum for over two decades, the crop yields started reducing, making her opt for other income generating activities like bee keeping.
Mrs Daka has been in bee keeping for a year now. This is not the first time that she is involved in bee keeping.
In 2014, given the insufficient income and dangers of beekeeping, Mrs Daka had abandoned the activity.
However, the introduction of new beekeeping techniques that minimise risk and do not chase away bees has helped Mrs Daka jumpstart production.
She says production has increased rapidly and beekeeping is now a profitable enterprise because products can be readily sold immediately because it is clean.
Unlike the old practices that entailed the excessive use of straw fires to harvest honey, the new techniques have increased the population of bees because bees are not harmed.
Honey production has been a long-standing activity in Nyimba and other parts of Eastern Province.
However, the radical practices used by beekeepers had driven away scores of bees in recent years.
Now, new more ecologically friendly techniques that various partners brought to the areas like the plastic bee hives, the activity is generating considerable interest among community members and is gradually transforming the lives of small scale farmers who solely depended on maize production.
Experts say innovation in agriculture is clearly an important response for effective and equitable adaptation and mitigation, adding that concerted effort between partners and farmers are needed to rethink how to promote innovation to address the uncertainty of climate change impacts.
Agribusiness expert Cris Muyunda says climate change impacts on agriculture are varied and highly uncertain.
Not long from now, the evolution of agriculture will be shaped by its response to climate change. Farmers need to adapt their practices to accommodate climatic conditions.
PUBLISHED IN THE ZAMBIA DAILY MAIL on November 4, 2018. link: http://www.daily-mail.co.zm/climate-change-fuelling-innovation-in-eastern-province/

School is my priority now – Alice

DOREEN NAWA, Mumbwa
TWO years ago, Alice Lupiya walked out on her abusive husband of 15 years.
Ms Lupiya, a mother of three, was a child bride after being married off at the age of 15. She opted for marriage after failing her grade nine examinations in 2001.
Today, Ms Lupiya, 30, is back in school at Mumbwa Day Secondary School. Her eldest daughter is her classmate.
“My parents wanted me to repeat grade nine but there was no money to help further my education, so I had to wait,” Lupiya recollects.
After waiting in futility for a year, Ms Lupiya succumbed to peer pressure and got married.
However, the marriage institution was not as rosy as she thought. “I never enjoyed my marriage. Before I committed to the union, I thought being married was beautiful, but I was wrong. My husband was two years older,” she narrates.
Ms Lupiya was so naïve that she thought being in an abusive marriage was an acceptable phase in the union.
“My parents were aware of the abuse and sometimes, my mother would tell me to leave my matrimonial home but to me, it was never an option because I am a Christian. I know God hates divorce, so I had to grow a ‘thick skin’ and pretended all was well,” Ms Lupiya says.
However, with the passing of time, she could no longer contend the abuse. She disclosed the ‘happenings’ to a non-governmental organisation (NGO).
After being in bondage for 15 years, Ms Lupiya exited her marital home with the help of a gender-based violence (GBV) committee in Shimbizhi area in Mumbwa.
She regrets her decision to choose marriage over education as this has delayed her dream of becoming a doctor.
Ms Lupiya’s story is no different from other women in most rural communities. Adolescent girls are deceived to thinking marriage is a ‘bed of roses’.
Lost in the feeling of ‘love’ and infatuation, girls disregard all warnings but choose to drop out of school for marriage – a decision they realise too late that it is usually far from what they envision.
“I passed through a series of abuse and I regret being a mother at a tender age. My husband often scolded me, that I did not know how to take care of him and he would hit me terribly,” Ms Lupiya recalls.
Luckily for Ms Lupiya, her decision to get back to school is slowly changing her future prospect.
With the help of her parents, who take care of her children, Ms Lupiya is back in school fighting for a way to end the spiral of poverty in her family.
“I am a student like my 15– year-old firstborn daughter but I believe age is not a factor in achieving my dreams. I want to become a medical doctor and later join politics and become a Member of Parliament for Mumbwa Central,” she says.
Although she is in the same grade as her daughter, Ms Lupiya is not bothered.
“I want to advise girls to focus on their education and reject the demands of boys and men who use sweet words to deceive and lure them into marriage,” Ms Lupiya says.
She, however, feels the lack of education on sexual and reproductive health rights leaves most adolescents, especially girls, vulnerable to marriage and sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
“At the school level, sex education is not delved into and girls are chastised or tagged as “bad girls” when they inquire about sex and their changing bodies,” Ms Lupiya says.
Ms Lupiya is quick to admit that being a father and mother to her children has not been easy. She currently survives through the sale of honey and tomatoes.
“My eldest child is in grade nine, the other two are in grade three and grade one respectively.
“I am the sole financer for my children’s education and other needs while my parents are providing us with shelter. It is my prayer for well-wishers to come to my aid and help educate my children,” Ms Lupiya says.
And to combat child marriages in Zambia, World Vision Zambia (WVZ) has launched a campaign dubbed ‘It takes Zambia to end child marriage’.
The campaign presents a platform to various stakeholders to discuss and address the rampant cases of child marriages in Zambia.
The project, which was recently launched in Mumbwa district, is aimed at educating communities on the rights of girls, their entitlements and responsibilities.
WVZ communications manager Pamela Chama says the NGO has been working in various rural communities across the country to empower girls and restore their dignity by supporting them in school.
“Girls like Alice need to be supported to pursue their dreams and career goals. As a social justice organisation committed to achieving social justice, women equality and poverty eradication, we remain determined to serve as a catalyst to community development and female empowerment,” Ms Chama says.
And the local authority in Mumbwa district says ending child marriage in the district is timely, considering the number of girls that get pregnant annually.
“Last year, when First lady Esther Lungu visited the district to present Christmas hampers to new mothers. Most of them (new mothers) were teenage girls,” Mumbwa Town Council chairperson Gracious Hamatala says.
Cases like Ms Lupiya’s are a common factor. One would only wish for an end to child marriage by engaging everyone in the fight against the vice. PUBLISHED ON AUGUST 9, 2018 IN THE ZAMBIA DAILY MAIL ON AUGUST 9, 2018. LINK: https://www.daily-mail.co.zm/school-is-my-priority-now-alice/

