Ease of Business

Streamlined freight service helps goods flow for Zambian startups

By Derrick Silimina | VOL.11 November ·2019-11-06

There's a constant buzz about China's large population always being on the move. Martin Mweenda wants to be part of that buzz as he predicts China to become a booming market for Zambia's emerging entrepreneurs.

It is a tale of two businesspeople with different aspirations - one is a Zambian entrepreneur who needs to grow his business but lacks an efficient way of importing goods from the industrialized world. The other is a Chinese manufacturer and supplier of goods who is looking for new markets.

However, each of the two investors spends sleepless nights thinking of how best their ambitions could be achieved, yet each has the potential to provide solutions to the other's business objectives. All they need is to link up and cut a deal.

Luckily help is at hand. China Katundu Shipping Co., one of the Chinese freight companies based in the Zambian capital of Lusaka, provides its core business shipping and air transportation services to its clientele from China direct to Zambia.

Benefit to local entrepreneurs

Mweenda, 40, is a budding entrepreneur based in Lusaka's sprawling Town Center Market, specializing in mobile phone and telephone accessory retail business for the past five years.

"I started this business from scratch in 2011 by selling second-hand phones along Katondo Street and then after raising enough capital, I switched to cross border trading. Back then, I used to get phone accessories from South Africa and Tanzania," said Mweenda. But he later realized that using one of the Chinese couriers would allow him to import stock from China without having to go there.

"If I decide not to travel, the shipping company will do all the paperwork for me, thereby reducing costs I previously used to incur," he said.

From his humble beginnings at the bustling Katondo Street located in the heart of Lusaka metropolitan area, Mweenda, who is popularly known as "Huawei" among his peers due to his long time dealing in the Chinese mobile phone brands, now prefers to import his goods direct from China.

Christabel Muchindu, another upcoming entrepreneur who deals in second-hand clothing based at the COMESA market, southwest of Lusaka, told ChinAfrica that the Zambia-China bilateral trade relations are hugely positive as it is helping grow local entrepreneurs.

Asked to elaborate more on the viability and sustainability of the trade relations, Muchindu said that after three years in business, the services of the Chinese shipping and air freight company importing her goods has allowed her to realize more profit than before.

"For instance, if I use a groupage loading service from Guangzhou (in south China) to Lusaka, the cost is $260 per cubic meter, duty inclusive. Through China Katundu, I and other traders will be allowed to share container space and this is quite cost-effective. This allows more small scale businesspersons to import their goods at lower duty, which is a bonus to some of us emerging entrepreneurs," said Muchindu.

Considerate service

In a bid to provide a hassle-free trading environment for the majority of Zambian entrepreneurs like Muchindu and Mweenda, China Katundu has risen to the occasion.

With more than a decade of operational experience, the company now offers a considerate service for goods shipped on a loose cargo container from Guangzhou direct to Zambia, an incentive that attracts many small scale traders in Zambia.

"This means we sell space in our company container to individuals who have got goods to ship. The container comes under our company name and is cleared as such, thereby exempting clients whose cargo is on board from paying duty by themselves," China Katundu Marketing Spokesperson Diana Chimy told ChinAfrica.

This commercial idea not only reduces the amount of inconvenience faced by many traders when it comes to dealing with customs issues, but the services are also efficient.

Through its representative based in Guangzhou, Chimy explained, the company has also managed to invest in secure warehousing both in China and Zambia, as well as facilitate the process of Chinese visas and provide free airport pickups for any business person who intends to travel to China.

Statistics from the Global Entrepreneurship Index of 2017 show that Zambia is ranked 10th in Africa and 96th worldwide in terms of entrepreneurship.

Recently, Chinese Ambassador to Zambia Li Jie said the bilateral trade volume between China and Zambia has increased dramatically from $2.36 billion in 2017 to $5.07 billion in 2018.

Li also said China's focus in its economic cooperation with Zambia now promotes direct private sector investments that will not require any sovereign guarantees from the Zambian Government.

Li attributes the positive situation to the strength of the two country's economic partnerships.

Top investment destination

With over 1,000 Chinese enterprises investing more than $4 billion in Zambia, this is evidence that Zambia has become one of the top 10 destinations among all African countries for Chinese investors.

