Friday, June 19, 2026
Merck Foundation marks major healthcare milestone at 13th Africa Asia Luminary
Monday, April 13, 2026
From liberation lifeline to logistics bridge
•Nakonde anchors SADC integration drive
DOREEN NAWA
Lusaka
NAKONDE’S story begins not with congestion, but with survival.
In the 1970s and 1980s, when apartheid South Africa and white minority-ruled Rhodesia sealed off trade routes, Zambia – a newly independent, landlocked nation – faced economic isolation. The answer came through regional solidarity.
President Kenneth Kaunda turned to Tanzania’s Julius Nyerere and, with support from China, forged alternative lifelines: the TAZARA railway, the TAZAMA oil pipeline, and the Great North Road linking Lusaka to the port of Dar es Salaam.
At the heart of this network was Nakonde, a town bordering Tanzania.
Then a frontier outpost, the Nakonde–Tunduma crossing became more than a border. It was a corridor of resistance, a route through which fuel, goods and hope flowed into Zambia and the wider southern African region. It symbolised African unity at a time when the region was politically divided.
Decades later, that same crossing would come to represent a different challenge.
From lifeline to bottleneck
As regional economies expanded after independence and apartheid ended, Nakonde’s importance only grew. It became the main gateway linking Tanzania’s coast to Zambia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Malawi and beyond.
But infrastructure and systems did not keep pace.
For years, the border was synonymous with delay. Trucks queued for kilometres – sometimes stretching for several kilometres – waiting days, even up to a week, to clear. Traders slept on pavements guarding their goods. Passengers braced for uncertainty.
Clearing cargo meant navigating separate systems on each side of the border. Documentation was duplicated. Processes were manual. Coordination was minimal.
“Sometimes we could spend two or three days just waiting,” recalls cross-border trader Miriam Phiri. “By the time you crossed, you had already lost money.”
The Nakonde–Tunduma crossing had become a chokepoint – slowing trade, raising costs and exposing the gap between regional ambition and reality.
A turning point: The one-stop border post
Today that narrative is shifting.
The upgraded one-stop border post (OSBP) at Nakonde represents a deliberate move by Zambia and Tanzania to transform borders from barriers into bridges.
Under the OSBP model, officials from both countries operate in a single facility, conducting joint inspections and processing travellers and cargo once – rather than twice.
Commissioning the new Nakonde OSBP recently, President Hakainde Hichilema described the facility as central to economic transformation, noting that Nakonde is “not just a border – but a strategic link to regional and global markets”.
“This is about improving the lives of our people and strengthening regional integration,” President Hichilema added.
Tanzania’s Works and Transport Minister Makame Mbarawa emphasised cooperation, saying the project reflects a shared commitment to improving trade, tourism and mobility.
The impact is already visible.
Ministry of Transport data indicates that about 800 trucks now cross daily, with more than six million metric tons of cargo moving through annually. Between 2,000 and 3,500 people pass through the border each day.
Most importantly, clearance times have dropped significantly – transforming Nakonde from a delay point into a flow point.
Policy meets practice
Nakonde’s transformation is not accidental. It is the result of decades of regional policy frameworks under the Southern African Development Community (SADC) now taking shape on the ground.
Key instruments such as the SADC Protocol on Trade, the Protocol on Transport, Communications and Meteorology, the Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan (RISDP 2020–2030), and the SADC Industrialisation Strategy (2015–2063) have long called for seamless borders and efficient corridors.
The OSBP model is a practical expression of these ambitions – bringing coordination, harmonisation and efficiency to one of the region’s most critical crossings.
A regional artery
Nakonde is no longer just a national border – it is a regional connector.
Situated along the Dar es Salaam Corridor, it links Zambia’s production centre, the Copperbelt, and neighbouring countries to global markets via Tanzania’s port.
An estimated 65 percent of cargo passing through Nakonde is in transit to other countries, underlining its strategic importance as a trade artery for the wider region.
Without it, supply chains across southern and Central Africa would falter.
Undoubtedly, lives have been transformed at the frontier.
For those who depend on the border, the change is tangible.
Truck driver Jackson Mwansa says predictability has improved.
“Before, you never knew how long you would stay. Now trips are more organised.”
Tanzanian trader Abdul Mussa highlights efficiency.
“Officers from both sides work together. It is faster and clearer.”
For student Ruth Mwape, the difference is also about dignity.
“The environment is better, safer and easier to navigate. It feels like a modern border.”
Beyond trade: Unlocking movement
The improved border is also opening new opportunities beyond commerce.
Tourists can now move more easily between Zambia’s national parks and Tanzania’s coastal attractions. Regional travel circuits – once constrained by delays – are becoming more viable.
Nakonde itself is evolving, with prospects for expanded logistics services and future transport links positioning it as a growing hub in the regional network.
From past to promise
Nakonde’s journey mirrors that of southern Africa itself.
From a liberation lifeline in a divided region, to a congested bottleneck in a growing economy, and now to a modern trade gateway anchored in cooperation.
Where trucks once idled for days, goods and people now move with purpose.
And in that movement lies something bigger: the realisation of a regional vision – where borders no longer divide, but connect.
PUBLISHED IN THE ZAMBIA DAILY MAIL ON APRIL 2, 2026.
Wednesday, March 11, 2026
Ouagadougou to host 2nd International Forum on Leadership and Innovation in Agriculture
By DOREEN NAWA
Ouagadougou will host the second edition of the International Forum on Leadership and Innovation in Agriculture from May 8 to 10, 2026, bringing together key stakeholders from across Africa to discuss sustainable agricultural transformation.
The forum, which will take place at the SIAO Site, follows a successful inaugural edition and is expected to attract policymakers, agricultural experts, financial institutions, startups, investors, and students.
This year’s forum will be held under the theme “Food Sovereignty and Climate Resilience in Africa: What Role for Agricultural Finance?” Participants will explore how financing can support Africa’s efforts to strengthen food systems while addressing climate challenges affecting agricultural production.
Organisers say the forum aims to provide a strategic dialogue platform focusing on the Agriculture–Environment–Water–Energy–Mining nexus, highlighting the interconnected nature of these sectors in achieving sustainable development. The event is also expected to promote leadership and innovation as key drivers for transforming Africa’s agriculture sector and creating employment opportunities for young people and women.
