A Fruitful Exchange

 By Derrick Silimina

In the heart of South Africa’s rugged Swartberg and Koue Bokkeveld mountains lies the alps towering majestically above fertile citrus farmland, forming a wall that sustains enough rainfall to attract farmers to the south. 

Siabonga Mbete, 34, grows tangerine - a small seedless fruit of the citrus family that is turning South African farmers into millionaires. 

As trucks veer off the dusty road into farmlands to collect some tangerines and lemons at Mbete’s smallholder farm located in Eastern Cape Province for the export market, the young farmer is upbeat about citrus farming, which has spawned multiple agribusinesses and unlocked agricultural potential of the country. 

“This farmland is a lifeline for most of us in our community and this farm does help us a lot in putting food on the table and providing for our families. Personally, this farm has also helped me to gain skills and I plan to start my own citrus farming project in future,” Mbete, one of over 200 seasonal workers at the Khangela Citrus Farm, told ChinAfrica. 

Rapid expansion 

According to the Citrus Growers Association (CGA) of South Africa, the local citrus industry has achieved remarkable growth over the past few years, with over 160 million cartons of fruit packed for export across the globe in 2022. By 2032, the sector aims to export an additional 260 million cartons a year, contributing 240,000 jobs and 50 billion rands ($2.66 billion) in revenue annually to the South African economy. 

Each year, the citrus season in South Africa brings a good harvest, especially for the black-owned Eastern Cape farms. For instance, the Khangela Citrus Farm in Addo region, some 72 km northeast of Port Elizabeth, has been exporting citrus produce like oranges, tangerines and lemons to Japan and some Middle Eastern countries. 

The farm was bought by the South African government, which invested millions of rands on infrastructure and skills development for the surrounding communities in Sarah Baartman District Municipality in Eastern Cape.  

On the other side, South Africa’s Western Cape Province enjoys a unique Mediterranean-like climate which is renowned for its fertile valley nourished by the Olifants River where tasty and nutritious citrus fruits are grown.  

“Our success is made possible by the support we get from the North West Department of Agriculture and Rural Development. Apart from clinching some export contracts to the Middle East, our cooperative also supplies local companies that add value to our fruits,” said Karabo Mduli, a co-owner of the Bokamotso Citrus Project, a family-run smallholder farm. 

Arguably, the citrus groves of South Africa have supported generations of families that continue to live, work and thrive on their farms, and this long heritage of citrus production continues to play a major role in the economic future and lives of successive generations. 

Having started small with about 1,000 fruit trees, Mduli has seen her agribusiness venture grow immensely to over 8,000 trees. She has since managed to employ 50 local workers in addition to over 100 seasonal laborers to help to manage her agricultural venture. 

However, citrus exporters like Mbete and Mduli are now grappling with the burden of much stricter regulations which were recently imposed by the European Union (EU) on South African citrus imports. The action has shaken South Africa’s export farmers and hurt the profitability of local citrus growers. 

In addition, logistical issues have proven to be a major challenge for most South African citrus farmers, especially those in the northern part of the country, and Mduli is no exception. 

Critical new market 

In this context, the CGA has noted that a revised lemon protocol signed by South Africa and China in 2021 was a major achievement. 

The association believes that with local lemon production expected to grow by 175,000 tonnes by 2024, the finalization of the revised protocol means China will now become “a critical new market” and will secure 325 million rands ($17.32 million) in new export revenue. 

“We envision exporting 25,000 tonnes of lemons to China by 2024 and the current trend indicates favorable export figures,” CGA Chief Operating Officer Paul Hardman recently said. 

South Africa has already enjoyed phenomenal growth in exports to China in recent years, with shipments of grapefruit, orange and soft citrus reaching 130,000 tonnes in 2020. 

Hardman noted that South Africa’s citrus export industry is a key source of employment, providing 140,000 jobs and contributing $1.6 billion in annual export revenue. He added that the improvement in trade relations with China has played a vital role in job creation and revenue generation. 

Statistics show that South Africa is the second-largest exporter of fresh citrus in the world, after record-breaking exports of 146 million cartons of citrus in 2020, thanks to the country’s favorable weather conditions that enable fruits to grow in optimal conditions, producing superior summer citrus that is seedless and easy to peel. 

Growth projections for soft citrus, lemons and Valencia oranges indicate an expected additional 6.8 billion rands ($362.36 million) in foreign exchange earnings and the creation of 22,250 stable jobs over the next three years. 

Trade analysts say China-South Africa trade has taken a giant leap from $1.4 billion in 1998 to $56.7 billion in 2022, and that gaining access to the Chinese market is a vital step in boosting an export-led growth of the South African citrus industry, which is a commitment the government has made under the Agriculture and Agro-Processing Master Plan. 

After the EU erected barriers to imports of South Africa’s citrus last July, the government suggested that they might have to start looking elsewhere for markets.  

“As a government, we open more export markets for the industry; as the estimates suggest, there will be roughly 300,000 tonnes [of agricultural products] added to the current volumes in the next three years that require an export market,” Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development Minister Thoko Didiza recently noted.  