Chimy said her firm is known for its unique products and services that include visa arrangements to China (free if one considers loading a 40-foot container), free pickup from the airport upon arrival, warehousing of goods, group loading, sea/air/road freight, and sourcing of goods, among others.

Asked whether or not the company is violating any tax laws, Chimy said that on the contrary, the company has enough space at some shipping organizations and a wide-enough network with viable agents back in China, that helps speed up the process of cargo clearance.

Recently, the Bank of China in Zambia, in partnership with the Bank of China in the industrial city of Zhengzhou in central China's Henan Province, organized the Henan International Investment and Trade Fair, aimed at spurring cross border investment and trade projects, as well as strengthening domestic and overseas business cooperation.

The bank hosted over 400 small- and medium-sized entrepreneurs and other stakeholders from Zambia and across the globe in Zhengzhou. The region has gained momentum in economic growth and industrial restructuring over the past years in a bid to link investors to potential business destinations.

Mweenda has since implored fellow local entrepreneurs to double up their efforts because their Chinese counterparts have not grown their economy through appeasement.

"They have done so through shrewd business and sustainable deals underscored by hard work. Where others have been seeing challenges, they have been seeing opportunities, which they have gladly taken around the world. This is a strength that Zambians should collectively acquire instead of constantly wallowing in self-pity," he said.

China is indeed a global economic powerhouse, which has the muscle to influence world trade more than any other country, according to Mweenda. It is therefore not surprising that many Chinese companies seek opportunities to expand their investment ties with Africa where countries like Zambia will remain a preferred economic destination.

(Reporting from Zambia)

(Comments to niyanshuo@chinafrica.cn)

Zambians choose Chinese cures

TRADITIONAL MEDICINE20/01/2020 – by Derrick Silimina

Nowadays

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As in many facets of life in Zambia, the influence of China is visible in the country's health-care sector.

China’s ancient healing arts are gaining a strong following in Zambia. Residents of the south-central African country are increasingly visiting Chinese-owned clinics offering a variety of ancient cures, including acupuncture, herbal medicines, massage, exercise regimes, dietary therapies, and creams and ointments against aches.

Traditional Chinese cures avoid many side effects associated with modern medicine, its advocates say. At least 70% of Zambians use traditional medicine, according to the World Health Organization.

Zambia’s government has noticed the growing popularity of Chinese cures. Health Minister Chitalu Chilufya said recently the government is reviewing its rules on traditional medicine with a view toward making such practices more accessible. 

“We have identified the need to strengthen collaboration, in particular with China, in research on traditional herbal medicines,” the minister told a visiting delegation from Jiangxi University. “Zambia will collaborate to strengthen the cultivation of medicinal plants and to share experience and knowledge.”

Chinese medical practitioners in Zambia have been happy to meet the growing demand. “I attend to patients suffering from stroke, HIV/AIDS, hypertension, paralysis, and diabetes among others,” said Feng Kehong, owner of the Zhong Yi Surgery. She opened the private clinic in 2002, five years after arriving in Zambia.

Of the wide range of traditional Chinese cures on offer, acupuncture has seized Zambians’ imagination the most. In this traditional Chinese therapy, needles are inserted into affected points on the body to relieve pain and cure illnesses.

For Bernard Siwale, a Lusaka based taxi driver, the results of the procedure are worth some discomfort. He turned to the Zhong Yi surgery in Lusaka after modern medicine did not cure a partial paralysis he suffered early this year. “The doctor pricks you with small needles and you feel slight discomfort,” he said. “After 30 minutes the needles are removed. The process is repeated for 10 days, but thereafter the pain disappears.”

Other patients are equally enthusiastic. “A Chinese health practitioner recommended herbal medicine and acupuncture for my abdominal pains, and after 10 days the pain was gone,” said Belinda Ngulube, a pharmacist. “Acupuncture is based on the interconnectivity of our hormones and nervous system. It has helped many patients.”

Three months of acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicines treatments were the solution to severe bleeding for Angela Nkandu, age 38. “I used to bleed badly even with a slight injury and conventional medicine couldn’t help much,” she said. “Doctor Tiang gave me blood boosters and acupuncture and it worked wonders.”