The programme will feature high-level panel discussions, business-to-business (B2B) meetings, an exhibition area, leadership and innovation awards, and solidarity initiatives designed to encourage collaboration across agricultural value chains.
Stakeholders from agriculture, environment, energy, and mining sectors—including producers, processors, traders, civil society organisations, and innovators—are being encouraged to participate and showcase their work.
According to organisers, companies and institutions from across Africa can also enhance their visibility by associating their brands with the pan-African forum through partnerships and exhibition booths.
Registration and booth reservations are currently open through the FILIA secretariat, by email, phone, or through the official forum website.
The forum is expected to strengthen continental dialogue on agricultural innovation and financing while contributing to Africa’s broader goal of achieving food security and climate resilience.
Friday, February 6, 2026
22 Zambian oncologists trained as Merck Foundation scales up cancer fight
Wednesday, April 30, 2025
Training before lending: Raising new generation of responsible borrowers
By: DOREEN NAWA
IN ZAMBIA’S pursuit of economic empowerment, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) have become the backbone of job creation and innovation.
Recognising this, Government, through institutions like the Citizens Economic Empowerment Commission (CEEC), has increased funding for SMEs from K50 million to a whopping K400 million. But with this increase comes a new approach: no more loans without prior training.
The Ministry of Small and Medium Enterprises Development has adopted a firm stance – capacity building before cash.
At the heart of this strategy is a simple principle: sustainable development requires more than just money; it requires knowledge and discipline.
Understanding the ‘soft loan’ advantage
Loans provided by CEEC to SMEs are described as “soft loans”, with interest rates ranging from five percent to 10 percent – a significant reduction compared to commercial banks.
These low interest rates are meant to support the growth of businesses without burdening them with high repayment costs.
However, this well-intentioned support can easily become unsustainable if beneficiaries fail to repay.
“If you get K3 million at [five to 10] percent interest, you should be able to pay back. That money is meant to revolve so others can benefit too,” Ministry of Small and Medium Enterprises Development Permanent Secretary Subeta Mutelo said during a recent capacity-building session at the Kafue Industrial Yard in Lusaka.
Experts say one of the major reasons SMEs struggle with loan repayment is a lack of financial literacy and business management skills.
Many entrepreneurs have brilliant ideas but lack the knowledge to manage finances, keep records, or even market their products effectively.
According to the Ministry of Small and Medium Enterprises Development 2024 statistics, 70 percent of SMEs in Zambia identify lack of access to finance as their main barrier to growth.
Bank of Zambia statistics also show that 62 percent of SME loan defaults are linked to poor financial management and lack of planning.
CEEC reports a 40 percent higher success rate among SMEs that receive training before accessing funds.
Trained SMEs under Absa Rise show a 30 percent increase in loan repayment consistency within the first year.
And the ZDA 2023 baseline survey had shown that only 35 percent of SMEs in Zambia currently maintain proper financial records.
To address this gap, the ministry is rolling out capacity-building programmes nationwide. These sessions, like the Kaizen Institute of Zambia Limited (KiZ), currently happening in Lusaka, equip entrepreneurs with essential skills – bookkeeping, budgeting, customer management and business planning.
“Empowering SMEs without training is like building a house without a foundation. They need to understand how to manage money, scale their businesses and create impact in their communities,” Ms Mutelo says.
It is undoubted that many SMEs struggle to keep their businesses afloat.
“I know of a lot of people even in these markets, after securing a loan from a local microfinance institution, many believe their troubles are over. But within a year, they find themselves behind on repayments, their stock depleted, and their client base shrinking. This is because they lacked training in the first place,” Ms Mutelo says.
Madaliso Tembo, a tailor in Kamwala, Lusaka, who attended the training, says she now feels more empowered and ready to reignite her business.
“I thought the money alone would change things,” she says. “But I didn’t know how to plan properly. I bought expensive materials without calculating profit margins or thinking about marketing.”
Madaliso’s experience is not unique.
Across Zambia and the southern African region, many small and medium enterprises (SMEs) face similar challenges – accessing credit without the accompanying knowledge to manage it effectively.
A 2023 report by the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) found that over 60 percent of SME loan defaults in the region stemmed from poor financial planning and lack of business skills.
Experts say while access to finance is vital, training entrepreneurs before disbursing loans is equally important.
“Training is not just an add-on; it's a necessity,” says Shula Katongo, a business development expert who attended the meeting at Kafue Industrial Yard.
Mr Katongo added: “When SMEs are equipped with basic financial and business management skills, they are more likely to succeed and repay loans. Without it, even the best funding can be misused or wasted.”
From training to thriving
Ruth Ironside, chief executive officer and founder of Mupapa Wood, is one of the shining examples of what empowerment and training can achieve.
“The training opened my eyes to how I can grow sustainably,” she shared. “Through the CEEC loan and the capacity-building support… I have expanded my wood-processing business, employed more people and improved product quality.”
Similarly, Jacob Chunga, CEO of Jaja Foods, a local food processing company, credits the training for helping him streamline operations and improve packaging and branding, which has increased his supply to various chain stores.
“The skills we gained went beyond business management – they gave us confidence and clarity. That’s something a loan alone can’t do,” she said.
Another success story is Mwaba Mutale, a young and dynamic female CEO of Top Soil, a company adding value to leather products.
Her participation in the capacity-building sessions gave her the tools to formalise her business processes, access markets and navigate loan repayment smoothly.
“I didn’t just learn how to run a business – I learned how to lead one,” she proudly says.
Government's industrial yards, including the Kafue Industrial Yard, are becoming not just spaces for production, but also for learning.
SMEs operating from these facilities are now required to undergo training before accessing any financial support. This ensures that they know how to effectively utilise resources, remain accountable and contribute to economic growth.
Beyond skills, the training programmes instil a sense of responsibility. Entrepreneurs are made to understand that empowerment funds are not handouts – they are investments that need to be paid back so that others can benefit too. This shift in mindset is crucial in maintaining the sustainability of empowerment programmes.
