Nc’wala festival ignites business ingenuity

By Derrick Silimina

In the midst of Nc’wala fanfare, wads of Kwacha notes exchange hands among entrepreneurs as they scramble for limited time trying to cash in from the traditional ceremony.

Situated about 560 kilometres from Lusaka, Zambia's capital, Chipata town was swarmed by local and international tourists who had come to witness one of the country's top traditional ceremonies.

As traditional leaders and residents of Chipata town in eastern province celebrated in pomp and splendour of the Ncwala ceremony to mark the first harvests of the season, but for local SMEs, it was a rare moment to eke a fortune out of the three days’ event.

“Nc’wala is a platform for us to display our quality services to our valued clients no wonder why our lodge is already fully booked and we have been so busy as response from clients has been overwhelming especially during the Nc’wala ceremony and business is on point,” Eastern Comfort Lodges Supervisor Rachael Banda told Solwezi Today Magazine.

Banda is optimistic that the future of the hospitality industry in the district is bright as Comfort lodges has widely spread its footprint in the district and that plans are underway to expand to Petauke district. Considering that during Nc’wala, hospitality business in Chipata is always at its peak as tourists from across the globe trek to the border town to have a glimpse of the lively traditional showpiece as well as to sample the local cuisine.

However, ahead of the Ncwala traditional ceremony, Chipata district is always hit by a critical shortage of accommodation forcing people to seek lodging in nearby towns of Katete, Petauke and Mwami districts as well as neighbouring Malawi due to an overwhelming number of Nc’wala enthusiasts.

A check at Chipata’s Royal Orbit lodge located right next to SGC filling station along the great east road found an executive room pegged at K3,500 each while a standard room was going at K2,500 each respectively for the N'cwala weekend but these rates are revised downwards immediately after the Nc'wala ceremony.

For Aaron Gondwe, it's that time of the year again to make cool cash for his taxi business especially that booking rates are doubled during the Nc’wala ceremony.

“I anticipate a profit margin of not less than K20,000 as my five cars get busy during the event ferrying clients prior, during and after the event,” said Gondwe, a taxi operator who operates from within Chipata’s Central Business District. 

Gondwe disclosed how the traditional ceremony has been a game-changer in transforming his transport  business as he now plans to establish a car hire company this year.

Just like transporters, hoteliers as well as lodge operators take advantage of the event and boost their sales, traders of various goods and services are not left behind as they too jump on the bandwagon of tough tested entrepreneurs to cash-in from the once-off annual event. 

“I anticipate more sales for my artwork before the end of the event. This festival has always remained a pillar of our industry considering that most of our buyers are tourists who come to attend Nc’wala,” said Martin Jere who specialises in artefacts such as sculptures.  

For this reason, the Eastern Province Chamber of Commerce and Industry (EPCCI) has over the years positioned itself for business opportunities that come with the ceremony.

“It being a social, cultural and tourism event, it means that even those who are involved in tourism, hospitality, catering and transport related businesses at least derived some benefits out of the Nc’wala ceremony. Therefore, from the cultural and economic point of view, this year’s event was a success,” Chamber President Thomas Mtonga said in a telephone interview adding that as a cultural heritage, Nc’wala festival has continued to contribute to the growth of the tourism and hospitality industry in the province.

Mtonga noted that as the profile of the traditional ceremony grows, it brings out the corresponding corporate interest in sponsorship as it has become inevitable for the corporate world to get on board and compete for attention by being sponsors.

For instance, Seedco has long been associated with the Nc’wala as a key sponsor for many years due to its business interests in the Eastern Province where it has a huge footprint. However, it is not the size of sponsorship but spirit behind the contribution to the successful staging of the event which matters. 

Some cultural pundits are of the view that commercialisation of traditional ceremonies is the way to go as it will boost the local economies via demand for accommodation and sale of artefacts as well as as promote revenue generation via visiting historical sites especially that much of this revenue will be in foreign exchange which is critically need as a country.

Meanwhile, as the main event reached its climax on the final day, paramount Chief Mpezeni left Laweni - his resting place as he led hundreds of impis to Mtenguleni - venue for the annual Nc’wala traditional ceremony. Thousands of onlookers were mesmerised by ngoni warriors clad in animal skins amidst songs of jubilation.

 

The event was characterised by the Ngoma dances, where the dancers artistically stomp the ground while waving their clubs. The ceremony culminated when one of the Ngoni warriors spears a black bull to death, while another slits its throat and collects the blood for the paramount chief to drink, a signal that people should now start eating the produce from their fields.

This years’ Nc’wala has been described as special since Paramount Chief Mpezeni is clocking 40 years on the throne and 40 years since the resumption of the ceremony. The ceremony is commemorated by the Ngoni people based in Zambia, Mozambique, Malawi and South Africa. The Ngoni people are believed to be descendants of the Zulu people of South Africa who settled in Zambia, Malawi and Mozambique after fleeing from wars.