Traditional Chinese cures are longer-lasting than cures from modern medicine, according to Chris Banda, a teacher in eastern Zambia. He traveled to Lusaka for treatment at a private Chinese clinic and said it was worth the trip. “Western medicine couldn’t cure my chronic headache. Conventional medicine can reduce pain but afterward the pain comes back.”

*Derrick Silimina is a freelance journalist based in Lusaka, Zambia. He focuses on Zambian agriculture and sustainability issues.
derricksilimina@gmail.com

A pivotal time for Zambia’s economic future

WORDS BY: Derrick Silimina IMAGES BY: February 7, 2020

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Zambia is facing a number of macro-economic challenges but has set itself on a path back to economic stability and growth.

The depreciation of the kwacha which triggered inflationary pressures, sluggish credit growth, decreased agriculture output arising from the poor rainfall and debt servicing burdens negatively affected the overall performance of the economy.

On the global front, mounting geopolitical tensions between the US and China and the rise in oil prices have also contributed to Zambia’s economic slowdown.

It is for these reasons that the 2019 National Budget theme, dubbed “Delivering Fiscal Consolidation for Sustainable and Inclusive Growth” was clearly aimed at stimulating Zambia’s declining economic performance through domestic resources mobilization.

2019 Economic Performance

Initially projected at around 4 percent, economic growth in 2019 slowed down to around 2 percent, compared with 3.7 percent growth in 2018.

In his maiden budget speech, Minister of Finance Dr Bwalya Ng’andu highlighted that although revenues and grants exceeded targets by 9.1 percent in the period from January 2019 to August 2019, expenditure exceeded targets by 3.4 percent.

Dr Ng’andu noted that this was mainly due to depreciation of the kwacha and under-subscription of government securities resulting in increased debt service costs which left an overall budget deficit of 6.5 percent of GDP on a cash basis.

According to the Bank of Zambia, inflation remained broadly in line with the 6 to 8 percent target range in the earlier part of 2019. In the second quarter, inflationary pressures built up, resulting in inflation breaching the upper bound of the target range in May 2019 at 8.1 percent. By the end of August 2019, inflation rose further to 9.3 percent. This was largely on account of higher food prices and the pass-through effects from the depreciation of the kwacha against the US dollar.

To counter inflationary pressures, the Bank of Zambia adjusted the policy rate upwards to 10.25 percent in May 2019 from 9.75 percent in December 2018.

Growth has further been adversely affected as commodity prices had generally been lower over the first eight months of 2019 due to a fall in global demand. Copper prices averaged US$ 6,091 per metric tonne compared to US$ 6,723 per metric tonne over the corresponding period in 2018. Over the same period, crude oil prices averaged US$ 63 per barrel compared to US$71 per barrel.

In addition, tight liquidity conditions mainly attributed to external debt servicing and as reflected in the accumulation of domestic arrears, have contributed to slower economic growth.

Notwithstanding the general slowdown in the economy, the service sector has however performed favorably, especially the wholesale and retail trade, information and communication technology and financial services.

Non-traditional export earnings increased by 17.2 percent to US$ 1.1 billion from US$ 911 million over the first half of 2018. This outturn was attributed to higher exports of gemstones, cement, lime, sulphuric acid, and sugar.

But in terms of debt position, the external debt stock as at end of June 2019 increased to US$10.23 billion from US$ 10.05 billion at the close of 2018. This was mainly on account of disbursements on existing loans. The rate of debt accumulation at 1.9 percent was lower than the 7.6 percent recorded in the corresponding period in 2018.

2020 Economic Outlook

The 2020 national budget, under the theme ‘Focusing national priorities towards stimulating the domestic economy’ is clearly aimed at dealing with the economic challenges the country is currently facing.

In a bid to achieve more with less, the tight fiscal space for 2020 requires refocusing resources on priority areas of economic diversification and job creation.

“We are confident that economic diversification and job creation can be attained with continued public and private investments in the agriculture, tourism, mining, energy and manufacturing sectors,” Dr. Ng’andu stated during his 2020 budget presentation.