Reigniting Zambia’s traditional delicacies’ lost glory

DOREEN NAWA, Lusaka
‘I DON’T eat ifisashi,” is a common refrain among many people who shun eating traditional foods in homes countrywide.
The readiness by many people to avoid traditional delicacies is reinforced by the proliferation of exotic foods sold in restaurants and eateries dotted around in communities.
Not long ago, traditional delicacies formed part of the menu in most homes countrywide.
But slowly, this trend is being replaced by exotic sweets and treats like cakes, chickens, chips, pizzas and many other exotic delicacies.
These exotic and junky foods have captured the hearts and tempted the taste buds of food-lovers across the country.
It’s no secret that Zambians are in love with these junk and exotic foods as evidenced by the number of people who frequent modern restaurants for either their breakfast, lunch, supper or indeed any in-between meals and snacks.
“I have not had traditional foods in a long time, not because I cannot afford it. Actually, it is cheaper than these exotic foods we buy like pizzas and chicken and chips but the challenge is that I don’t have time to prepare it. I would rather buy these exotic foods on my way home and eat quickly before getting to bed,” Ms Jessy Kangwa, a resident of Lusaka’s Villa area says.
However, Ms Kangwa knows that most of these fast foods are not good for human health because of the high oil contents in them.
“Whenever I am eating chicken and chips, I always remember my mother back then. She used to discourage me from eating too much fast food because of the various health risks that come with them. But living in the urban area has become so time consuming for me to get to the market and buy traditional foods like dried vegetables and wild fruits,” Ms Kangwa says.
Family recipes that once made mouths water are being tossed aside, with some at risk of becoming extinct.
Ms Kangwa is not the only one shunning traditional foods, Vincent Tembo of Lusaka’s Chelstone says in his home, traditional foods are rarely found.
“My wife and I are working parents and my wife is rarely home because of the nature of her work. As a result, we both have no time to prepare the indigenous foods. All we do is to buy fast foods and the day is gone,” Mr Tembo says.
Mr Tembo says sometimes it is a challenge to find traditional foods because such foods are not easily found or not packaged well, resulting in some people being discouraged when buying these foods.
But not all national delicacies have been preserved with such priority, according to Civil Society for Poverty Reduction (CSPR) executive director Patrick Nshindano.
Mr Nshindano says for Zambia to achieve the much-needed sustainable economic empowerment, the country needs a sustainable food system centering much on traditional foods production, preservation and consumption.
“Zambia urgently needs a sustainable food system as evidenced from the erosion of our traditional foods which we have had since time immemorial. Crop diversification is one of the ways of having a sustainable food system. It is then that we will see food diversity that will in-turn contribute to the country’s sustainable food system instead of solely dependent on exotic foods,” Mr Nshindano says.
Mr Nshindano believes agriculture has been relegated to only subsistence agriculture.
“For the urban population, there is too much obesity. Malnutrition levels are high and all this can be related to failure to follow crop diversification. We need more involvement and we need it done in a more sustainable manner. We need improved livelihood at the household level,” Mr Nshindano says.
The traditional food is facing erosion both in urban and rural areas.
But how will Zambia reignite the traditional foods?
“We need to reorient people on the importance of indigenous foods. It is cheap and more healthy. One reason why we are facing this erosion is that our agriculture policy system for a long time has not promoted crop diversification, as a result, mono-cropping has taken root,” Mr Nshindano says.
But all hope is not lost, Mr Nshindano says the e-voucher system is a good one, nevertheless needs to be promoted.
“We need a healthy nation. And healthy food is an important component in having a healthy nation. It is now after the e-voucher system that we have seen the change. We need to ensure that the policy looks at food diversification, too,” Mr Nshindano says.
HIVOS Southern Africa advocacy officer on sustainable diets William Chilufya says these neglected species are important due to their potential contribution in preventing malnutrition, obesity and diet-related disorders and hidden hunger.
Mr Chilufya says many indigenous food crops constitute inexpensive and rich sources of protein, vitamin C, and dietary fiber.
“Like Amaranth (bondwe), it’s nutritional value is huge and yet it is not preserved or packaged in order to be accessed by both urban and rural households. We need to promote the production and preservation of such foods so that we increase the availability of produce in the peri-urban and urban areas at affordable prices,” Mr Chilufya says.
Mr Chilufya says initiatives have been carried out across the country to strategise on how to reignite the indigenous food crops production, preservation and packaging.
“We have farmers that we are working with in sharing information, production technologies for packaging and preservation. We hope this project will result in the development of efficient marketing processes which are vital for the commercial success of the small fruits and vegetables grower,” he says.
According to Mr Chilufya, people need to change their perspectives and start eating indigenous foods which are rich in nutrients. PUBLISHED IN THE ZAMBIA DAILY MAIL ON AUGUST 19, 2018. LINK:

