Chinese Traditional Medical Therapy Brings Relief to Patients in Zambia

Feng Kehong in her clinic based in Zambia's capital, Lusaka- Picture by Derrick Silimina

By Derrick Silimina

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

Infertility can be stressful and frustrating for couples the world over; but in Zambia, there is also stigma attached to barrenness.

After trying for almost two years, Tamara Chiponge had given up hope that one day she would be able to bear a child of her own.

On the verge of reaching menopause, Chiponge became desperate for a child as she could no longer withstand the intense social stigma and pressure, especially coming from her close companions and family members.

“I used to put on a false smile to the public, but inside, I was hurting. I took care of other people's children [and it got to a] point where my mother-in-law forced me to adopt a two-year-old child,” she told ChinAfrica.

Infertility on the rise

Zambia's Health and Nutrition Communication and Advocacy Strategic Plan (2018-21) highlights that gauging from the prevalence of sexually transmission infections alone, it is estimated that both primary and secondary infertility rates in the country are of concern. Gynecologists' say infertility is actually a major public health concern because it affects one’s mental well-being, disrupts social bonding, lowers economic productivity and erodes self-confidence.

It is for this reason that Zambia's Health Minister Chitalu Chilufya recently said the situation calls for great investment in comprehensive reproductive health, including fertility services.

“Infertility accounts for 10 to 15 percent of outpatient gynecology's clinic attendance in Zambia, yet access to fertility services is seriously limited due to the high cost of services,” said Chilufya.

As in many other societies, in Zambia, the inability to conceive and bear a healthy child is considered to be the fault of the female partner rather than a problem of the couple. The lack of access to effective treatment causes much personal suffering, family discord and social disfunction.

Whyson Munga, Registrar of Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology of University Teaching Hospital (UTH), recently noted that infertility is a huge problem in Zambia. Munga said that out of every 100 women that visit UTH seeking gynaecology services, about 30 of them have infertility problems.

Worldwide, both men and women do suffer from infertility, but culturally, infertile women are at risk of social stigma. Health experts say infertility refers to failure of a couple to establish pregnancy after one year of having unprotected and adequate sexual intercourse.

In developing countries such as Zambia, much as infertility is a health condition, it is also a social problem because from the perspective of the individual concerned, many unfruitful women consider that without children, their lives are hopeless.

Chiponge’s condition dates back to her mid-20s, when she had a severe ectopic pregnancy (a complication of pregnancy when a fertilized egg grows outside a woman's uterus) somewhere else in her belly, according to medical experts. They state that if left unchecked, the condition is life-threatening as excessive bleeding may lead to death, hence the need for urgent medical care. Consequently, her chances of falling pregnant were negligible, having only one fallopian tube - she lost the other tube after an operation.

As an old adage says, desperate situations call for desperate measures. Chiponge had tried all sorts of medication, not only conventional medicine, including fertility boosters, but also advanced infertility treatment called invitro fertilization treatment and African traditional herbs, in a bid to conceive. But all was in vain.

Acupuncture success

- A female acupuncture model with needles in the shoulder

In Zambia, fertility treatment is prohibitively expensive for most couples, with some people becoming destitute trying to pay for it.

Chiponge was first introduced to acupuncture therapy in 2009 by her younger sister, a friend of Dr. Feng Kehong, a Chinese medical practitioner who runs Zhong Yi Surgery in Lusaka's Roma suburb.

According to Acupuncture.com (a Chinese online medical platform), acupuncture is defined as an age-old healing technique of traditional Chinese medicine in which needles are inserted into energy points on the human body.

“It was in 2009 when I met Feng. Since I desperately wanted a baby, after having failed to conceive for more than 15 years of marriage, I was put on acupuncture therapy for three months and the following year [2010] I conceived,” she said, adding she was 46 years old at that time.

Having concerns about infertility in a world that needs vigorous control of population growth may seem odd, but it's a choice that many have no control over.

Nathan Mbewe, a Ndola based teacher, recently survived a protracted stroke because of the acupuncture therapy he got from Feng.

“I had a stroke for some time and might have died had it not been for Chinese specialized treatment I got here,” he said, adding that acupuncture worked wonders on him.

Mbewe said he has been recommending anyone with chronic illness to seek acupuncture treatment, and they have reported progressive results. A truck driver based in the Zambian capital of Lusaka is also impressed with acupuncture after having recovered from his swelling feet that almost rendered him jobless.