Policy Monitoring and Research Centre Executive Director Bernadette Deka Zulu shared recently in response to the 2020 national budget reveal: “With relation to agriculture, we call for scaling up of the Farmer Input Support Program with more priority being given to the E-voucher as opposed to Direct Input Supply (DIS) so as to promote agriculture diversification.”

With decreased electricity output over the years, which has negatively affected the economy, the government has plans in place to upgrade its power plants and increase output. Power projects such as Bangweulu and Ngonye Solar Power plants generating a combined total of 90 megawatts have been completed and are operational. Further, the construction of the 750 megawatts Kafue Gorge Lower Hydropower Station Project and upgrading of Lusiwasi Upper Hydropower Station to 15 megawatts are expected to be completed in 2020. The upgrading of Chishimba Falls Power Station from 6 megawatts to 15 megawatts will commence in 2020. In addition, the developer of the 2,400 megawatts Batoka Hydropower Plant between Zambia and Zimbabwe has been identified.

It’s also encouraging to note that under the National Industrial Policy, the government aims to promote export-oriented industrialization as progress is being recorded in the export of products such as cement, honey, and detergents. In line with the National Local Content Strategy, these products are being manufactured from local raw materials.

Economic priorities for 2020 include creating a foundation for improved economic management, sustainable power generation and safeguarding people’s welfare through consistent public investments in education, health, and agriculture. These all fall in line with the country’s aspirations outlined in the Seventh National Development Plan (7NDP).

Engulfed by the lake

18/11/2019 – by Derrick Silimina

Nowadays

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Fishermen who depend for their livelihoods on Zambia’s Lake Kariba are increasingly drowning in the lake, victims of fierce storms that are likely related to climate change.

Early this month, in the latest instance of a series of tragic accidents, two fishermen drowned on Lake Kariba after a massive wave, driven by furious winds, hit their fishing rig and caused it to capsize. Two other fishermen on the rig survived. Last month, five fishermen drowned on Lake Kariba in separate incidents. In general, the rate of deaths by drowning for fishermen on the lake has been rising steadily in recent years.

The incident in early November followed a sadly familiar course: In the wee hours of the morning, a massive storm built upon the lake and overwhelmed the fishing vessels moored there.

The latest victims were based in Siavonga District on Lake Kariba’s northern shore. The lake, which lies along the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe, is among the world’s largest man-made lakes by volume. The men had been fishing for kapenta, a type of sardine.

Drowning has become an increasing concern in other coastal regions as well. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), drowning is the third leading cause of unintentional injury-related deaths worldwide. In 2015, there were an estimated 360,000 annual drowning deaths worldwide.

The deaths, while tragic in themselves, also cast a cloud on the region’s economic future. After tourism, fishing is the second most important source of employment in the Siavonga district. In Zambia, fish is an important component of food security, with Lake Kariba accounting for 70 % of fish protein, according to the Fisheries Department.

Climate change is a likely cause of the series of drownings since vessels that previously were seaworthy have proved no match for more powerful storms.  Missing upgrades to the vessels may also be an issue. “I suspect that the fishing rig sunk because most of these rigs have mechanical challenges,” said Felix Kanyembo, a Siavonga fishmonger.

Accordingly, local authorities have called for tighter construction standards and other security measures to protect the lives of fishermen on the lake.

Others in the region see the problem entirely differently. Local folklore holds that ‘Nyami Nyami’ or ‘Water Spirits’ are causing fishermen to drown on the lake. According to African mythology, ‘Nyami Nyami,’ the River god who lives in Lake Kariba, is a serpent-like creature about three meters wide.

Some members of the local Tonga tribe who witnessed the construction of the Kariba dam wall in the 1950s add a further interpretation. They say the River god is married and that the building of the Kariba dam wall separated him from his wife. To the tribesmen, the recent series of drownings is nothing more than the River god’s revenge.

Moses Haambote, a Siavonga resident, is one who believes in this interpretation. Locals usually consult elders and perform rituals before going out on the lake, he notes. “If you ignore their guidance, you embark on a trip at your own risk,” he adds.