As Zambia continues to position SMEs as drivers of economic diversification, Government’s insistence on training before loans is a move in the right direction. By prioritising capacity building, the country is not just giving out loans – it is cultivating a generation of well-equipped, responsible business leaders.
PUBLISHED in the ZAMBIA DAILY MAIL on April 28, 2025
Thursday, April 24, 2025
When the support ends: The dilemma of over-incentivizing rural farmers
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| Fertilizers and other inputs are highly funded |
By: DOREEN NAWA
IN the lush valleys of numerous rural parts of Zambia, maize, groundnuts, soybeans and cassava thrive under the watchful care of smallholder farmers.
For years, these farmers have benefited from generous support—from free inputs to subsidized equipment—courtesy of donor-funded sustainable agriculture projects.
But when the funding ends, many are left wondering how to sustain the gains.
Across Africa, governments and development partners have invested heavily in rural agriculture. The support is often well-intentioned: empower farmers, boost food security, and encourage environmentally sustainable practices.
Yet, an emerging concern among agricultural experts and policy analysts is that over-incentivizing these farmers may be doing more harm than good in the long run.
"When you create a dependency model, the sustainability of any project is compromised," says Lillian Mumba, an agricultural economist based in Lusaka. "We see a drop in productivity the moment inputs like fertilizer or improved seed varieties are no longer free."
A recent study by the African Centre for Sustainable Development found that more than 60 percent of farmers who received free inputs under donor-funded programs failed to maintain yields after the projects ended.
The main reason? The cost of maintaining practices introduced under these programs was too high without subsidies.
In Malawi, for instance, a project promoting conservation agriculture among rural farmers reported success during its five-year lifespan.
But within two years of its closure, adoption rates had fallen by nearly half. Farmers cited a lack of access to tools and composting knowledge once field officers left.
The pattern is similar in Zimbabwe and Mozambique, where well-meaning incentives—including cash-for-yield schemes and free irrigation kits—created expectations that governments could not meet once external funding ran out.
Sustainable agriculture, by its very definition, should thrive beyond the project cycle. Yet in many parts of Africa, short-term incentives overshadow long-term resilience.
Farmers become reliant on handouts, and when those dry up, so does the motivation to continue the new practices.
Agricultural extension officers argue that instead of giving free inputs, governments should invest in capacity building and access to affordable financing.
"Farmers need to be taught to run their farms like businesses, with proper planning and market access," says Joseph Banda, an extension officer in Eastern Province, Zambia.
Experts also recommend a gradual phase-out strategy for incentives, combined with the creation of local cooperatives that can pool resources and negotiate better prices for inputs.
Without such measures, the risk remains that rural agriculture will continue to swing between boom and bust—thriving during project periods, only to collapse afterward.
As African governments push for food security and climate-resilient farming, they must now ask a difficult question:
Are we setting up our farmers for long-term success, or temporary gains?
Friday, March 31, 2023
Lusaka’s mystery structure
By: DOREEN NAWA
FROM a distance, the incomplete building on Lusaka’s Freedom Way situated on plot number 141 looks dilapidated and abandoned.
But on closer look it reveals itself as work in progress although at a snail’s pace. The 13-storey building has been standing for over 30 years now without being completed.
Nestled opposite old post office to the north and the once famous Stanley Bar across the road on the western side, the building towers precariously as its concrete walls reveal years of neglect.
There have been several stories about the building. Because of its stalled works for that long some people see a mesmerizing aura of mystery around the decaying yet incomplete building.
Some people believe it harbors ghosts of the city’s past because they have not seen or heard from its owners.
The building has left many questions unanswered following safety concerns raised by the public because the crane that is attached to this building swings dangerously.
Most people in the city have not forgotten the accident which happened years ago when a piece of metal from the crane fell on a baby who was on its mother’s back and died on the spot.
“This building has been a nuisance for as long as I have been on this street, Freedom way. I came from the Lundazi to start up a life here and all I did was to set up a ka Ntemba (makeshift store) right under this building, I have witnessed some tragic accidents one of them was an object that dropped on a baby that was on the back of its mother and the baby died on the spot after being hit,” one of the traders on Freedom Way Kumbutso Mhone said.
Another trader, Percy Liwanga, said if the crane was brought down the public would be assured of safety.
“We have seen the street kids die after throwing themselves from the open windows. This building has proven to be a danger. I don’t know where the owner is. Maybe the owner is dead,” Mr Liwanga said.
Following several concerns, on February 10, 2022 the Lusaka City Council (LCC) gave a 30 day ultimatum to the owners of the seemingly abandoned building to have the crane brought down as it was a danger to the public.
The ultimatum has expired and the crane is still standing.
The building is the property of Royal Lutanda, which has agreed to bring the crane down.
The company bought the building from its initial owner Zambia State Insurance Company (ZISC) over 20 years ago.
In an exclusive interview Royal Lutanda representative Michael Pasquini said the building was bought with the initial plan of it being a hotel. But after years passed, the plan changed.
Mr Pasquini said once completed the building would be used for various purposes.
“The building in question is ours; it was bought from the first owners, ZISC over 20 plus years but with time and some financial challenges faced in completing it, a decision was made to complete the ground floor, the first and second floor. These floors will be used as shops, the rest once
The safety concerns are all what the traders and just the public are hoping for. When complete the building will be used for various purposes as offices, hostels, restaurants and any other venture befitting the space,” Mr Pasquini said.
But why has the construction of the building stalled? For Mr Pasquini, it is mainly financial.
“If you have noticed lately, the construction at the site has been on-going for the past months. If you look at the windows, they are no longer hollow because the space has been covered. The building is not abandoned. As you many already know the COVID-19 outbreak stalled the construction activities because the banks were not operating on full capacity and accessing financial support was a challenge,” Mr Pasquini said.
Mr Pasquini said Royal Lutanda has accessed twice financial support from the banks towards the construction of the building.
“We have not been quiet on the project to have this building see its completion but it hasn’t been easy. The project is a massive one,” he said.
But what will happen to the crane? Mr Pasquini said the crane would be brought down beginning this month, April.