“Due to the long-distance driving, I used to have constant swelling in my feet,” said Andrew Mulenga. “This affected my work, until a colleague advised me to consult Feng to try Chinese medicine after an attempt at conventional medicine failed,” he said.

At first, Mulenga questioned whether acupuncture was real and doubted that pricking needles into his body would change anything. But, to his amazement, after a few sessions, his condition started improving.

Helping with needles

According to Feng, who has been in Zambia since 2001, initially working as a doctor in two of Zambia's general hospitals before opening her own clinic, she is delighted that a lot of people are being helped through acupuncture in Zambia.

To help her cope with the increase in patients, Feng has trained a local assistance, Nelly Banda, to work with the needles.

Despite Chiponge having reached menopause, she successfully gave birth naturally to a bouncy baby girl who is now a healthy nine-year-old.

Feng said some of the known diseases that she has treated successfully include hypertension, stroke, diabetes, infertility and sexually transmittable diseases.

Officially, acupuncture has the accreditation of Zambia’s medical council, as the Zambian Government recognizes traditional and complementary/alternative medicine.

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.

Reminiscing about the time when Chiponge, now 56 years of age, came to seek fertility services at her surgery despite her older age, Feng said she was hesitant to help.

“I was hesitant to work on Chiponge; but after recommending acupuncture therapy on her, within a few months, she came back so excited and informed me she was pregnant,” said Feng. “You see, a lot of diseases could be treated through acupuncture and I have seen this happen over the years to many patients that I have attended to.”

Derrick Silimina is an award-winning multimedia journalist based in Lusaka, Zambia. His work has appeared on many media outlets in Zambia and abroad.

Made in Chibombo

Nowadays

© stepmap.de

By Derrick Silimina

In the town of Chibombo in central Zambia about 100 km north of the capital Lusaka, an important part of Zambia’s industrial future is taking shape. 

On a 600 hectare plot here, a unit of China’s Jiangxi United Industrial Investment Ltd is building and starting to operate a multi-facility economic zone (MFEZ). 

When completed, the Jiangxi MFEZ will be a combination of industrial park, technical innovation centre and agricultural processing zone.

Jiangxi United has pledged to invest $ 600 million in the project, under China’s massive Belt and Road infrastructure Initiative. For Zambia, the Chibombo project is part of an effort to build up its manufacturing sector and diversify its economy away from dependence on agriculture and mining.

The Chibombo site will be fully operational by the end of 2021, according to General Manager Xu Jianfeng. So far, five Chinese companies have agreed to invest a total of $ 160 million there:

• Golden Eagle Tobacco is investing $ 100 million in tobacco planting and processing.
• V.L. Pharmaceutical is investing $ 30 million in a medical-equipment manufacturing.
• Jiangxi Xinhu Steel is building a $ 20 million steel processing plant.
• Sun Line International Logistics is setting up a $ 5 million in a logistics service centre.
• The Electric Porcelain Branch of the Jiangxi International Chamber of Commerce is building a $ 5 million electrical insulator factory.

The tobacco plantation and processing facility, as well as a concrete-making base, are already up and running, Xu says. In all, 500 jobs have been created so far at the site, and project managers expect that number to grow to 1,800 by the end of 2021 and to 6,000 by 2025.

While looking for additional investors, Jiangxi United has spent more than $ 40 million on infrastructure such as roads and plans to spend $ 60 million more on infrastructure over the next three years. The wider infrastructure plan includes building a job skills training institute, a service centre for small and mid-sized enterprises in the area, a medical clinic and a police station.

Generally, special economic zones such as an MFEZ benefit from relaxed tax and/or customs regulations to attract investors. Zambia’s Trade and Commerce Minister Christopher Yaluma toured the project in February and said the government will support the project with “incentives that will attract more investors”. He added: “This is one of the fastest-developing economic zones in the country.”

Similarly, Zambian Vice-President Inonge Wina toured the project in June 2021 and said it will boost the region’s industrial base. Apart from creating manufacturing jobs, the project will spur investment in other sectors, such as housing development, she said.

The Jiangxi MFEZ is only a small part of China’s investment in Africa. China pledged $ 60 billion for Africa at a summit in Beijing in September 2018. 