Mutoba: Founder of Tapera Industries Ltd

DOREEN NAWA, Lusaka
AHAT is the fastest way to scale a business? Find something old, add a modern twist, and send it back out into the world.
This is exactly what Mutoba Ngoma, 33, founder of Tapera Industries Limited does.
He turns used vegetable oils into biodiesel fuel for cars and natural soaps for laundry and personal use.
Mr Ngoma, a trained aircraft engineer is one of Africa’s young entrepreneurs that made it onto the 2016 Forbes list of Africa’s most promising entrepreneurs under the age of 35.
Mr Ngoma was retrenched in 2009 by Zambian Airways after working for two years as an aircraft maintenance planner.
But the retrenchment gave birth to Tapera Industries Limited.
“I was already processing vegetable oils into biodiesel fuel for cars and selling it to my colleagues at work. So, my response to the retrenchment was to continue my activity as a business and start expanding my operations. I have been self-employed since then,” Mr Ngoma says.
Born on January 30, 1985, Mr Ngoma did his secondary school at Matero Boys Secondary School in Lusaka, and then went to complete his secondary school in Nairobi, Kenya at St Mary’s School.
Thereafter, he went to the United Kingdom to study manufacturing engineering and aircraft engineering.
Born to Edna Ngoma and Captain Gilbert Ngoma, he is the first of the five children in the family.
“I wanted to be an astronaut to explore space since I was about 6 years old because I was fascinated by programmes on television about aliens and science. This passion drove me to pursue studies that can lead to aeronautics, hence the aircraft engineering that I studied,” Mr Mutoba says.
His dream had been for him to one day work for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
NASA is an independent agency of the executive branch of the United States federal government responsible for the civilian space programmes, as well as aeronautics and aerospace research.
Unfortunately, he did not qualify because he studied in the United Kingdom as opposed to studying in the United States.
Realisng this, he focused on other opportunities such as getting a job in Africa once done with his studies. This saw him coming back to Zambia in 2006 where he started his research into biodiesel fuel production before going to join Zambian Airways Limited a year later.
What drives him?
“I am inspired by achievers who find alternative routes to success such as Aliko Dangote of the Dangote Group, Khalid Mohammed of Trade Kings group and Richard Branson of the Virgin group because these achievers built their industries from the ground up,” Mr Ngoma says.
Mr Ngoma says he enjoys the creativity of manufacturing.
“I have always loved to be challenged, even when I was in Grade Seven, I used to go home with my gateway to Grade Eight text book and try to perform the experiments from the book with the help of my big cousin Mutale who used to guide me, it is why I enjoy the hands on, practical aspect of the business so much,” Mr Ngoma says.
In less than five years since Tapera was re-registered as a Limited Liability company from a business name to scale up the business, Mr Ngoma has excelled gained himself numerous recognitions.
“This has opened several doors and opportunities around the world which include being a Mandela Washington Fellow in 2014, one of Forbes Africa top 30 under 35 most promising entrepreneurs of 2016, listed by the United Nations decade for people of African descent as one of the Most Influential People of African Descent 2017. And most recently being invited by the office of the President of the Africa Development Bank for the Africa Development Bank (AfDB) annual meeting 2018 to present a paper to the bank, on youth participation in the industrialisation of Africa based on Tapera Industries experience in Zambia,” Mr Ngoma says.
Through his works and recognitions from around the world, he hopes society can begin to perceive youth in Zambia as a more proactive population that can help address global challenges.
Currently, Tapera Industries Limited offers a waste vegetable oils and fat waste disposal service to local restaurants and hotels under licence from ZEMA, and through his innovative disposal methods, the used cooking oils and fats are cleaned and processed into biodiesel fuel and soap products.
However, due to limited quantities of the waste vegetable fats, the business has since 2014 started to procure jatropha curcas seed from small-scale farmers to produce the vegetable oils in house which are being further processed into biofuels and natural soaps.
“We used to collect used cooking oils from local hotels and restaurants on a large scale but we realised that due to the inconsistent quality and availability the venture was becoming expensive because of the high cost that they pegged the used cooking oils at. So we decided to be producing the vegetable oils on our own using various oil seeds,” Mr Ngoma says.
To date, Tapera Industries Limited company has signed up over 2000 small scale farmers on their out grower program, and are able to procure an average of 40 metric tons of seed per month during the harvest season.
“In partnership with MUSIKA agricultural initiatives, We have set up a small scale farmers out grower scheme in Eastern Province of Zambia where we soon hope to setup up a fully-fledged farm to fuel biodiesel production site with a monthly capacity to produce 70,000 litres of vegetable oil per month and further produce over 200 metric tonnes of biomass briquettes (environmentally friendly coal replacement) from the agro waste that jatropha seed generates,” he says.
The company employs seven permanent staff, and 30 seasonal buyers who live in the communities where the small scale-farmers are based.
For Mr Ngoma, the potential for growth in youth participation in the economy is one thing that Africa should not ignore.
“What my fellow youths require is direction and support from the leaders. During the AfDB annual meeting in Korea, the World Bank president mentioned that Africa would have a difficult time industrializing because the leaders are not supporting the small industries, a good example to learn from is South Korea, it started with basic industries making small things like soap and matches, then graduated to light industries making small components like engine parts, then to Heavy industries where they are manufacturing cars and ships, and now digital industries where they bring us the phones and robotics. The leap that is being attempted, from no base industry to digital industry will leave a huge gap that will have to be supported by foreign manufacturers like China which will stunt our industrialisation potential, unless the local industries are supported and become the base for the industrial revolution,” Mr Ngoma says.
From an idea to innovative action, and this is how Tapera Industries Limited was born. PUBLISHED ON JULY 29, 2018 IN THE ZAMBIA DAILY MAIL. Link: http://www.daily-mail.co.zm/mutoba-founder-of-tapera-industries-ltd/