“Yes we are in talks with various engineering companies. For such works we have capacity on our engineers here in Zambia. We may not need to bring in people from outside the country. Of course we need to put in place several safety measures to ensure that the public is protected and we do not experience any loss of lives in the process of bringing it down,” Mr Pasquini said.
Mr Pasquini said Royal Lutanda would ensure that the operation to bring down the crane was done professionally.
LCC public relations manager Mwaka Nakweti said, “Following the expiration of the 30 day ultimatum given to Royal Lutanda by the Local Authority to resolve the nuisance the uncompleted building at plot number 141 Freedom Way is causing to the public, the proprietor of the said building has indicated that the company intends to raze down the tower crane completely,” she said.
Ms Nakweti said Lutanda has sought for more time from Lusaka City Council for them to engage qualified engineers to conduct risk assessment before the demolition exercise of the crane can commence.
“Lusaka City Council has insisted on them engaging suitably qualified personnel that will ensure the demolition is conducted with the safety of the public in mind,” she said.
Ms Nakweti said the Local Authority will work with stakeholders such as the Engineering Institute of Zambia (EIZ) and other experts to ensure that the integrity of the structure is tested and if the outcome is unfavourable recommendations will be made to pull down the structure completely.
The existence of the attached crane is a nuisance according to the Public Health Act Section 67(l), Chapter 295 of the Laws of Zambia as it poses a danger to the health and safety of the people around the Central Business District.
EIZ president Abel Ngándu said the building in question needed an infrastructural assessment once the crane was removed.
“We want to bring in expertise to ensure that we bring down the crane safely. After that, we will assess the infrastructural integrity of the building,” Mr Ngándu said.
It is clear that the safety of the building is paramount and it is the hope of the public that the process will be done with all the measures put in place to ensure that everyone is safe. PUBLISHED IN THE ZAMBIA DAILY MAIL APRIL 4, 2022
Wednesday, October 12, 2022
African states have slashed their agriculture budgets amidst a worsening food crisis
African states have slashed their agriculture budgets amidst a worsening food crisis.
Total amount of money spent on agriculture as a share of the total budget by 39 African countries plummeted 18 percent between 2019 and 2021, with over two thirds of them (26) spending under five percent of their annual budget on agriculture, says Oxfam.
This is happening amidst a worsening food crisis that has already pushed millions of people in the continent to the brink of starvation.
Some 322 million people in Africa were facing severe food insecurity in 2021, 58 million more from 2019.
Today, the Horn of Africa and West Africa are facing one of their worst food crises in a decade with a combined 66 million people staring at starvation because of drought, uneven rainfall and conflict which have forced people to abandon their land or to lose their crop.
Some countries in southern Africa have witnessed a decline in cereal production and an increased burden of malnutrition, with Angola, Malawi and Namibia recording up to increases in malnutrition admissions.
“The African continent has about a quarter of the world’s agricultural land, yet it is marred in an alarming hunger crisis, as the continent is spending more than US$60 billion annually importing food that they could produce locally if they invested in their own farmers and food producers, ‘’ said Peter Kamalingin, Oxfam International Pan Africa Director.
The majority of the African Union member states have not honored their commitment to invest at least 10 percent of their budgets on agriculture, as per the Malabo declaration of 2014. Africa needs US$22 billion to meet its Malabo target.
Despite the deficit in the agricultural sector, African governments are spending billions of dollars ramping up their military defenses, which are fueling conflict, displacement and hunger. The amount spent by the 39 countries on Agriculture in the three years (2019, 2020, and 2021) is just 67 percent of the defense budget, clearly demonstrating that leaders have their priority upside down. The defense budget is higher than that of agriculture in over a half of the countries in Africa.
Many public programs in agriculture mainly benefit a handful of big agribusinesses that monopolize food exports, leaving smallholder farmers, who make a significant share of the workforce in the continent, with no access to credit, insurance, and land ownership.
The covid-19 pandemic has dealt a blow to Africa’s economy and impacted the capacity of governments to put money into key sectors such as health, education, agriculture, and social protection.
Decades of under investment in agriculture has made the sector very fragile against economic shocks such as Covid-19 pandemic, climate change, and tensions on the world markets.
The continent is also crippled by debt which sucks an average of 51 percent of its budget revenue. In a number of AU member states, debt repayment is now the largest single expenditure item in the national budget - this is unsustainable and comes at the costs of public services for the vulnerable.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank have contributed to
African’s low agricultural production, especially with regards to recommending that governments implement austerity measures and investing in cash crops instead of food crops.
Some 14 out of 16 West African governments intend to cut their national budgets by a combined $69.8 billion over the next five years.
The international community also has a big role to play in addressing Illicit Financial
Flows that deny Africa about $88.6 billion annually, a loss that is reflected in the funding gaps in key sectors such as agriculture, health, education, and social protection. The amount is enough to increase spending in Agriculture 10 times over.
‘‘While low tax collection is a domestic problem, some of the answers are with the international community. The reform of the international tax architecture and the establishment of a UN tax convention which Africa has been calling for will be critical in enhancing revenue collection by African governments,’’ said Mr Alvin Mosioma, Executive Director, Tax Justice Network Africa.
In addition to increasing production, African nations need to accelerate their move toward regional integration and put aside all barriers to regional trade so that food and agricultural inputs can move freely across national borders. It is an unfortunate contradiction that while Africa imports 67 percent of the fertilizer it uses annually, it exports 80 percent of the fertilizers it produces. The amount the continent produces alone would be enough to increase usage by about 80 percent if it did not export any.
In 2022, Africa (excluding North Africa) will be spending $5.4 billion in importing fertilizer, equivalent to 60 percent of the continent’s agriculture spending by governments.
‘‘Many African women cross-border traders undergo a lot of harassment and sexual exploitation at the borders as they play the important role of food distribution. We must deliberately seek to listen to their voices, which have been so far hushed by the high-level discussions around regional integration and trade,’’ Mercia Andrews, Rural Women’s Assembly Southern Africa Director.
Warring parties must lower their guns to put an end to conflict, which fuels displacement and hunger, and disrupts the food systems. The number of people displaced by conflict and violence has been on a steady rise for over a decade: reaching over 25 million by 2021, almost half (47 percent) of the global total and a 31 percent jump from 19.2 million in 2019.