This has massively stimulated Chinese-African trade. By 2019, trade between China and Africa grew about 20-fold compared to the year 2000, reaching $ 209 billion. In the same year, Chinese foreign direct investment in Africa reached $ 49 billion, according to the Chinese government.

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

Refuge in a storm

© stepmap.de

By Derrick Silimina

A home of 20 elderly people and 30 orphans, among them disabled, bedridden and mentally ill patients is comprised of residents that are admitted regardless of tribe or religion.

The Divine Providence Home in Chawama, a suburb of Zambia’s capital Lusaka, is a refuge for some of the country’s must vulnerable citizens. 

The home, founded more than three decades ago, is run by the Missionary Sisters of the Holy Family, a Catholic religious order. It survives mainly on donations from well-wishers. With the impact of Covid-19, however, the home faces growing difficulties. Contributions of food, clothing and medicines from Zambian charities and businesses have all but dried up, as donors face pandemic-related financial problems.

“Since the outbreak of Covid-19 it has been tough to provide for the basic needs of the people being taken care of here,” says Sister Judith Bozek, 78, a Polish nun who heads the home. “Everything is more expensive now; it is difficult to cope in this pandemic,” Sister Bozek says. “A few people still show up sometimes to donate food, medical supplies, clothes and diapers for the orphans, but the needs are great. But we thank God; He is with us for sure.”

Residents say the Sisters running the home have managed admirably in these difficult times. Teddy Chipili, 68, from Luapula Province in northern Zambia, has lived at the home for over two years. He says the Holy Family Sisters rescued him from homelessness. “I was admitted to a hospital for six months, and after my discharge I lost my income and could not pay my rent. I was stranded, and I thank Sister Bozek and her team for having considered my predicament.”

Esnart Kangwa, 62, also arrived destitute. She has chronic diabetes and hypertension and eventually her family was unable to pay her medical bills. “Without Sister Bozek I would be dead now,” she says.

The Divine Providence Home is not the only charity facing pandemic-related difficulties. The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) says the pandemic has had a devastating impact on all types of social services, particularly those for children. Many children, adolescents and elderly people in Zambia are vulnerable to poverty, violence, family separation, malnutrition and disease.

In an effort to close the gap between their needs and what charities can provide, Zambia’s government introduced the Service Efficiency and Effectiveness for Vulnerable Children and Adolescents initiative in 2017. The initiative combines social protection programmes and government cash transfers with case management. The aim is to increase access to services for households caring for vulnerable children and adolescents.

“The government is committed to addressing these vulnerabilities,” says Pamela Kabamba, permanent secretary of the Ministry of Community Development and Social Services. “The programme expands protection for the most marginalised Zambians.”

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

Moringa industry rekindles hope among Batswana farmers

 

Moringa Technology Industry Managing Director Hu Yan shares some moringa oil with Batswana farmers (xinhua)

By Derrick Silimina

While climate change is wreaking havoc throughout the world, Africa is more vulnerable to it's devastating effects than others due to the continent's very high dependence on agriculture.

"Pula," one of the most commonly heard words in Botswana, is not only the name of Botswana's currency, but also the Setswana word for rain. So much of what takes place in the Southern African country relies on this essential, frequently scarce commodity.

Botswana, a semi-arid region, has over the years been battling frequent droughts, heat waves and rising temperatures due to climate change. As a result, agriculture has become the most affected sector, thus compromising the country's food security.

Consequently, the intensifying droughts have continued to worsen Botswana's human and wildlife existence, which has also led to livestock and crop losses, leaving traditional farmers destitute, with some local farmers having abandoned or resorted to selling their farmlands.

However, it is said that "to every dark cloud, there is a silver lining," and in this context, a plant – Moringa - is becoming a favorable and alternative commodity among local Batswana farmers.

Favorable commodity

"Don't sell your land, we know times are hard now, but you will not benefit from it in the long run. That kind of money does not last," Assistant Minister of Basic Education Nnaniki Makwinja recently urged local farmers. "Rather than selling, consider growing moringa trees on your farms as the plant is one of the three projects we have since chosen in the socio-economic development of the cluster of our villages."

She implored local farmers to instead consider moringa as their "green diamond."

According to the Department of Agricultural Research, Statistics and Policy Development of Botswana's Ministry of Agricultural Development and Food Security, about 69 percent of the population benefits from agriculture – as farmers, laborers or both; but prolonged droughts have affected the cultivation of crops and raising of livestock.

