Across 2020, Zambia experienced no shortage of disappointments and setbacks. Yet there are some individuals whose courage and principles made them inspiring figures in the political landscape last year. In this article and the next, I list two sets of citizens of 2020: those who through their actions offered hope to Zambians and those who...

It is not a secret that the future of the Zambian economy lies in Agriculture and particularly livestock production. Unfortunately, successive governments have all missed the golden opportunity that lies in agriculture. Well-coordinated studies have outlined that no other sector is more critical to the lives and livelihoods of the poor and marginalised communities than...

There are many reasons why the concept of ‘term limit’ is characterized as a feature of democracy and an institutional barrier to personal rule and dictatorship. According to Linz, presidents exercise what he terms ―uni-personal‖ power, which can very easily be abused and potentially contribute to the demise of democracy. This view is also echoed...

In July, members of the Law Association of Zambia (LAZ) elected at their Annual General Meeting a 15-member executive to replace the Eddie Mwitwa-led Council that had been in power since April 2018. The new office bearers include Abyudi James Shonga, who was voted President, Lungisani Zulu (Vice-President), Sokwani Chilembo (Secretary), and Ngosa Simachela (Treasurer)....

ELECTION rigging in many of Africa’s democracies occurs through a range of strategies, such as ballot-box stuffing, electoral bribery, violence against political opponents and the emasculation of the independent media that usually serve as the main outlet for opposition parties denied coverage in state-run publications. Other tactics involve putting dead voters on the electoral register,...

The presentation of the national budget is one of the most important dates in the fiscal calendar. This is because the national budget outlines the government’s overall priority for the next financial year. Although the term “budget” actually refers to the section on spending allocations, the “budget speech” goes beyond mere allocations. The government uses...

THE Copperbelt is a country. It has its own language (Town Bemba), culture and dynamism not found elsewhere in Zambia. Copperbelt citizens have shared livelihoods, experiences and networks to draw upon. This common identity gives them power and the edge in politics, music, unionism, activism, and even sports. In this article, I provide a historical...

If there is one area of disagreement between shareholders and the Board, it is in the choice of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for the company. In most cases, the two parties have unmatched expectations. Shareholders on one hand want a CEO who can drive results and ensure the business declares profits. That is a...

It is a sobering reality to comprehend that the economic value and scarce resource that we seek in Lusaka is actually outside of it. If you only lived in Lusaka you would think our country has a shortage of prime land – more and more, houses are built close together in this city – an...

A central bank, reserve bank, or monetary authority is an institution that manages the currency and interest rates of a country or formal monetary union and oversees the financial system. Central Banks are therefore essential institutions and well known for their power to print money! Since money can be said to be the blood of...