To end hunger in Africa, governments must increase spending in agriculture to at least 10 percent of their total budgets, giving priority to small-scale food producers.
They must strengthen the food system by dismantling the cartels that exploits farmers and consumers.
Friday, December 3, 2021
Enhancing sustainable fisheries management and aquaculture development in Africa
The RECs delivered presentations that touched on the background
information of their establishment, statistics, and role of fisheries
and aquaculture in the regions, guiding sectoral, regional policy and
regulations, fisheries and aquaculture projects and activities in their
regions.
The RECs play a pivotal role as an interface between continental
initiatives and the AU member states. Speaking during the opening
session of the meeting on behalf of the AU-IBAR Director, Mrs. Patricia
Lumba echoed the need for regular dialogue with the RECs to ensure that
all parties are on the same level of information as the activities of
the project are being rolled out. It also provides opportunities for the
RECs to give feedback and recommendations and for AU-IBAR to convey
them to the donor, i.e., the European Union.
In addition, Mr. Clement Adjorlolo, who spoke on behalf of Dr Ibrahim Mayaki, the CEO of the AUDA-NEPAD reminded delegates that RECs are forefront in the implementation of AU Decisions, including CAADP and PFRS agenda, as well as acting as entry point for AUDA-NEPAD and our key partners to their Member States.
In addition to the workshop exploring mechanisms for establishing
regular dialogue on emerging issues of the FishGov2 and sensitization of
Regional Economic Communities (RECs) on their potential role for the
project, other sessions of the workshop included:
i. Developing and agreeing on a mechanism for regular dialogue on issues of the project
ii. Presenting the FishGov 2 project activities and work plan
iii. Sharing activities and identifying areas for collaboration
iv. Developing modalities for implementing some activities in the Action
The meeting, among others came up with the following outcomes:
1. Information was shared on the FishGov2 Project Activities in the following areas;
a. Project Activities and implementation Mechanisms
b. The Roles of RECs in supporting the implementation
c. Communication and visibility as well as Monitoring and Evaluation of the Project
2. The RECs also shared information on their respective Fisheries, Aquaculture, and Blue Economic activities.
3. Expert’s information and perspectives on enhancing linkages and
cooperation in Fisheries, Aquaculture and Blue Economy in Africa was
also shared.
4. Issues in regional cooperation, collaboration with regards to
AU-IBAR/AUDA-NEPAD in projects, programmes related to Fisheries
Aquaculture and Blue Economy were identified, their challenges
enumerated, and solutions proffered as recommendations for each of the
identified issues.
5. The meeting provided an excellent forum for the RECs to interact
amongst themselves, share ideas, enhance communication between them for
knowledge and awareness of each other’s activities, and brainstorm
effective ways to move the sector forward individually and
collectively.
The implementing agencies will prepare a comprehensive Work plan for
2022 and share it before the next dialogue meeting in the First Quarter
of 2022. Additionally, there was a proposal to consider and brainstorm a
mechanism for establishing a platform of RECs on Fisheries,
Aquaculture, and Blue Economy for more effective and productive
dialogues in the sector. The meeting in pictures: RECs present on role
of fisheries and aquaculture in their region.
Wednesday, April 7, 2021
Smashing gender stereotypes in plumbing
DOREEN NAWA, Lusaka
WITH a tidy, well-kept hairstyle and conservatively coloured lipstick, Elizabeth Banda has the look and manner of a stereotypical career woman, but her oversized flannel jacket and work boots hint at a career without a dress code.
She is now a professional, and the drips of solder stuck to the front of her dusty shirt and the smears of white caulk on her blue jeans are evidence that Elizabeth makes her living in plumbing and mending tanks.
She co-owns a firm called The Banda’s Plumbing, with her husband, William Banda.
“People think when they see me on the job that I’m just his helper, but they don’t know I’m also a journeyman plumber just like my husband and I am his wife. I was actually introduced to this job by my husband,” Elizabeth said.
Elizabeth achieved her journeyman’s work five years ago after just a month as an apprentice under her husband William, who is a master plumber.
The two have worked side by side for five of their almost six years of marriage.
Elizabeth said her husband needed someone reliable to assist him to do the work and he looked no further than his wife.
She said she gladly accepted to be her husband’s helper because she did not want an income meant for their home to be shared with an outsider.
“When we got married, almost six years ago, I found my husband already into plumbing. And each time he went out for his usual jobs, he would tag me along. Then one day he suggested that I should learn the art of plumbing and I did so just in a month,” Elizabeth said.
From small beginnings, their plumbing business has become a well-known initiative in Lusaka and beyond.
Having witnessed first-hand how good business practice can transform lives, William and Elizabeth have set their eyes on this initiative which is their main source of income.
The down-to-earth couple of Lusaka’s Zingalume Township is now sought-after because of their neatness in all their works.
Over the years, the couple have installed and mended water tanks in various towns countrywide.
“We get clients from as far as Ndola, Kapiri Mposhi and to our surprise, people that call for plumbing work grows every day,” Elizabeth said.
And her husband William said when he got married to Elizabeth, he saw it fit to incorporate her in his trade and the only way was to train her.
Throughout their career as plumbers, William and Elizabeth have balanced working together with raising two children and managing their many church commitments.
“She is a fast learner. It only took a month for her to learn the art and she was good to go. It was not easy. Issues of mistrust especially when she is hired to do the work through her own connections,” William said.
Asked how he manages to work with his wife, William said it didn’t go over so well the first few months.
“My wife and I had a hard time separating work from family. It was not very easy. We started arguing on petty issues. But after three months of working together, we decided that it wasn’t working for us to live argumentatively. Surprisingly, since then it has worked so well and it’s five years now,” William said.
He said the couple has been working in harmony since then.
“I’ve learned that the key to working with your spouse at work isn’t that different from learning to work with your spouse in a marriage,” he said.
He said from their experience, one of the most popular benefits of running business as a couple is having the flexibility to spend more time with the family.
“You’re the boss and can set your own hours. As a couple, we decide which job to take up and at what time. We decide what time to be home,” William said.
He admitted that having his wife as a business partner has provided an advantage for what he does as a plumber.