Derrick Silimina is a freelance journalist based in Lusaka, Zambia. He focuses on Zambian agriculture and sustainability issues.
derrick.silimina@gmail.com

Tribal leaders disagree on copper mine

06/01/2020 – by Derrick Silimina

Nowadays

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Adding to the controversy over a proposed open-pit copper mine in Zambia’s Zambezi National Park, various local tribal leaders are speaking up – on both sides of the issue.

While some tribal leaders in Zambia align themselves with the developers, saying the project will bring much-needed jobs and prosperity, others support tour operators and environmental activists, who say the mine will pollute the environment and damage wildlife.

The controversial Kangaluwi mining project – in the Lower Zambezi National Park, which lies on the north side of the Zambezi River – recently won a go-ahead from Zambia’s High Court.

The project’s licensee, Mwembeshi Resources Ltd. and its owner, Dubai-based Grand Resources Ltd, could soon start clearing land at the site, which lies between two seasonal rivers that flow into the Zambezi.

Now, tribal leaders are joining the debate, on both sides of the issue. Chieftainess Chiawa of the Goba people in Kafue district – to the west of the mine –  raised objections. “What will happen to all those animals when mining starts with all its noise?”, she asked. “I am really scared.” She notes that the Lower Zambezi valley provides a critical biodiversity link between animals in the Kafue and the Luangwa valleys.

However, Chief Mburuma of the Nsenga-Luzi speaking people in Luangwa district said the court should hold the project’s opponents in contempt. “The mine is in my chiefdom and we in Luangwa District are the people that need to be asked first,” he said. “I condemn certain chiefs who say this mine should not go ahead. It’s not in their chiefdom.”

The Kafue district “is far away from the mine,” he told journalists. “People in my district want the mine. We have no jobs here, due to lack of economic activities.”

Similarly, another tribal leader, Chief Mpuka of Luangwa district, said the proposed mine will create much-needed jobs. He added that tour operators – the major opponents of the mine – are the ones responsible for depleting animal herds in the park.

“They are airlifting the animals to other places that we don’t know,” Chief Mpuka said. “Most of the species, especially in the feline family, are depleted in this area. Where you find the animals are in Kafue, not here. So which animals are they protecting?”

Unemployed young people also support the project. “We welcome it, as it will be a source of alternative income for the people here in Luangwa district,” said Wisdom Mpundu, a 25-year-old youth of the Luangwa district. “The only usual source of income we have here is fishing, but the fish are being depleted and this problem is growing.”

Another youth, Moses Nkumbu, agreed that the government should not listen to the mine’s opponents. And Pauline Kalasa, also a young person in Luangwa, said many people will benefit from the mine project. “Look at the north-western and Copperbelt provinces, they are developed because of mining,” she said. “This is why we want the mine to come here.”

Environmentalists and tour operators argued unsuccessfully in court that the proposed mining operation threatens the park’s wildlife and environment.

Speaking with opponents of the mine before the high court decision, Ronald Chitotela, Minister of Tourism since July 2019, said the court should keep environmental concerns in mind when deciding on the appeal filed against the mine permit.

Noah Chongo, the national coordinator of the Zambia Community Based Natural Resources Management Forum, an organization launched by the former Tourism Ministry, said the government should revoke the mining license to protect the park and its wildlife.

Derrick Silimina is a freelance journalist based in Lusaka, Zambia. He focuses on Zambian agriculture and sustainability issues.
derrick.silimina@gmail.com

Getting the Point

Acupuncture therapy gains popularity in Zambia

By Derrick Silimina | VOL.12 January ·2019-12-30

Anita Njobvu, 32, was introduced to acupuncture therapy by her husband because her blood pressure was through the roof.

"I was first introduced to some other Chinese herbal medicines and I later ended up with acupuncture treatment, which has been helpful as my blood pressure has actually stabilized," said Njobvu, who lives in Lusaka, capital of Zambia.

Acupuncture is an important part of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and involves the insertion of long needles into specific points on a person's body with the aim of balancing the body's energy levels.

Njobvu, who had been battling severe hypertension for some time, said that after three months of being administered with acupuncture therapy, she is now on the course of recovery.

Acupuncture is part of the growing trend of Chinese involvement in the health sector in Zambia. The growing footprint of TCM in the country is a mirror of the broader perspective of China-Zambia relations, highlighting mutual cooperation in a wide range of areas.

