ECONOMIST Chibamba Kanyama says government should show a tangible course of action towards attaining debt sustainability during the ongoing International Monetary Fund (IMF) talks because this will determine the country’s success of securing the long-awaited bailout package. Government is currently in talks with the IMF on a possible Extended Credit Facility (ECF) programme and is...

THE Zambia National Farmers Union (ZNFU) has called on government to intensify protection of local produce by restricting food imports to only what cannot be grown within. In an interview, ZNFU media and public relations manager Calvin Kaleyi said while government’s decision to restrict onion and table potato imports into the country was welcome, there...

FINANCE Minister Dr Bwalya Ng’andu has withdrawn the Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) Amendment Bill, which was at Second Reading stage, to allow for further consultation on the proposed piece of legislation. Speaking in Parliament, Wednesday, Dr Ng’andu explained that the Bill was withdrawn to allow more consultation on the Bill before re-introducing it back in...

THE cost of living for a family of five has skyrocketed to nearly K8,400 in January, 2021, a new all-time high, mainly triggered by high inflation, says the Jesuit Centre for Theological Reflection (JCTR). In a statement showing the latest Basic Needs and Nutrition Basket (BNNB), the JCTR stated that the cost of living for...

Government has set a restriction on the importation of onion and table potatoes into the country. In a letter addressed to Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) Commissioner General Kingsley Chanda by Ministry of Agriculture Permanent Secretary Songawayo Zyambo dated February 8, 2021, Zyambo stated that the country was currently able to meet its demand for the...

ZCCM-IH’s takeover of Mopani Copper Mines will not have any meaningful benefit on strengthening the kwacha because the anticipated injection of foreign currency will still be targeted towards settling statutory liabilities, says the Bankers’ Association of Zambia (BAZ) Last week, Finance Minister Dr Bwalya Ng’andu had argued in Parliament that ZCCM-IH’s acquisition of Mopani would...

TRANSPORT and Communications Minister Mutotwe Kafwaya says some of the challenges which the Zambia Postal Services Corporation (Zampost) is facing include inadequate working capital and accumulated long term liabilities. Kafwaya was responding to a question for oral answer from Kapiri Mposhi UPND member of parliament who wanted to find out if Zampost was profitable. “I...

THE CENTRE for Trade Policy and Development (CTPD) says failure by the government to honour another coupon payment of US$56.1 million due under one of the Eurobonds raises concerns. In a statement, Sunday, CTPD senior researcher-legal Chileshe Mange stated that failure by the government to meet its obligations was a breach of the contract which...

THE Southern Africa Resource Watch (SARW) has commended Kansanshi Mining Plc for reviewing its conditions of service for workers and allowing successful negotiations with trade unions. According to a statement, SARW, in an earlier report, exposed how the mining company’s bargaining process divided the workers and weakened the unions by giving financial incentives to some...

MINES Minister Richard Musukwa says the mining and exploration of manganese in Luapula province is in disarray as it has been dominated by illegal miners. The Minister was responding to Serenje MMD member of parliament Maxwell Kabanda who wanted to find out what specific measures the Government was taking to harness the mining of manganese...