"I was attracted to this plant because it is planted organically and also because of its various food and medicinal properties. Therefore, the added value of this commodity will actually benefit local farmers in the country," Botswana Organic and Natural Foods Association (BONFA) Chairperson Oyapo Chimidza told ChinAfrica.

Chimidza said smallholder farmers have started on a small scale, despite a lack of adequate water. He affirmed that the commodity has a good market because it is in short supply locally and abroad, adding that his association is in the process of securing seeds and seedlings to get started.

BONFA, a moringa growing organization, is comprised of over 100 smallholder farmers in south Botswana who promote the development of the moringa industry in the country by engaging with the government and other relevant authorities on matters that affect their industry, while facilitating the development capacity and training of members and other stakeholders.

Nutritionists say that moringa is a versatile plant and every part of the plant can be eaten or used as ingredients in traditional herbal medicines. Its leaves and pods are a good source of many vitamins and minerals, including proteins, vitamin B, vitamin C, iron and magnesium, among others.

For this reason, Moringa Technology Industry, based in Gaborone, Botswana's capital, has been adding value to the moringa plant since 2014.

The Chinese processor and manufacturer of moringa products recently delivered the good news to hopeless local Batswana farmers and briefed them on the limited availability of moringa tree yields such as the leaves, sticks and pods that are used as raw material to produce moringa oil, nuts, noodles, powder, tea, pills, pasta and instant porridge, a few products that have already been stocked up in various local shops, chain stores and pharmacies.

"I want local farmers to start planting moringa trees so they can supply our manufacturing company that produces various moringa products," Moringa Technology Industry Managing Director Hu Yan said, adding that once local farmers are encouraged to grow moringa trees, the company can start exporting moringa products to Europe and the United States through the Botswana Investment and Trade Center.

With its wide range of health benefits that makes it appealing to European consumers who are looking for natural health products to improve their health and well-being, demand for moringa is increasing in the European market. The commodity's nutritional supplements are said to be increasing because of an ageing population, rising veganism and vegetarianism, growing need to reduce calories and weight loss, among others.

The global moringa products market was estimated at $5 billion in 2019 and is expected to reach $8.4 billion by 2026, according to the Facts and Factors, a global business consulting firm.

Gaining scale

Regardless of the fact that Botswana is a semi-arid country with unpredictable rainfall, Hu has embraced moringa farming techniques with ease since the "wonder plant" requires little water and manpower, making it an ideal plant for the harsh weather conditions in the country. Notwithstanding the climate change challenges that continue to daunt local farmers' productivity which hampers their endeavor to end poverty, Hu has instead been living in Botswana since 1996, a country he now considers home in which he is doing all he can to contribute to its agricultural productivity.

However, trade experts are of the view that at least 50 tons of moringa is required to start exports, hence, Hu has planted over 20,000 moringa trees at his company's Tlokweng farm since 2017 and has also been training local farmers on growing moringa trees and giving them seeds to get started.

With Hu's quest to ensure that about 500,000 trees are planted within the greater Gaborone area, his efforts have since attracted both the young and old farmers from across the country.

"We go to some other villages around Gaborone and we show them how to plant this tree. We want them to then supply us (later on) after the trees are ready. This way, they too can do their own business," he reiterated.

Cecilia Boitumelo, a 42-year-old farmer, said from Hu's workshop which was recently held within the Lentsweletau-Mmopane area, she learnt a lot regarding moringa production and has resolved to start planting in a bid to supply to a readily available local market.

Ben Kgengwenyane, a small-scale farmer from Borolong Village in the outskirts of Gaborone, considers moringa plant as a game changer in his farming activities.

"I have always been a farmer of legumes, but with our constant unfavorable weather pattern, I always wanted a crop that is drought-resistant and can give me good money. After I discovered the moringa factory, I am now excited to grow the commodity," Kgengwenyane said.

(Reporting from Botswana)

CAS program helps underprivileged students fulfill their dreams

 

Some of the student beneficiaries at the UNZA with Chinese Ambassador to Zambia Li Jie (COURTESY PHOTO)  

By Derrick Silimina 

As Africa continues to brim with a young labor force, abundant natural resources and wide ocean fronts perfect for global trade, there is a growing desire among its people for greater economic prosperity.