In Zambia, traditional and alternative medicine is used and accepted by a great majority of the population, regardless of ethnic, religious, or social background. So, people are open to the idea of TCM.

Popular treatment

Acupuncture treatment used to be something new to the African continent, but with awareness of it growing in countries like Zambia, an increasing number of patients are opting for the healing technique rather than conventional medicine.

"[My TCM doctor] Feng Kehong's treatment took about two months and from the third month, I have not had any high blood pressure readings," said Njobvu.

As compared to conventional medicine, Pamela Chisunka, a teacher in Zambia's Central Province, said that she found Chinese traditional remedies be more effective than Western medicine.

"I think for me, Western medicine couldn't help cure my chronic headaches. Conventional medicine just has temporary effect, and the pain remains when one stops taking the medicine. As a result, you spend more on medication," said Chisunka. For Benjamin Mambwe, a local bus driver from Intercity Bus Station in Lusaka, acupuncture has proven to be more effective than conventional medicine. He said it wasn't long after he began treatment that he recovered from partial paralysis earlier this year.

He told ChinAfrica that during the acupuncture treatment process, the doctor used needles to prick into the affected body part.

"You will feel a slight discomfort when she starts the process; but thereafter, it's okay and the pain will disappear. After 30 minutes, the needles are removed and the process is repeated [daily] for 10 days."

After the treatment, Mambwe is now back on his two feet attending to his daily duties.

Wide range of benefits

Meanwhile, Benjamin Chitumbo, a renowned Ndola-based medical doctor, is impressed with his Chinese counterparts and their effective medical practice.

"All I know from experience is that acupuncture is one of the alternative medical treatment methods as it is based on the long Chinese tradition and explains the interconnectivity of our hormones and nervous system. Acupuncture has been used for a variety of illnesses. It is certainly a practice that has helped many of my patients too," said Chitumbo.

It is because of this acceptance that Feng established the private medical facility - Zhong Yi Surgery in Lusaka, following an increase in demand for Chinese medical treatment among the city's residents.

"Since I came to Lusaka, more and more people understand acupuncture. I attend to various patients suffering from strokes, HIV/AIDS, hypertension, paralysis and diabetes, among others.

In 1997, Feng came to Zambia on a tour of duty from China and worked for two years as a resident medical doctor first at Ndola General Hospital in the Copperbelt Province and then Kabwe General Hospital in Central Province.

Driven by her passion to provide quality health care to people, Feng went on to establish Zhong Yi Surgery in Lusaka in 2002 with a focus on TCM care.

Feng's assistant Neila Mumba, a Zambian lady, explained how Zhong Yi Surgery, located in Lusaka's Roma residential area, has helped many Zambians recover from various diseases.

"We had a chief from north Zambia who suffered a stroke and he was unable to walk. But after [acupuncture] treatment, he started walking. We also have several cases of senior government officials who come here to seek medical attention," said Mumba. "For instance, there is one lady who is diabetic and she has been to several hospitals but her condition was quite severe and couldn't recover until she came here. Her condition has now improved as her sugar levels drastically came down."

Asked why she has prioritized acupuncture therapy and not conventional medicine in her private medical practice, especially since she is a fully qualified medical doctor who has served in Zambia's public hospitals, Feng said her calling is to help people with the most effective medical care available.

"In China, I learned Western medicine and TCM. I chose the latter after I established a private clinic; but before that, I practiced as a full time conventional doctor," said Feng.

Local compliance

Since TCM is built on a foundation of thousands of years of medical practice, it includes various forms of herbal medicine, acupuncture, massage, exercise and dietary therapy, among others.

Feng said she has since been helping more local people understand how traditional therapies work and comply with local rules and standards.

"One big advantage of traditional Chinese medicine is that it is easy to perform, and it doesn't have high requirements for medical equipment," said Feng.

In line with how these medicines adapt to local conditions, the Zambian Government recognizes traditional and complementary/alternative medicine and national policies do support these treatments.

Although there are no official regulatory measures for recognizing the qualifications of practitioners, the Traditional Health Practitioners Association of Zambia reviews and registers traditional practitioners for licensing and plans are under way to develop such regulations.