How about Chinese single dose contraceptive pill?

DOREEN NAWA, Lusaka
SARAH Mutale, 35, is aware of the economic implications of having more children.
The mother of three knows there is a risk of failing to finance the needs of children should they be more, and because of her fears, she and her husband, Francis, have agreed not to go beyond three children.
For Mrs Mutale, a complete stop to having children is the best option for her but she does not know how.
One day she opted to find out on various family planning methods available. At the same time, she fears she might experience complications if she takes options that require a serious operation to prevent an unplanned pregnancy.
This led the couple to the University Teaching Hospital (UTH) to seek advice on the available planning options.
Mr and Mrs Mutale of Lusaka’s Longacres area managed to access the birth control pill.
The pill is a type of birth control that is designed to be taken orally by women to prevent pregnancy.
But three years ago, Mrs Mutale had challenges with adherence to the oral contraceptive pill.
And after she shared her predicament with her workmate, she learnt of the new option which has become popular on the market among women who want to prevent pregnancy.
The Chinese single dose monthly contraceptive pill, also referred to as a once-a-month contraceptive pill, is now becoming common among women.
Asked on the efficiency of the pill, Mrs Mutale says she has had no major side-effects from the time she started taking the drug.
“I like the elasticity, you take it once a month and all I do is indicate on my kitchen calendar right on top of the kitchen unit and this gets me reminded of the next due date,” Mrs Mutale says.
Mrs Mutale is not alone. Limited access to family planning services, fears about side effects, opposition from partners and religious beliefs have led to Zambia having one of the highest unmet needs for contraception in Southern Africa according to United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) report on access to family planning.
And the report indicates that this unmet need for family planning is highest among illiterate women in rural areas in Zambia.
But with the coming of the Chinese pill on the market, some women have taken up the option.
Another user of the Chinese pill, Precious Kagulula of Lusaka’s Madras area, says she first heard of the Chinese pill in 2015 and a year later, she tried it.
“I have had no side effects and I think it has worked well for me. I have been on it since 2016. I would gladly recommend any woman especially working women to consider being on the Chinese pill,” Mrs Kagulula says.
Although easily purchased in Lusaka at prices varying between K30 to K50 per pill, the purchase goes with no prior medical examination or counselling.
An on-the-spot check at a Chinese clinic in Lusaka in Libala area found the pill going at K30 and easily accessed with no receipts issued for the purchase.
It was the same case at another clinic located in Lusaka’s Northmead area where a pill is sold at K50.
But health authorities in Zambia have maintained that the Chinese contraceptive pills are illegal in Zambia.
Ministry of Health Permanent Secretary Kennedy Malama says women should be cautious when using them because it’s not clear what they contain, and some women have reported serious side-effects, including heavy bleeding.
“It is not recommended to take medication that has no name. People should be worried of such medication and desist from taking it,” Dr Malama says.
At the dispensary section at the Chinese clinic, the attendant said the pills are herbal contraceptives and have no major side-effects.“We have had no complaints from the time we started dispensing the pill. Actually we have a lot of new clients coming for it on a daily basis. The Chinese pill is a popular option for Zambian women seeking non-hormonal contraceptives,” the attendant said.
But some women who have taken the pill say it causes heavy bleeding.
“I experienced heavy bleeding for the first months but thereafter my body got used and I have had no problem. The only challenge is that the pack for the same pill is written in Chinese language, it would have been helpful if it was done in English. And selling of the pill is strictly one pill a month, so once it is time for that month’s dose, I always go back to the clinic to purchase it,” Jacklyn Choongo, another user of Lusaka’s Thornpark area says.
It’s not clear how the pills get to Zambia, or when they first arrived in the country, but the World Health Organisation notes that Chinese contraceptives flow freely into Southeast Asia.
According to the Zambia Medicines Regulatory Authority guidelines, one of the prerequisites for medicines sold or given to patients in Zambia is that the instructions on the said medicine should be in English.
But for the Chinese pill, the instructions are in Chinese, a language not familiar to Zambians.
ZAMRA public relations officer Ludovic Mwape says the pill is illegal in Zambia and investigations are under way to determine for how long the practice has been going on.
“In the first place, the medicine coming to Zambia must be in English. But for the Chinese, there was an exception that they (Chinese) should bring in medicine in Chinese because it was meant for their people (Chinese speaking). But now that we have Zambians accessing it, it comes to us as a matter that we are handling with the urgency it deserves,” Mr Mwape says.
Further, ZAMRA is carrying out investigations on how the pill has found its way into the country and why Chinese clinics are giving it out to Zambians that do not understand the language of instructions on the pill. PUBLISHED IN THE ZAMBIA DAILY MAIL ON JULY 22, 2018. LINK: https://www.daily-mail.co.zm/how-about-chinese-single-dose-contraceptive-pill/

Does men involvement in maternal health care matter?