In this context, the significance of China's rapidly expanding education and training cooperation in Africa cannot be overemphasized.

China is the largest single provider of university scholarships to students from Sub-Saharan Africa, awarding about 12,000 out of a total of 30,000 bursaries that were distributed by the top 50 global donors, according to the Global Education Monitoring Report 2020 released by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

In Zambia, educational cooperation with China has undoubtedly achieved fruitful outcomes in recent years, as the Asian nation ascribes great importance to the development of education in the Southern African country.

According to an old saying, education breeds confidence, confidence breeds hope and hope brings peace. For this reason, the Chinese Ambassador Scholarship (CAS) program has played a great role in sponsoring outstanding Zambian students from modest backgrounds to attain education, and contributing to the development of the country.

According to the Chinese Embassy in Zambia, the purpose of the scholarship is to help young Zambian students from vulnerable families overcome their financial difficulties in order to realize their dreams and have a successful career.

Higher education 

During the three years from 2015 to 2018, China had provided 30,000 scholarships to African students and financing of $60 billion to implement 10 cooperation plans, one of which was for higher education; at the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in 2018, China again pledged to provide Africa with 50,000 government scholarships and 50,000 training opportunities for seminars and workshops, and would invite 2,000 young Africans to visit China for exchanges in the next three years.

Through institutions of higher learning such as the University of Zambia (UNZA), China trains about 200 Zambians annually, which includes short courses on agriculture, aquaculture, small and medium business, management, and sports, among others.

"Faced with new developments and challenges, China will continue to improve institution building, develop new ideas and expand areas of cooperation with Africa to bring our cooperation to greater heights," Chinese President Xi Jinping said at the opening ceremony of the FOCAC Beijing Summit.

The China-Zambia educational cooperation plays a vital role in talent training, technology progress and cultural exchanges with fruitful outcomes.

As the future of China-Africa relations lies in young people, China is providing young Africans with more training and job opportunities, and opening up more space for their development.

"My academic life has literally been a struggle since high school as I always narrate this story to my fellow students and friends. Many thanks to the Chinese Embassy in Zambia for this rare scholarship opportunity as I want to improve my family's livelihood after I graduate," said Andy Ilunga, a third-year student pursuing a bachelor's degree in education at the UNZA.

Angela Tembo, another student at the UNZA pursuing a bachelor's degree in natural sciences, noted, "I am from a humble background where life isn't easy without university education. Having been considered for this scholarship is a great turning point for my future and that of my family."

"Educational cooperation between China and Zambia has achieved fruitful outcomes in recent years because the Chinese side attaches great importance to the development of education," Chinese Ambassador to Zambia Li Jie said recently when talking with the students from the UNZA who are sponsored by the CAS.

Li said that his embassy stands ready to continue to work with Zambian universities such as the UNZA, and also welcomes excellent Zambian students to pursue higher education in China.

The Chinese envoy has since encouraged students to work hard and become envoys of China-Zambia friendship and cultural exchanges.

Speaking at the same event, UNZA Deputy Vice-Chancellor Tamala Kambikambi expressed gratitude to the Chinese Embassy for the support, and spoke highly of the development of China and Chinese education.

"As an institution, we look forward to enhancing cooperation with the embassy and promote educational and cultural exchanges between the two countries," Kambikambi said.

Building careers 

On their part, the students thanked Li for the embassy's support, saying they will cherish the opportunity to learn in the UNZA and contribute to Zambia's national development and the Zambia-China friendship.

"We cherish this opportunity and we promise to study hard to live up to the ambassador's expectation and make our due contribution to Zambia's national development and the Zambia-China friendship," said a student representative who expressed his appreciation for the support rendered by Li and the Chinese Embassy in Zambia.

Due to economic underdevelopment in the country, many students in the tertiary education are unable to fulfill all the academic requirements due to financial difficulties. This leads to emotional stress and, if not checked, affects their academic performance.

Although financial support to students in Sub-Saharan Africa has been stagnant since 2000, China's ongoing socio-economic partnerships in the region have resulted in an increase in aid for African students at both local tertiary institutions and in China since 2010.

According to World Education Services, an organization verifying academic credentials, some 30,000 Africans received scholarships between 2012 and 2015, and China has promised additional support.