Zambia is now considering better utilization of its diverse medicinal plants, a worthwhile lesson learned from China.

According to the World Health Organization, at least 70 percent of Zambians use traditional medicine.

Recently, Health Minister Chitalu Chilufya said the government was in the process of reviewing the act that governs the traditional practice of medicine.

"As we strengthen our health system, we have identified the need to strengthen collaboration, in particular with China. Zambia will collaborate to strengthen cultivation of medicinal plants and to share experiences and knowledge," said Chilufya, when a delegation from Jiangxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (JUTCM) called on him at the Ministry of Health headquarters.

Chilufya has since hailed the wider partnership between China and Zambia, especially in the area of health infrastructure and human resource training. Zuo Zhengyun, head of the delegation and President of JUTCM, informed Chilufya that his university had signed a memorandum of understanding with the Tropical Diseases Research Center (TDRC), to collaborate in the area of research.

Located in Ndola, Zambia, the TDRC is a biomedical research Center initiated by the World Health Organization in collaboration with the Zambian Government.

"We also hope to cooperate through research and development to promote clinical use of Zambian traditional herbal medicines," said Zuo.

The mission to Zambia by the university follows Zambian President Edgar Lungu's visit to the JUTCM campus in 2018.

(Reporting from Zambia)

(Comments to zanjifang@chinafrica.cn)