DOREEN NAWA, Lusaka
WALKING into Kafue District Hospital for antenatal care while holding hands with her husband is not a new trend for Precious Chunga, 29, a mother of one.
For Mrs Chunga of Kafue’s C7 section, the first time her husband accompanied her for the routine maternal care was during her first pregnancy three years ago.
At that time, the couple’s action shocked many people.
“The neighbours called me names and accused me of indoctrinating my husband all because whenever it was time for antenatal checkups, he would prefer we first go to the clinic before he goes for work,” Mrs Chunga says.
She says going for routine medical checkups has helped her sail through pregnancy and even after giving birth.
“I believe a pregnancy is not the responsibility of a wife or woman alone, it is for both whether married or not,” she says.
Mrs Chunga adds, “There are times when the medical staff gives instructions or any explanation regarding the pregnancy and when you have a husband or partner accompanying you, it becomes easier in case he has questions regarding anything.”
The role of husbands in maternal health is often overlooked by society and families in many communities in Zambia.
“I have learnt that support from our husbands or indeed male partners has long lasting benefits for both the developing child and the expectant mother,” Mrs Chunga says.
She recalls that during her first pregnancy, she would feel ashamed of going for the routine checkups with her husband but with time, she got used such that whatever people in her community said did not matter to her.
“It looks like it is against the norm but my husband and I have vowed to defy it. I want to be the change to this trend, we need men present at all stages in the process of women giving a life,” Mrs Chunga says.
But do men have an important role in maternal and newborn health care both as partners and parents?
Mr Chunga feels in today’s society, it is easy to forget that there are some major differences between the genders.
“While your pregnant wife spends nine months growing a baby inside of her, you will be left to watch from the outside.,” Mr Kuteng’a Chunga says.
Mr Chunga says from experience, he has leant that being pregnant is tough.
“I want her to be as happy and comfortable as possible, and I always did whatever I could to help Precious,” Mr Chunga says.
The pregnancy process for many men is a little bewildering. Not knowing what to do, they end up nervously backing away instead of stepping up the support when their women need them the most.
But for Mr Chunga, it was time to learn more about the baby and the expectant mother.
As heads of the family, men mostly control resources and serve as the final authority on several happenings in homes.
Surprisingly, beyond that, many men seem to have no expectation of any further role during antenatal care and therefore find it unnecessary to attend clinics with their partners.
In patriarchal settings, the role of men can be complex and social and cultural traditions may conflict.
But medically, men’s role during antenatal care has several benefits both physically and mentally for both the expectant mother and the unborn child.
A community health assistant at Kafue District Hospital, Joseph Zulu says the trend is slowly changing.
“We now see at least two or three pregnant women come with their husbands or partners for the antenatal routine checkups. It was not so a few years ago,” Mr Zulu says.
In cases where men accompany their wives, the couples are given priority.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared the involvement of men in maternal and newborn health as a priority.
It is one of eight “strong recommendations” on a list of 12 in its just-published WHO recommendations on health promotion interventions for maternal and newborn health.
It recommends further research into a family approach, looking also at other key family relationships around the mother and baby.
One of the recommendations reads: “Interventions to promote the involvement of men during pregnancy, childbirth and after birth are recommended to facilitate and support improved self-care of women, improved home care practices for women and newborns, improved use of skilled care during pregnancy, childbirth and the postnatal period for women and newborns, and increase the timely use of facility care for obstetric and newborn complications.”
And renowned gynecologist Swebby Macha says the role of husbands in maternity care is important for safe childbirth.
“Men should be present because their being around gives a pregnant woman emotional support and also helps in the development of the pregnancy,” Dr Macha says.
Dr Macha says a woman’s memory takes a dive during pregnancy and sometimes she may be nervous and excited, hence she might rely on her partner to remind her about what medication to take and what food to eat at what time.
In Zambia, pregnancy and childbirth has been women’s domain and maternal health care services have focused on women, with very little male involvement. PUBLISHED IN THE ZAMBIA DAILY MAIL ON JULY 8, 2018. LINK: https://www.daily-mail.co.zm/does-men-involvement-in-maternal-health-care-matter/

Getting to Nacala Corridor through Great East Road

THE starting point of the newly rehabilitated Great East Road from immediately after the Luangwa Bridge from Lusaka. Right, a Malawian truck driver Edwin Banda at Mwami Border after driving through the-newly rehabilitated road.