UNESCO data show that China has increased the total scholarships – new and ongoing - for 2019–22 to 50,000. This reflects an increase of 20,000 over the number of scholarships that were made available in the preceding three years. It represents an additional 5,000 scholarships a year.

"You know what, in life – once you have hope for a better future, there will always be good people to help you. I look forward to seeing more Zambian students from humble backgrounds benefit and get empowered by this Chinese academic initiative," Ilunga added.

(Print Edition Title: Funding for Future) 

Africa: The next frontier for cryptocurrency

By Mbuyoti Silimina

Africa is going through a monetary revolution never seen before and has become a fertile ground for digital transactions.

Consumers and businesses around the world are using cryptocurrency, a form of digital or virtual currency, more than ever before. This has partly been influenced by the proliferation of affordable virtual investments as a way to make a quick buck. Much of the interest in these unregulated currencies is to trade for profit, with speculators at times driving prices skywards.

Top cryptocurrencies include Bitcoin, Litecoin, Ethereum, Dogecoin, Dash and Monero, but Bitcoin leads the pack in Africa and the rest of the globe. Created in 2009 by a person or people with the alias Satoshi Nakamoto, investors hope Bitcoin becomes a major mode of financial transaction in the digital age. 

African countries including Zambia have widely adopted alternatives to traditional banking in the form of mobile money platforms including Zoona, Kazang, MTN Mobile Money and Airtel Money. Some entrepreneurs are of the view that the local money market is ripe for the wide adoption of cryptocurrency because of this.

In many African countries including Kenya, Nigeria, Egypt and South Africa, cryptocurrency is growing in popularity as more people see it as a lucrative investment with high potential returns.

An online survey by a data platform Statista found that 32 percent of Nigerians use cryptocurrencies – the highest proportion of any country in the world. Estimates show that of the top 10 countries for trading volumes, Nigeria ranked third place after the US and Russia in 2020, generating more than US$400 million worth of transactions.

Some observers describe cryptocurrency as a disruptive innovation, one that could flourish in Africa, under the right circumstances. However, cryptocurrency is not without its challenges. Firstly, cryptocurrencies are not legal tenders. Having said this, in June 2021 El Salvador became the first country to adopt Bitcoin as a legal tender, with the change to come into effect in 90 days of the adoption. One can’t help but wonder when or if other countries will follow suit.

In 2018, the Bank of Zambia clamped down on cryptocurrency-related businesses, days after declaring that it does not view digital currencies such as Bitcoin as legal tender. The crackdown began when the central bank announced an investigation into Heritagecoin Resources Limited for alleged money laundering. The Lusaka-based FinTech startup that dealt in the business of cryptocurrency faced allegations that it had taken on traditional banking activities, such as accepting deposits from clients, something it was not certified to do.

Many people in Zambia are desperate for cash and have fallen prey to scams by firms that invite them to invest cash with the promise of high returns. Therefore, if one is thinking of investing in cryptocurrency, it’s important to be as well-informed on the topic as possible to better avoid falling prey to scams.

Recently, BoZ said that although Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies retained “some monetary characteristics, such as, being used as a means of payment on a person-to-person basis, cryptocurrencies are not legal tender in Zambia.”

In neighbouring Zimbabwe, the central bank also used its authority over commercial banks to shut down cryptocurrency markets.

With the continued depreciation of the kwacha and other African currencies, caused by a number of factors such as rising debt, dwindling foreign exchange reserves and lack of investment in the manufacturing sector, cryptocurrency becomes more appealing.

Zambia has experienced a slowdown in economic activity over the years. In this context, financial analysts say digital transactions through platforms such as eWallet, e-Pay and mobile money is the way to go.               

As economic shocks continue to affect Zambia’s inflation, employment figures and national debt among other factors, the Private Sector Development Association (PSDA) believes that the main challenge of adopting cryptocurrency in Africa is who decides the value of the currency.

“If you look at mobile money applications, money transfers and digital payments, these are bound by physical currencies in respective African countries, so nobody can really manipulate them and that’s why if I do an Airtel Money transfer to you of say K500, I know that I have not made the money, you haven’t either – it’s simply shifting real money from my account to your account,” PSDA Chairperson Yusuf Dodia told Nkwazi.