“We have our times, but you know, usually she will be doing one part of the job and I’ll be doing another part so we are always together in the same place,” William said.
He said a jealousy mentality once creeped in especially when his wife got a contact with clients who knew her better.
With time, William said he has learned to trust his wife and through that, he has noticed an influx in female clients who want to deal directly with the wife.
“I used to be so insecure but I am glad I have learned to trust her more now because she has proven to be trustworthy in our plumbing work. A lot of times in plumbing, you’re dealing with women, so when they have another woman to talk to they connect better,” William said.
He said a natural balance has emerged over time. According to him, consulting with customers and helping them decide on fixtures and designs is Elizabeth’s favourite part of the job.
While he likes new construction, his wife likes to do repair works. He hates service calls and she doesn’t mind them. He said while he does all the bidding on jobs, his wife does the bookkeeping.
William specialises in installing and mending works. Elizabeth helps him but leaves the technical stuff to her husband.
When it is a dirty job or an emergency, William usually takes the call, not because Elizabeth won’t go, but because they are one and the same profession.
“My dad taught me from a very early age. He always said to me, ‘don’t ask anybody else to do something you would do yourself.’ So, I don’t think twice about it, I just do it.
“My life as a plumber was not an accident. I grew up in a home where plumbing was the sole profession for my father, who worked for Kazuma Plastics repairing water tanks and fixing water reticulation related issues in households, offices and other premises,” he said.
William said his wife’s arms are scarred from hot solder drips and her knees are creaky and worn.
“We make enough to survive and we are grateful to our clientele for making it happen for us. Sometimes business is slow but we still have clients that opt for the two of us,” William said.
PUBLISHED IN THE ZAMBIA DAILY MAIL ON MARCH 14, 2021.
Tuesday, March 30, 2021
Nobody is safe until everybody is safe
‘Nobody is safe until everybody is safe’ has become a cliché over
managing the Covid-19 pandemic. Yet until now the behaviour of most
nation states has been the exact opposite. Britain astutely grabbed
multiple pharmaceutical contracts nearly a year ago, so that aged 71, I
have had my Oxford- Zeneca vaccine when my similar-age cousins in South
Africa (from where my family originates), haven't.
With one of the very worst infection and death rates in the entire world, Boris Johnson has transformed his reputation for Covid incompetence into praise for his vaccination programme. Yet Britain is an island economy dependent upon trade. People have to fly or sail in (or drive in from Europe) for us to feed ourselves and survive economically.
So Brits can all be vaccinated to kingdom come, but we cannot isolate ourselves from the rest of the world. Even during lockdown, people steering planes, ships and lorries have poured in. Under globalisation’s financial and technological integration, no country and nobody can be an island.
But it’s hardly surprising that the world has splintered, competed and disputed over vaccine supplies. Because that’s how the world has been run over recent years. Nationalism has vanquished internationalism; unilateralism has overwhelmed multilateralism.
President Trump epitomised that, by abandoning the Climate Change Treaty and side-lining the UN, NATO and the EU. He even left the World Health Organisation in the middle of the pandemic. His ‘America First’ was paralleled by ‘Russia First’, ‘China First’ and ‘India First’.
Trump, Putin, Zi, Modi – as well as Bolsonaro, Erdogan and of course Brexit – all reflected a me-first world just at a time when climate change and then the pandemic needed the very opposite.
South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa – also chair of the African Union – pleaded at the Digital Davos in January for ‘rich countries’ to release ‘their hoards’ of Covid-19 vaccines – and he denounced ‘vaccine nationalism’. In South Africa around 50,000 have died from Covid-19 and 1.5 million have been infected, though numbers are probably higher than these official estimates.
Saturday, February 6, 2021
COVID-19: Why Zambia can’t lockdown
DOREEN NAWA
Lusaka
WHILE the COVID-19 crisis is sending shock-waves in the country and around the globe, low-income developing countries like Zambia are in a particularly difficult position to respond.
As evidenced from the daily updates given by the Ministry of Health, Zambia has been hit hard by the pandemic this time around.
The disease is claiming lives at an alarming rate compared to what it was last year.
The COVID-19 crisis presents the world and Zambia in particular with a huge challenge as every aspect of life has been affected.
While coronavirus is a health crisis, it is also an education crisis, an employment and economic crisis.
COVID-19 is also a crisis of hunger and poverty and, in some countries it is a crisis of governance and political stability too.
The pandemic has caused panic everywhere with some sections of society suggesting that the country should consider a total lock-down in order to combat and reduce the risks of COVID-19 infections.
Different stakeholders are divided about the response. Some want a lock-down, while others feel that Zambia cannot afford these restrictions as there is no money to distribute food or support small businesses and the self-employed.
So far, there has been temporary lock-downs imposed in selected towns such as Kafue and Nakonde in order to carry out tracing and testing.
At national level, schools and universities were closed in March last year as well as bars and restaurants.
Only a limited number of people are allowed to attend funerals, weddings and churches.
Civil servants go to work but are on a rotational schedule so as to limit the number of people in offices. Many companies and organisations have also adopted this approach.
But with the coming of the second wave of COVID-19, the cases and deaths are skyrocketing.
No day passes without recording a COVID-19 related death and this has caused panic among the public with some calling for a total lock-down.
But last week President Edgar Lungu said while in Isoka that he would not close the country’s economy as a result of escalating cases of coronavirus because this can cause more harm to people’s lives.
Looking at the uncertainty surrounding the pandemic, President Lungu said a lock-down is not a solution to stopping the spread of COVID-19 but adhering to preventive measures set by health experts such as wearing of face masks, social distancing and avoiding gatherings.
“I won’t allow the economy to close like other countries have done. Some people have advocated for a curfew, but I have said no,” he said.
President Lungu feels businesses will be negatively affected if the country is locked down or a curfew is imposed.
“We should find practical solutions to the challenges we are facing. I am an advocate that we should keep the economy running because if we, for example, close butcheries, people won’t have anything to eat,” President Lungu said.
Business people have been urged to ensure that their customers always wear face masks before entering their premises to prevent the spread of the virus.
“Government knows that when the private sector collapses, there will be no jobs. We need to see how we can help you by giving you incentives,” President Lungu said.