DOREEN NAWA, Chipata
THE story is perhaps familiar to a lot of people on how the Unilateral Declaration of Independence (UDI) by Southern Rhodesia in 1965 affected Zambia which was only months old as an independent country.The UDI turned to be a major blow for Zambia because it had been tied to the southern African trading system since the beginning of the twentieth century.
Zambia’s external trade depended on the Rhodesia Railways and was routed through South Africa and Mozambique; copper was exported through the ports of Durban, Port Elizabeth and Beira and imports were mainly sourced in South Africa, until the establishment of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland, when the Southern Rhodesian industry developed and became the main supplier of the Zambian market. But products not available in South Africa and Rhodesia continued to transit through the ports of South Africa and Mozambique.
Yet, only five weeks after UDI, Zambia’s access to these routes was cut off. The country had to spend the ensuing five years trying to divert its imports and exports from the southern African ports mainly to the port of Dar es Salaam.
But so much has changed since then with all the countries in the region gaining majority rule and opening up to regional integration.
As the countries move towards regional initiatives such as the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) and the Southern Africa Development Co-operation (SADC), ways of overcoming southern Africa’s regional transport hurdles continue being sought.
One of these initiatives involves connecting Zambia, Malawi and Mozambique to the Nacala Corridor which links them to the port of Beira, located about 1,200 kilometres north of the Mozambican capital of Maputo. This is the port that handles the import and export cargoes for Malawi, Zimbabwe, Zambia and even the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
In Zambia, the route connecting to the Nacala Corridor is the Lusaka-Mwami Border road which has partly been rehabilitated in line with the expansion plan on the Nacala Transport Corridor in SADC.
In 2013, the government of Zambia contracted Condril and Mota Engil construction companies to rehabilitate the 375 kilometre stretch from Luangwa Bridge to Mwami Border, at a cost of €168.7 million.
The road project is co-financed by the European Union (EU) through the European Development Fund (EDF), which is a grant, and loans from the European Investment Bank (EIB), the French Agency for Development (AFD) and the African Development Bank (AfDB).
The road is one of Zambia’s major plans to open new trade routes.
The current state of this road shows quality works.
Some users interviewed say the rehabilitated road has increased traffic through Eastern Province to the coastal port of Beira.
A Malawian truck driver, Edwin Banda, describes the road as a perfect link within the southern Africa region.
“I wish the works on the Luangwa-Mwami Border road can be extended to cover the Luangwa-Lusaka road and also the Katete-Chanida border road. I say so because from my understanding, this road project is meant to open the Nacala Corridor to Beira, in Mozambique, but without working on these missing links, then the connection will not make sense,” Mr Banda says. “The dream will not be realised.”
Mr Banda says poor infrastructure leads to the cost of transporting goods in the region to being high.
“I have been a truck driver for 32 years now and from my interactions and experience, I have come to learn that SADC goods compete less with those from other regions on the continent because of poor transport facilities,” he says.
Musonda Chitala, a Zambian truck driver agrees.
“A poor transport system acts as a non-tariff trade barrier,” Mr Chitala says before adding that indeed, bad roads cost lives.
“I know what a bad road can do to a family, a community and above all the region. On several occasions while on the road delivering goods, I have witnessed a lot of fatalities. I can safely say that the region’s road fatality share is huge, all because of the bad roads.”
But it is not only the truck drivers who appreciate the importance of a good road network.
Marjory Simwamba, a crossborder trade, says the Luangwa-Mwami Border road has now eased her movements between Lusaka and Blantyre in Malawi.
“Before the road was done, travelling from Luangwa to Mwami Border was taking over six hours by bus, but now, we take three to four hours, which is good for us as traders because the longer you spend travelling, the more expensive it becomes,” Ms Simwamba says.
Chipata City Council Mayor Sinoya Mwale says connectivity and low-cost transport facilities like good road networks provide opportunities for any country and increases their accessibility standard.
“Transport and communications systems have an important bearing on economic integration and development because they can be significant non-tariff barriers,” Mr Mwale says.
He says reducing the distance between people, markets, services and knowledge or simply getting people connected is a great part of what economic growth is all about.
There is a very strong positive correlation between a country’s or indeed region’s economic development and the quality of its road network.
The National Authorisation Office, which is under the Ministry of Finance and is mandated to manage funds from the EU through the European Development Fund, is impressed with the road works on the Luangwa Bridge-Mwami Border road.
Co-ordinator Chasiya Kazembe says the Luangwa-Mwami Border road will make a crucial contribution to economic development and growth and bring important social benefits on the Nacala Corridor as well as Zambia.
“…A [good] road network is crucial in economic growth. Roads open up more areas and stimulate economic and social development,” Ms Kazembe says. “Road infrastructure is the most important of all public assets.”
The Zambian government in particular has nevertheless made significant efforts to improve the road situation connecting the Nacala Corridor as seen in the speedy rehabilitation of the T-4 also known as the Great East road. PUBLISHED ON JULY 7, 2018 IN THE ZAMBIA DAILY MAIL. LINK: http://www.daily-mail.co.zm/getting-to-nacala-corridor-through-great-east-road/