Dodia further stressed that despite cryptocurrency innovation being of the future, somebody decides whether that money should exist or not. It can easily be manipulated and that’s where the danger is. Furthermore, cryptocurrency is currently not supported by the international monetary and banking system.

Investment experts contend that for digital money to thrive easily in any African nation, prudent economic management of its natural resources is key. They refer to the success story of cryptocurrency in Egypt and South Africa where both nations do not allow their natural resources to be exported without the equivalent US dollar coming into their banking system.

Economists agree that the Zambian market is not yet ready for a cryptocurrency revolution as there are still information gaps in terms of policies on virtual currencies, what cryptocurrency is, how it operates, what it can do and what it cannot do and so on.

“Many people in Zambia tend to hold an opinion that it is just one of those pyramid schemes because of the way it has been marketed. For instance, you are enticed to buy cryptocurrency now and told that after three weeks, the value would have doubled and you wonder how will it double? What economic activity is backing this currency? Because money, whether it be virtual or actual, must be backed by production,” Lusaka-based economist Mambo Haamaundu says.

He continues, “Money is the store of value and if I am storing value, how does my value double within a short period of time. When you deposit money in a bank you earn interest but in a cryptocurrency setup the gains are often said to be ridiculously high. The question is, what is it that really happens to this money for it to appreciate to 30 percent within a month?”

While cryptocurrency is a complex topic and not without its risks it is here to stay for the foreseeable future. If managed properly it can be a force for good and in several developing countries it is used as a tool for financial inclusion and a supplement to the traditional banking sector.

FQM Invest in Cutting-Edge Mining Equipment

By Derrick Silimina

KALUMBILA Minerals Limited (KML), a subsidiary of First Quantum Minerals (FQM), says the mining firm’s quest to invest in cutting-edge equipment will boost copper production by about 15 percent.

Speaking during a familiarization tour of its recently acquired In-pit copper ore crusher, a state-of-the-art mining machine, KML Project Manager for CR4 Pocket Construction, Albert Jonah said investment in the in-pit crushers is a milestone achievement as they are not common in the world.

Mr Jonah, a mining engineer, noted that the mega mining paraphernalia is worth over US$50 million each, adding that the mining giant has invested four in Panama and four at its Sentinel Mine in Kalumbila district of North-Western Province.

He therefore affirmed that for this reason, copper production at Sentinel Mine will go up by 15 percent by 2022, hence the need to procure another in-pit ore crusher.

“By 2022, our copper production will be up by 15 percent, and as the pit is expanding towards the east, this latest crusher will play a vital role as more ore gets exposed on the eastern side of the pit. These crushers will be relocated as the pit expands to optimise the mining process,” Mr Jonah noted.

KALUMBILA Minerals Limited Project Manager for CR4 Pocket Construction Albert Jonah explains the effectiveness of the In-pit ore crushers at Kalumbila Open pit mine. – Picture by Derrick Silimina/SUMA SYSTEMS.

With a capacity of 7,000 tonnes per hour translating into about 150,000 tonnes production per day, double the size of the first three crushers on-site, the project manager bubbled with confidence that the masterpiece is an awesome investment in the country’s mining history.

“This In-pit crusher is the fourth we’ve got at Sentinel Mine, which is, more or less, double the size of the first three that are in operation. We started the pocket construction of this new crusher in December 2020 and total completion is likely to be at the end of July this year.”

Mr Jonah stated that in-pit ore crushers reduce the mine’s haulage costs which saves the mining operations in the long run as compared to top-off pit crushers as the rest of the haulage is done by conveyor belts towards the plant.

He stressed that the installation of each in-pit crusher came at a huge cost as the latest gear has so far consumed about $2 million in the pocket development cost. In terms of assembly of the massive unit, the facility requires about 150 personnel that are doing the project works for a period of six months.

Investment in such high-tech mining equipment facilitates the transfer of technology among the local mining staff as the assembly and installation of the machinery is being done by in-house personnel.

“We’ve got a local project team that’s working on this fourth crusher as they have learnt from international contractors that were brought in during the installation of the first three crushers. I think it’s vital for local staff to know dynamics of such technology as this achieves better control of the facility and is cost effective.”
Regarding the lifespan of the in-pit crushers, Mr Jonah confirmed that the mining apparatus can stand the test of time and even up-to the end of the mining lease.

“For as long as we do maintenance works on them, the life of these crushers goes up-to the end of mining operations."