The 2023 Nc’wala ceremony which was attended by various traditional leaders across the country, Malawi and Mozambique was commemorated under the theme; “40 years of love, peace and unity.”

“This ceremony makes us keep the tradition of our forefathers alive and helps the new generation know where they came from,” said Monica Mbewe, a Ngoni based in Lusaka.

Cholera outbreak unleashes economic shocks

 By Derrick Silimina

Zambia is grappling with one of its worst cholera outbreaks in recent years as more than 350 people have died and nearly 10,000 active cases have been registered. 

As a result, lady-driven businesses are in danger of closure or failure after the negative impact of cholera and the Covid-19 pandemic, the Zambia Federation of Associations of Women in Business (ZFAWIB) now fears.

ZFAWIB have expressed concern that barely two years out of the Covid-19 experience, the cholera outbreak has financially stressed local businesses, especially those run by women. 

“We are foreseeing a situation where most female-run businesses will fail to grow, worse still shutting down over the years after Covid-19 and cholera outbreak coupled with the high cost of doing business,” ZFAWIB Chief Executive Officer Maureen Sumbwe says. 

She urges women in business to be resilient and “think outside the box” if they are to rebound because millionaires are usually made amidst crisis. 

Sumbwe has implored Government to come up with a deliberate business policy that will help cushion female-run businesses amid calamities if they are to continue contributing effectively to the country’s national coffers. 

“We appreciate the Government's concerted efforts to have local SMEs access finance but we also anticipate a situation where our locally-produced goods may be promoted for them to access markets locally and internationally.” 

WATER 

Commonly known as a disease of poverty affecting people with inadequate access to safe water and basic sanitation, cholera is spread by consuming contaminated water or food, and causes severe dehydration from vomiting and diarrhoea. Left untreated, it can kill within hours. 

As health workers scramble to contain the crisis that has the potential to be the worst the country has seen since the first in 1977, financial experts say the epidemic is likely going to negatively affect the country’s already struggling economy. 

“Cholera is forcing the Government to spend more resources to try and deal with the public health crisis in an already stressed health sector. This epidemic is also slowing down an industry which is already growing, especially the hospitality and recreation sectors which are forced to slow down their activities,” observes Lusaka based economist Munyumba Mutwale. 

Mutwale argues that cholera is a drainage and sanitation issue that ought to have been resolved a long time ago in lower income areas by converting human waste into raw materials for charcoal industries. Such industries would create a sustainable business model and in turn put free toilets and sanitation facilities in lower economic areas thereby knocking out cholera once and for all. 

He notes that it is high time the local authorities consider drainages and toilets to be of economic value, as well as set up modern markets where refuse disposal is channeled to paper and plastic recycling industries. 

OUTBREAKS 

According to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, Zambia is among 18 countries in the world experiencing cholera outbreaks. Studies of cholera epidemics in Zambia and elsewhere suggest that such costs can be significant—up to 2 percent of a country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). 

In response to a surge in cholera cases, the Government recently announced the deferment of the 2024 Term One schools opening from the scheduled January 8 to January 29, emphasizing the need to prevent and mitigate the spread of the disease. 

“This postponement applies to all public, private, aided, and community learning institutions, including Early Childhood Education (ECE) centers, primary, and secondary schools. Learners at all levels are expected to resume classes on January 29, 2024, after a three-week extension from the initial opening date,” Education Minister Douglas Syakalima recently said. 

The education sector has also been affected, especially private-owned institutions whose budgets have now been disrupted, as many of them expect tuition fees from learners to help finance their operations. 

“Our operations here are solely dependent on the school fees that we collect from our learners, so this deferment has really affected our school budget, making it difficult to pay our staff, pay utility bills and rentals along other bills with or without an outbreak of cholera,” says Clement Mugala, a school administrator based in Lusaka. 

CLEANING UP 

Certainly, the cholera outbreak does not only pose a health risk but also poses an economic risk as the cleaning up of the informal trading areas has brought many small businesses to a halt. 

This has negatively impacted SMEs that depend on Lusaka’s Central Business District (CBD) and surrounding areas for trade. 

A check at Lusaka’s sprawling Matebeto market, renowned for its mouthwatering cuisine, found the eatery with scant customers. The place usually swarms with enthusiasts of traditional meals. 

“When business is at its peak and on a good day, I usually make between three thousand and five thousand kwacha. But now, since the onset of cholera, I make less than one thousand because clients are hesitant to come to order food,” moans Agness Chibwe, a restaurateur at the Thornpark market.

Journey to the next destination

 By Derrick Silimina

As the train engine roars, doors of the wagons gently open at 07:30 a.m., with crew members waiting for the passengers to board before starting the journey for their next destination. 

An hour before the departure, Marriam Gadesa heads to the locomotive cabin and quickly tests the locomotive’s power supply, and then starts the engine.  