Eagerly waiting for new space

DOREEN NAWA, Lusaka
CHILUFYA Chileya is a vegetable trader who travels back and forth, sometimes twice a day, between Lusaka’s main Soweto Market to collect vegetables for sale in Zingalume Township.
“Although not satisfied with being a trader, I am grateful that I can do something that puts food on the table for my children,” she says.
Not only that, Ms Chileya also says she has managed to build a house in Zingalume just from her vegetable business.
Her main worry is only during the rainy season.
“Whenever it rains, coming here [Soweto market] is unbearable but I have no choice because I have been trading in vegetables for years,” Ms Chileya says.
Soweto becomes filthy whenever it rains.
“I am happy that it is not raining now, the filthy environment is sometimes too much to a point that one has to wear protective boots and sometimes you have to carry another pair of clothes to change after doing your business here.”
The Glorious Band would say the story of Soweto market is well known [Ilyashi Likaya].
The market lacks proper water drainage systems thereby giving rise to the potential outbreak of water-borne diseases like cholera, which Lusaka City was battling with only recently.
“There is no way we can allow this to happen so long after independence. I don’t understand,” said a shocked Minister of Local Government Vincent Mwale, who toured the market last month with his Gender counterpart, Victoria Kalima. “What needs to happen here is an entire upgrade to the place.”
But for all the complaints against its trading environment, Soweto market remains a popular destination for many shoppers.
She needs to check TripAdvisor, an American travel and restaurant website company providing hotel and restaurant reviews, accommodation bookings and other travel-related content.
“Best place to visit especially if you are not afraid of crowds! For locals, everything under one massive roof... For foreign tourists, a good place to experience life in one of the biggest markets of Lusaka. Please make sure you move with a friend or a person who knows the market well as the place may seem overwhelming for a loner,” one reviewer wrote.
Another one added: “Since there is not much else to do, I took a drive out there with a taxi. It is a true African market, people everywhere, cars and taxis hooting and shouting. I felt uncomfortable to leave the taxi and just decided to drive through, which was the interesting part. I’ve been to many African markets, but the mayhem at this one is by far the worst. Fun to see, so go look and decide for yourself, and just have an exit plan.”
There are many other positive reviews of Soweto market.
“A walk through this market place is a must, from vendors selling all kinds of trinkets and Chinese-made goodies, to the shop stalls peddling new and used apparel, from undies to wolly jumpers and everything in between,” another reviewer wrote.
“The small shops offer just about any kind of new goods from phone chargers to fridges and the latest flat screen TVs and portable hi-fi’s. Adding to the hustle and bustle are the busy side walk salons where ladies can do a dazzling hair style, while the traffic passes by. If one is a little hungry, there are some take- away food eateries, mostly chicken and chips. A very busy place and look out for the usual street urchins lurking about.”
They are mostly right. Soweto market, located on Los Angeles road on the western part of the city, is a place where you can find anything; groceries, toiletries, medicines, clothes, furniture, stationary, Zambian curios and one suspects even spare parts for an aircraft.
But despite the positives, the traders still want the issue of sanitation to be attended to.
“We’re not happy, we feel very unsafe. Now there is no much peace. The market now accommodates everyone, farmers, buyers and us the traders, unlike before, farmers had their specific place. The other side was closed because of the cholera epidemic and currently, the place is under construction,” Isaac Sakala, who sells groundnuts at the market, says.
An agribusiness expert, Wesley Litaba Wakun’uma, says the situation at Soweto market hinders the growth of the country’s agribusiness.
“Any agribusiness venture needs access to markets in order to create a profitable food market. The time has come for making Zambian agriculture and agribusiness a catalyst for ending poverty. We have lots of people venturing in agribusiness but the situation at Soweto market is one that can negatively affect access to markets,” Mr Wakun’uma says.
“Unlocking the potential of agribusiness in Zambia begins with better and orderly food markets where customers can assemble and buy whatever they need, from vegetables to fruits.
“Soweto market is a competitive place even among Zambia’s neighbours, but it is held back by the difficulty and filthy environment farmers and traders work from. Trading in a filthy place is a major deterrent for consumers and this constrains the growth and performance of our farmers and agribusiness ventures in Zambia.”
Fortunately, the minister of local government is seemingly on top of things.
“The new vegetables and fruits wholesale trading markets at new Soweto is taking shape. Farmers and traders will soon trade in a safe environment with adequate sanitary facilities,” Mr Mwale says.
“The market will have four shelters, 28 toilets, four showers, a large parking space for trucks bringing farm produce and a solid waste collection bay.”
He says once the market starts operating, a health committee will be appointed to ensure that the highest levels of sanitation are upheld.
“It is absolutely important that we do that considering that almost all farm produce that end up on our tables pass through this market and any contamination risks lives of the entire population of the city,” Mr Mwale says.
The new market is expected to accommodate over 2,500 traders. PUBLISHED ON MAY 26, 2018.