President Lungu’s justifications for not locking down the country have been backed by different people in various sectors of the economy.
Economic Association of Zambia president Lubinda Habaazoka says the benefits of lockdowns as a containment strategy for COVID-19 are still uncertain for developing countries like Zambia.
Dr Habaazoka says Zambia cannot survive a lock-down because it is a small economy with the country’s population depending on informal jobs.
He says Covid-19 threatens to undo progress achieved towards the country’s economy over the recent decades, worse off if a lock-down is imposed.
“I think the stance taken by President Lungu not to lock-down is best because the country needs to be on its wheels to recovering whatever was lost last year during the pandemic. All we have to do is adhere to the COVID-19 restrictions that have been lined up,” Dr Habaazoka says.
Dr Habaazoka says the strategy of testing, tracing and isolating is the only feasible way to allow economies like Zambia to operate with minor interruptions and allowing people to mask up all the time.
He says a total lockdown would stop the spreading of the disease sooner but would cost many lives and cause social devastation to the country.
“We are a small economy and we know the risks that COVID is has posed on us all. But locking down the country is not the solution, doing so will worsen the progress made in developing different sectors of the economy,” Dr Habaazoka says.
A cross-section of people in Lusaka also feels that a lockdown is not possible because the country has fewer people in formal jobs.
Precious Sichivula, a trader on Lusaka’s Cairo Road, says a lock-down would be far more difficult for Zambia because the country’s social protection systems are often lacking.
“Even where they exist, they often fail to reach people in the informal economy, who are the most vulnerable and often constitute a majority. So lock-down is not possible,” she says.
Ms Sichivula says there is an urgent need for the international community to support vulnerable countries in developing and implementing strategies for restarting their economies.
Ms Sichivula says COVID-19 is a health and economic crisis and if a lock-down is imposed, the pandemic risks turning into a financial crisis, which can be contagious as the recession in 2008 showed.
According to the country’s Economic Outlook released by the African Development Bank, preliminary forecasts show that the country’s economic activity growth is rebounding moderately to 2.4 percent in 2020 while in 2021 it shows an improvement of 2.9 percent.
Monday, October 12, 2020
Finding solution to girl child plight
Chongwe
WHEN schoolgirls in Kumena, Kasenga and Hillcrest about 45 kilometres away from Chongwe town reach puberty, it is a gate way for their parents to marry them off.
For their parents and guardians, this is a way of shifting responsibilities attached to buying sanitary pads to their husbands.
The age of the man does not matter as long as the girl has reached puberty.
Lucy Sakala, one of the girls, reached puberty at 13 and when she got her first period, she asked her mother for sanitary pads.
Her mother dismissively suggested that she should find herself a husband to pay for her sanitary pads.
Two years later, Lucy could not continue with her school. She was forced to drop out of school at 15 when her widowed mother could no longer afford to pay for her school fees and buying sanitary pads.
This situation forced her mother to marry her off.
“My mother told me I could not go to school anymore because she had no money for schools fees. I was so bored at home. Each time I would ask her when I would start school. Her answer was that she did not have money. I had nothing to do and no money. My mother told me it would be best to look for a man so that he could buy me things I needed, like sanitary pads,” Lucy says.
The man who married Lucy only paid K500 for her to become his wife and a year later she had a baby boy.
She says being married off early was shocking to her because she wanted to be in school and pursue her dream.
“I felt frustrated and alone, forced to stay at home all day by a husband who restricted my movements. My parents struggled to send me to school until I was 15 and there I was, wasting my education by just staying at home,” she says.
Lucy’s story is not uncommon. Many girls in rural areas drop out of education when they begin menstruating because their schools lack proper washrooms or because they cannot afford costly sanitary products.
Peggy Miti, 44, says hundreds of girls in Chongwe are forced into child marriages by parents who are too poor to buy hygiene products.
As a mother, Mrs Miti says many girls in her area are pressured into having sex by boys who offer to buy them sanitary items in return.
Mrs Miti has hope in organisations which advocates for an end to child marriage to donatie sanitary pads in rural schools.
Girl’s menstrual health is still considered taboo subject in conservative rural communities countrywide.
“Even just the mention of buttocks, one can be taken to the traditional council. It is worse when one mentions about a private part to a parent or guardian. Such is considered sacred and only to be said to a husband not anyone,” Mrs Miti says.
For some time now, development experts say child marriage is a major barrier to girls’ education.
Repssi country director Kelvin Ngoma says girls who marry at a young age are often subjected to domestic violence, sexual abuse and social isolation.
Mr Ngoma says lack of formal and informal education in rural areas have reduced options of earning money, thereby leaving girls in child marriages dependent on their husbands.
Repssi is an NGO that advocates for an end to child marriage by training teachers in an effort to address psychosocial issues affecting children which include child marriage.
“Repssi is sensitising communities on psychosocial needs of the children by engaging the Government and local government authorities, traditional leaders, religious leaders, parents and caregivers, communities, and the children,” Mr Ngoma says.
Mr Ngoma says there is need to enforce laws and also providing incentives which will lessen school girl child dropouts.
U.N. children’s agency UNICEF has estimated around 50 percent of girls countrywide miss class because their schools lack separate toilets and washing facilities to help them manage their periods.
Many fall behind and end up quitting school. Once out of school they are more likely to be married off.
Although Zambia has banned child marriage, four in 10 girls are married off before they attain the age of 18 and one in 10 before 15, UNICEF says.
World Vision Zambia National Campaign Coordinator James Zimba says the lack of menstrual hygiene support for schoolgirls was a strong factor in the country’s high drop-out rate.
More than 40 percent of girls fail to complete primary school and only a fifth start secondary school, Mr Zimba says.
“Education is a very powerful tool in the prevention of child marriage. When girls are out of school because they cannot manage their periods it’s hard for them to avoid marriage,” Mr Zimba says.
Sanitary products could cost girls around K20 a month - a prohibitive price for many in rural areas.
In rural schools, menstruation comes with stigma and bullying especially when one stains their uniform or dress.
To keep safe and away from the embarrassment, instead girls often use old rags, dried leaves or grass or paper - sometimes tearing pages from school books.