Mineral waste threatens C/belt environs

DERRICK SILIMINA, Lusaka

ZAMBIA has a long history of mining and a large known resource base of copper, gold, and emeralds, among other deposits.
With Zambia’s vast potential for further discoveries, environmental impacts from mining operations in the country are significant and quite often severe.
Mining and mineral processing by its very nature comes with environmental costs and the effects can continue long after the mining operation has stopped.
Environmental experts say impacts from mining results from both historical and ongoing mining operations as the main conservational challenges associated with mines are pollution of air, soil and water, geotechnical issues and land degradation.
Arguably, most of the mines’ environmental hazards that have continued happening at some mining companies bring to the fore the safety of Zambian mineworkers and communities and the effectiveness of the country’s mine safety laws.
Economically, the sector is a substantial source of government revenue and formal employment, both directly and indirectly; but environmental and occupational safety challenges have continued to emerge.
Given the country’s endowment of natural resources, an array of stakeholders in Zambia, including investors, government agencies, and civil society organizations, have long questioned some mine operators’ poor safety records.
MINE NEGLIGENCE
A 2014 Geological Survey of Sweden on Environmental Impacts of Mining in Zambia dubbed Towards Better Environmental Management and Sustainable Exploitation of Mineral Resources states that environmental issues directly linked to historical mining operations on the Copperbelt are largely related to geotechnical integrity of waste dumps.
The survey unearthed at least 21 waste rock dumps covering more than 388 hectares, nine slag dumps, covering 279 hectares, and finally more than 45 tailing dams covering an area of around 9,125 hectares.
In total, the study found that more than 10,000 hectares on the Copperbelt are covered with mineral waste and thus represents a “loss of opportunity” for the local population in terms of other land use such as agriculture, forestry, housing, and ranching.
In addition to the geotechnical risks associated with waste dumps, the use of tailing ponds for water supply and fishing, as well as growing crops on the tailing surface, has the potential to cause health impacts to the surrounding environment and beyond.
However, some critics have alleged that mine pollution and safety issues are due to negligence on the part of mine owners to invest in safety and adhere to health standards. Others blame it on the absence of a national safety policy and a safety enforcement body to ensure the lives of mineworkers and surrounding communities are safeguarded.
“I wish to call on operators in the mining and quarrying industry to ensure that they conduct their operations in an environmentally friendly manner and in ways that guarantee safety and healthier lives for current and future generations,” Mines and Minerals Development Minister Richard Musukwa said recently when he officiated at the Zambia Chamber of Mines fifth National Conference on Occupational Safety, Health and Environment in Ndola.
LESSONS LEARNT
With scary lessons learned from the closed Kabwe zinc/lead mine still fresh, it is indeed high time operators in the mining and quarrying industry ensured that they conducted their operations in an environmentally friendly manner and in ways that guarantee the safety and healthier lives for current and future generations.
Mr. Musukwa noted that the interests of posterity must be taken into account now rather than later and urged mining companies to comply with all environmental regulations and standards in the country.
“Our quest to develop should not, in any way, burden our communities and future generations,” he stated.
Recently, the Government secured funds from the World Bank to a tune of US$25 million to implement the Zambia Mining Environmental Remediation and Improvement Project (ZMERIP). The aim of the project is to reduce environmental health risks associated with past mining activities not only in Kabwe but in other selected mining areas as well.
In line with the global goal of ending the tuberculosis (TB) epidemic by 2030, Government, with help from the World Bank and NEPAD, have also joined hands with other countries in the region in a project called Southern Africa Tuberculosis Health Support System (SATBHSS) to contribute to the elimination of TB in Zambia and the sub-region.
The project’s development objectives are to improve coverage and quality of TB control and occupational lung disease services in targeted mining geographical areas of Zambia and to strengthen national and regional capacity to manage the burden of TB and occupational diseases.
MINE INTERVENTIONS
Reflecting on the theme of the just-ended Fifth National Conference on Occupational Health, Safety and Environmental Protection dubbed Enhancing Health, Safety and Environment Synergies to Combat Adverse Effects, First Quantum Minerals (FQM) observed that it is of utmost importance that every mine operator, regardless of the size, places the protection of persons and the environment above the drive for profits.
FQM Zambia country manager Kingsley Chinkuli affirmed that the mining industry world over is a hazardous place to work in and, as a result, communities continue to fight the creation of new mines on the perception that mining activities damage the environment and disturb nature, despite economic gains from these developments.
“Therefore, we must pay tribute to our investors for investing heavily in people and technology to continually make the industry a safe working place and green. We must all appreciate that occupational health, safety, and environmental protection are the three sides of the triangle which describe a firm foundation for safe working conditions and protection, as well as the preservation of our natural environment,” Gen Chinkuli stated.
It is for this reason that the high standard of performance of FQM management and employees in this area define its corporate reputation as a safe and environmentally friendly company.
“We are a visible felt leadership (VFL) company and we preach a message of safety to our employees and challenge them to ‘stop and think’ when making decisions or taking actions that may compromise occupational health, safety and the environmental protection. At FQM, we protect the rivers (open or subterranean), fauna and flora jealously in our areas of operations, despite their size, impacting minimum damage to nature,” he added.
LUBAMBE
For Lubambe Copper Mine, issues of occupational health and safety among its workforce are of major concern as communications manager Loyce Saili explained that when EMR took over, their focus had been to increase production and prioritize safety measures.
“We want to increase production, but we also want to carry out operations in a safe environment. So, much as we are ramping up, we want to do it in a safe environment,” she said.
Ms Saili further highlighted that in 2018, production was around 22,000 tonnes of copper and that the mine was ramping up to produce about 40,000 tonnes by 2021.
“Everything that we are doing is aimed at increasing production, to increase the profitability of the mine and make the operations profitable. But to do all this, we need to do it safely. Our people must come to work in a safe environment and go back home safe,” she added.
“We have a lot of management commitment and money has been invested in the 2019 financial year in excess of US$1 million in order to ensure that the mine is safe; and this includes the purchase of emergency equipment and re-training of people as well as inculcating in every employee a culture of taking responsibility for their own safety,” Lubambe Copper Mine safety, health, and environmental manager Daniel Chihili said in an interview.
On the other hand, Barrick Lumwana Mining Company safety superintendent Christopher Haboombe noted that family members of mine operators play a critical role to realize safety, environmental health and avoid fatigue among employees.
“Our Barrick motto on safety is ‘Every person going home safe and healthy every day’, but to achieve that you need to work with the family. And for us, that is synergies by working with families,” he noted.
It is said that in sharing, one does not need to re-invent the wheel as coming together gives stakeholders an opportunity to learn, for free, the best practices of enhancing safety and environmental health of their mine operations, so was the just-ended fifth National Conference on Occupational Safety, Health, and Environment, courtesy of the Zambia Chamber of Mines.
It is therefore envisaged that investment in mines’ safety departments is enhanced to avoid environmental hazards on-site and beyond, in order to ensure that Zambia’s most lucrative industry is safe for all.