It may not be what you think

DOREEN NAWA, Lusaka
AT a time when heritage is at risk of destruction the world over, pressured by factors such as globalisation, climate change, migration, infrastructure development, the search for identity by humanity becomes more challenging.
This is why the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) is giving financial assistance from its Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) fund to various countries worldwide to help them document intangible cultural heritage.
UNESCO last week gave the University of Zambia (UNZA) US$340,000 to develop a degree programme to safeguard intangible cultural heritage with the first intake comprising of 20 students.
Immediately after news of the dishing out of the funds came out, a hashtag DegreeInWitchcraft went viral.
Social media users and the public picked on witchcraft, probably one of the topics once the degree programme is designed and approved by the higher learning institution.
The term witchcraft evokes different images for different people and in Zambia, the practice is a crime.
UNZA senior lecturer in the department of Archeology and historical studies Walima Kalusa says the institution of higher learning has no intentions of introducing a degree in witchcraft as suggested on social media.
“We have no intentions what so ever to introduce such a course and at no point was such discussed. What I am aware of is that as a university, we have received funding to commence a degree programme in intangible cultural heritage and we have not designed anything yet. We are right now in a workshop to formulate the course content of the degree programme,” Dr Kalusa says.
According to UNESCO, cultural heritage, among others, includes traditions or living expressions inherited from our ancestors and passed on to our descendants, such as oral traditions, performing arts, social practices, rituals, festive events, knowledge and practices concerning nature and the universe or the knowledge and skills to produce traditional crafts.
Dr Kalusa says though fragile, intangible cultural heritage is an important factor in maintaining cultural diversity in the face of growing globalization.
“An understanding of the intangible cultural heritage of different communities helps with intercultural dialogue, and encourages mutual respect for other ways of life,” Dr Kalusa says.
It is out of this concern the university introduced a degree programme to be centered on culture and people’s identity, beliefs and humanity in diversity.
He says the importance of intangible cultural heritage is not the cultural manifestation itself but rather the wealth of knowledge and skills that is transmitted through it from one generation to the next.
He adds that the social and economic value of this transmission of knowledge is relevant for humanity everywhere.
But just what is intangible cultural heritage?
By UNESCO’s definition, ICH is the traditional, contemporary and life of different people according to their culture.
“Intangible cultural heritage does not only represent inherited traditions from the past but also contemporary rural and urban practices in which diverse cultural groups take part, we may share expressions of intangible cultural heritage that are similar to those practised by others. Culture is what gives us that identity,” former National Arts Council chairperson Mulenga Kapwepwe said.
Ms Kapwepwe feels the misunderstanding circulating on social media will not help but contribute to the diminishing of various culture and beliefs in Zambia.
“You cannot liken ICH to witchcraft, it’s far from it. Intangible cultural heritage does not give rise to questions of whether or not certain practices are specific to a culture. It contributes to social cohesion, encouraging a sense of identity and responsibility which helps individuals to feel part of one or different communities and to feel part of society at large,” Ms Kapwepwe says.
Ms Kapwepwe says intangible cultural heritage is not merely valued as a cultural good, on a comparative basis, for its exclusivity or its exceptional value.
“ICH thrives on its basis in communities and depends on those whose knowledge of traditions, skills and customs are passed on to the rest of the community, from generation to generation, or to other communities,” Ms Kapwepwe says.
Ms Kapwepwe adds, “We need communities to come on board and explain the diversity in their cultures and believes. Intangible cultural heritage can only be heritage when it is recognized as such by the communities, groups or individuals that create, maintain and transmit it – without their recognition, nobody else can decide for them that a given expression or practice is their heritage.”
And Lusaka Museum director Victoria Chitungu says safeguarding intangible cultural heritage is a valuable source of the economy.
“ICH is the wealth of knowledge and skills that is transmitted from one generation to the next ones. Safeguarding ICH must therefore always involve the society, people and, where appropriate, individuals that bear such heritage. It is worrying to see the public associating this to witchcraft. It is far from it,” Mrs Chitungu says.
Besides being the wealth and identity of humanity, the global wealth of traditions is the principal motivation for travel, with tourists seeking to find out about new cultures and to experience the global difference of performing arts, handcrafts, rituals and cuisines.
And Zambia National Commission for UNESCO secretary general Charles Ndakala says his organisation supports peace and humanity and cannot therefore support witchcraft which is a crime in Zambia.
“UNESCO has substantial commitments not only for communities but also at national and international to ensure that culture is preserved documented and transmitted. We will not sit and not support Zambia to preserve, documents and transmit its diverse cultural heritage once called upon,” Dr Ndakala says.
And Professor Dickson Mwansa, who is an authority on cultural matters, says there is nothing strange or new about studying witchcraft.
“Witchcraft in Western Europe is celebrated during Halloween and people have studied deeply the usefulness, the uselessness of witchcraft,” he says.
Some years ago, Prof. Mwansa was part of a team of academicians who were tasked to look at the witchcraft law.
“There is a witchcraft law which was passed a long time ago by the British and we spent some time looking at it trying to change to suit modern times,” he says.
Prof Mwansa says the belief in witchcraft is part of intangible culture.
“We have a lot of belief in witchcraft and so we need to study it.
“Unless you understand their potency and things attributed to them, you can be fearing what is just useless craft,” he says.
He says witchcraft does not necessarily need to be a faculty in the university, but can be fused into other fields such as development studies
“We are a Christian nation but it doesn’t mean that we have to throw away knowledge about what we have.
“There are people who believe in this and you cannot covert them to the new ways of living as Christians if you don’t understand the depth of their own beliefs,” he says.
Decades ago, a group of scholars collected a number of artifacts used by witches for study purposes. Those artefacts are now displayed in the Lusaka Museum.
Heritage preservation has gained increasing attention within African countries including Zambia. Nevertheless, the rich living heritage diversity has to be identified and inventoried, which requires the full involvement of the communities.
Hence, several programmes being undertaken as a first step towards the preservation of the Zambian intangible cultural heritage. PUBLISHED ON JUNE 17, 2018.