“After the engine is started, I do the electrical and air brake tests. Once all the passengers are onboard, the driver is given a signal to make final preparations for the journey from Addis Ababa to Djibouti,” Gadesa told ChinAfrica.  

Despite being an electrical engineer at Ethio-Djibouti Standard Gauge Railway Share Co. (EDR), Gadesa, 30, aspires to become a train driver, especially as this traditionally male-dominated career has transformed significantly over the years, making it more common for women to work as drivers. 

Chinese investment 

Considering the significant role railway plays in land transportation, trade facilitation, and economic and social development, railway experts say rail transport in most African countries has suffered from decades of low direct investment, poor infrastructure management and inefficient train operations. 

Since 2001, Africa has recorded a very modest increase of 7 percent in freight transport, and a drop by the same amount in passengers, while the worldwide railway transport for freight and passengers has increased by more than 40 percent during the same period. These figures show that the development of the railway system in Sub-Saharan Africa still faces serious barriers, according to a recent study by the Sub-Saharan Africa Transport Policy Programme. 

Chinese investment is playing a big role in changing this situation. For example, a Chinese sponsored programme is equipping young African train drivers with technology and skills training. The initiative has become the backbone of the Ethio-Djibouti Railway as it safely chauffeurs across the vast East African plateau. A joint venture between Ethiopia and Djibouti, EDR operates the 756-km rail route from Addis Ababa to the port of Djibouti. The daily passenger and cargo services of the East African railway contribute greatly to the socioeconomic growth of both countries. 

In 2019, Zhengzhou Railway Vocational and Technical College (ZZRVTC) in Henan Province signed an agreement with EDR to train electric locomotive drivers for the Addis Ababa-Djibouti Railway - thanks to the Chinese government-sponsored program. 

The first batch of 28 trainees from Ethiopia and Djibouti recently got fully trained in driving, monitoring, and maintaining electrified trains after they underwent eight months of study at the Chinese college. 

“Every single encounter and activity during the eight-month training in China has benefitted us a lot and has enriched us all. That will forever remain in our memory. A big thank you to the Chinese teachers for their careful guidance during the training and study period,” Tilahun Girma, the only woman in the class of 28 trainees, told ChinAfrica.  

Yidnekachew Mekonen, an Ethiopian train driver who took the same training, echoed Girma’s sentiments, “Our training was adapted for our country’s locomotives. That knowledge will help me to contribute effectively to my country’s railway system and in turn to our socioeconomic emancipation.” 

After becoming commercially operational in 2018, the Addis Ababa-Djibouti Railway became the first electrified cross-border railway in Africa. It is a flagship project under the framework of the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative. 

Designed to help to drive industrial development of the two neighboring nations, the Addis Ababa-Djibouti Railway has created over 50,000 jobs in the two countries, laying a solid foundation for the development of railways, and has trained more than 3,000 professionals, according to the Ethiopian government. 

Information from Ethiopia’s Ministry of Transport and Logistics shows that with the help of Chinese technology, the railway has also cut the transportation time for goods between the two nations from more than three days to less than 20 hours, and reduced the cost by at least a third, substantially bolstering the imports and exports of Ethiopia, a land-locked country in the Horn of Africa. 

According to EDR, the railway has operated a combined total of more than 1,800 passenger trains, carrying nearly 530,900 passengers, and 6,133 cargo trains, transporting about 7.32 million tons of goods since it was put into operation in January 2018. 

Serving the country 

“The skills and technology transfer to the local staff will greatly enhance Ethiopia’s economic prospects and help Ethiopia to embark on the road to prosperity,” Liu Yu, minister counselor for economic and commercial affairs of the Chinese embassy in Ethiopia, said, adding that training for local train drivers is an important part of cooperation between the two countries. 

Ethiopian Minister of Transport and Communications Dagmawit Moges Bekele has since urged the young train drivers to use their skills to serve the country and contribute to the improvement of the railway sector in Ethiopia. 

With the rapid advancement of China’s rail system, in particular the high-speed rail, ZZRVTC has indeed become a world-leading institution in the field of rail technology education. 

“We actively cultivate talents for different countries. We have trained railway transportation technical personnel for Ethiopia, Laos, and Saudi Arabia. Simultaneously, we have established overseas branches to enhance vocational education and actively develop vocational training standards. We have already developed eight vocational standards in collaboration with Tanzania and Ethiopia,” ZZRVTC President Li Fusheng noted.  

Given the prospects of the railway sector, Gadesa looks forward to switching from being an electrical engineer to becoming a fulltime train driver, and is waiting for another Chinese training opportunity to sharpen her career prospects and make strides in Ethiopia’s railway industry.  

“My passion for the railway sector is hard to describe. Each time the train runs along a curve and I look behind and see more than 50 wagons being pulled gently, I feel awesome knowing that I am in charge of its powerful engine,” Gadesa said proudly.