To tackle the stigma, several aid agencies have set up menstrual hygiene clubs at schools across the country where girls can make their own reusable cotton sanitary pads with removable waterproof linings.
Mr Zimba says to reduce the cost of sanitary pads, there is need to ensure schools are empowered to make girls make their own sanitary pads.
“There is a lot of ignorance around periods. The effect on the girls was devastating: many skipped school to avoid the bullying. Some never returned,” Mr Zimba says.
At one school, Kumena, boys told this author that they thought girls who bled had been victims of sexual violence and drew demeaning pictures on the blackboard.
Kumena Boys Network chairperson Obert Mwale says an initiative to bring in boys to understand the anatomy of the girls has been formed.
“It is now that boys are included in some clubs, talking about the pads and issues of menstruation,” a pupil at Kumena Obert says.
Zambia is not the only country looking at providing free sanitary towels as a way to boost girls’ education levels. Kenya, Uganda are among the many developing countries that are still grappling with catalysts to child marriages like lack of sanitary pads.
Zambia has also promised to supply pads to schoolgirls - although aid agency WaterAid said Zambia is yet to commit any funding.
But Ministry of General Education permanent secretary Jobbicks Kalumba says the sanitary pads distribution in rural has started.
Dr Kalumba says the exercise is currently donor based.
"Our cooperating partners have started this process and it is all in the hope of reducing the burden than our girls face," Dr Kalumba says. PUBLISH IN THE ZAMBIA DAILY MAIL ON OCTOBER 11, 2020.
Tuesday, October 6, 2020
Breaking the Silence: Diane’s experience
Lusaka
“BREAKING the silence,” is Diane Louangrath’s book where she shares her story of sexual violence by her step-father and husbands from two separate marriages.
In line with the title of her book, she sat down with the Sunday Mail to break the silence on her sexual abuse.
It is not like Diane’s step father wore a sign saying, ‘I’m a sexual predator.’ He was a cool dad.
Diane, an American citizen of Thai origin, never lived happily. She was born from an abusive home. Her parents never lived in peace in their home.
This resulted in the parents divorcing when they relocated from Thailand to Ohio, Texas in United States of America.
Both her parents remarried. Diane was six when her step-father started molesting her.
Her step-father continued molesting her and when she turned 12, the step father became more comfortable and started having sexual intercourse with her.
When the trend continued and turned to rape, Diane decided to disclose to her mom and the principal at her school.
Before disclosing what she was going through, Diane used to watch a lot of movies and documentaries about sexual abuse from which she gathered courage to open up.
“My mom was shocked and speechless,” Diane says.
But when Police came in to investigate the case, Diane’s mom became defensive for her husband.
“When police came in, my mom defended my step-father saying my step-father loved us so much and he could not molest me,” Diane says.
In the United States, when a case of molestation is disclosed to teachers or school authority, police get involved and the victim is separated from their parents or guardian.
So Diane was separated and taken to the Child protective Centre were she was treated like a juvenile delinquent.
Then her cousin came to pick her up and two years later, her mom married Diane off to a 22-year-old man.
This was Diane’s first marriage at 14 years of age.
“I was confused by my mom’s action. Nothing like this had happened before. I was still a kid and all she does is to marry me off. As a result, I went to this marriage with anger. My first husband, the 22-year-old guy was of Asian origin,” she says.
After nine years of being married, Diane left her first marriage.
And in 2007, Diane got marriage to a Zambian national in the United States of America.
In 2010, her husband brought Diane to Zambia for introduction and to introduce their first born daughter.
This marriage too was toxic. Diane was in another abusive marriage and in 2014, she left this marriage.
For the next two years, Diane continued to struggle, both with the physical abuse and the emotional pain it brought her.
“I took steps to prevent the pain, but a part of me was hate. It was another toxic relationship. I did not know that I had gone into depression because no justice was done from the start when my step-father abused me and when I was forced into marriage at 14. I grew up a bitter person and this first experience of abuse affected all my marriages. I ended up experiencing emotional and mental abuses which resulted into me going in clinical depression,” she says.
And in 2016, Diane remarried to another Zambian in the US.
This third marriage too could not last and after three years, Diane divorced again.
“All my three marriages were toxic and unhealthy. I struggled to fit in. The last two marriages with Zambian husbands, one a Bemba and the last one a Tonga made me realise that I needed to heal from trauma. I was so traumatised,” she says.
Diane poses and talks about recovering from sexual abuse.
“Perpetrators of child sexual abuse will often use grooming tactics, like gift-giving, spending alone time and building age-inappropriate relationships with children and teens to keep them silent about the abuse,” she says.
The abuse had serious effects on Diane’s life including mental illness, inability to maintain relationships and suicidal thoughts.
“I attempted suicide three times. The last one was in 2018. Then at that point, God came through and I gathered courage to soldier on,” she says.
Diane says the effects of sexual violence can be challenging to deal with, but with the right support they can be managed.
“They can be particularly challenging for women, men and boys who face unique challenges due to social norms about masculinity. Actually abuse has no colour, race or gender. Do not internalise the abuse,” she says
She says from her experience, Diane has learnt that it is important to have a supportive group of friends and family to be your rock.
“I think it would have worked better for me if I had a mother who was supportive and if I was able to talk about the abuse to a supportive group of people,” she says.
Diane has now founded an organisation called Renewed Strength Zambia, an organisation that helps survivors of sexual abuses get back to their normal lives and find a way out to the many challenges they face like trauma.
Diane says it is not uncommon for survivors to feel alone and isolated.
For many, Diane says hearing and sharing stories can play a vital role in their recovery from trauma which is the reason she came up with the organisation to help people open up and find help.
She says from her experience, sexual violence can have psychological, emotional, and physical effects on a survivor.
Diane says these effects are not always easy to deal with, but with the right help and support they can be managed.
“Learning more can help you find the best form of care to begin the healing process. I ended up writing a book, titled, Breaking the Silence and it is on Amazon all because I wanted people to know my story and together, we can move on with life because abusers do not apologise and sometimes do not even get punished at all,” she says. ALSO PUBLISHED IN THE ZAMBIA DAILY MAIL ON OCTOBER 4, 2020.
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