Tributes salute Philip Pascall legacy

By Derrick Silimina

People from all walks of life converged at the Anglican Cathedral of the Holy Cross in Lusaka recently to honour the life and legacy of Philip Pascall, the co-founder and visionary leader of First Quantum Minerals Ltd.

Philip steered the mining giant to global heights, leaving an indelible mark on the world mining industry. Under his leadership, he established an entrepreneurial culture that saw the company formed in 1996 grow from a 10,000 tonnes tailings re-processor with the Bwana Mkubwa project in Zambia to one of the world’s largest copper producers with operations spanning five continents. 

Philip’s legacy stretches into the local communities in which FQM operates, bringing improved standards of health and education in often remote places and employing more than 20,000 people globally. 

In a touching tribute to Philip who died on September 19, 2023, his young brother Matt Pascall shared a great insight of Philip’s early life and experiences in rural Zimbabwe and how his unique character helped shape his professional and entrepreneurship journey. 

Matt noted that Philip was born in Southern Rhodesia in 1947, the present day Zimbabwe. At five, he suffered from malaria and was admitted in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) for some days, then and later on his parents had to evacuate him from Salisbury, now Harare, to Mutare via a train. 

That was a daunting experience for the young Philip. Philip’s legacy stretches into the local communities in which FQM operates, bringing improved standards of health and education in often remote places and employing more than 20,000 people globally People from all walks of life converged at the Anglican Cathedral of the Holy Cross in Lusaka recently to honour the life and legacy of Philip Pascall, the co-founder and visionary leader of First Quantum Minerals Ltd. 

Matt further stated that Philip’s illustrious mining career started after he studied at a University in England where he pursued Control engineering, a branch of Electrical engineering which had nothing to do with mining. 

After that Philip was involved in oil exploration in Nigeria and Mozambique. Following a short stint in Australia where he was project manager for a diamond mining firm and civil engineering, he later built many mining projects not only in Australia but also in Zimbabwe, Indonesia, America and other countries in the world. 

“It all started in 1996 when he came to apply for a hunting concession in Zambia. Out of curiosity for other opportunities, Philip founded Bwana Mkubwa Mine in Ndola which became a solid foundation for FQM. After the privatisation of ZCCM, we extended our operations to the Kansanshi mine and later another mining project in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC),” Matt narrated. 

And Kansanshi Mine General Manager Anthony Mukutuma said Philip would be remembered as a man who built a top-tier mining company in under 20 years, and that his greatest legacy would be the people, lives and livelihoods of millions that he had impacted directly and indirectly. 

“The people’s first culture at FQM is Philip and it is our attempt to put to paper Philip’s approach to life and the world that made him so impactful,” Mukutuma said in remarks given on his behalf by the company’s Corporate Secretary Joyce Muwo. 

The General Manager emphasized that Philip’s idea of giving was not based on what he had but how he could better the lives and livelihoods of others; particularly in the areas of personal growth, education, health and sustainable development. 

CHANGED 

In this context, courtesy of an FQM University of Cape Town Scholarship, Philip has changed many lives including young Zambians of humble background whom he empowered academically, offering them unique opportunities. 

Reminiscing on his humble beginnings during the memorial service, FQM Trident Technical Manager-Mine Maintenance Nathan Mbulo paid his glowing tribute to Philip and disclosed how difficult life was, growing up in a family that relied on his mother’s meagre salary. 

Mbulo, 34, stated that at tertiary level, his university prospects were limited to Zambia as his family could not afford an education abroad. 

“Thanks to FQM, after a series of interviews and tests, I was awarded a scholarship to study Electrical Engineering at the University of Cape Town in South Africa. Thus, I began my journey with First Quantum that has spanned three continents.” 

He noted that over the last 10 years, he had been privileged to attain two master’s degrees and had enjoyed various roles, eventually rising to his present position. Tamara Habile is also among recipients of an FQM University of Cape Town Scholarship who studied Chemical Engineering. 

“The deliberate plans by FQM in giving back to the community has made a mark on my life personally. It has made me a graduate of one of the most prestigious universities in Africa and additionally gave me a great start to my career,” Habile added. 

OPPORTUNITIES 

Mahali Zabangwa who also studied Chemical Engineering affirmed, “Today, I stand a seasoned Senior Metallurgist, a position that might have remained out of reach were it not for the opportunities and support provided.” 

Zabangwa acknowledged that Phillip’s vision established a sturdy foundation for exciting careers and promising futures. 

Aibaki Tembo who also studied Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Cape Town echoed his colleagues’ sentiments and said, “I stand as proof of his dedication to nurturing talent and his generosity. His legacy will forever echo in the corridors of the success he built, and his impact will be felt in the lives he touched.” 

Tembo described as “inspiring” Philip’s generosity and vision to cultivate a new generation of ground-up leaders. 

COMMUNITY PLAYER 

In his tribute, Chief Mumena of the Kaonde people hailed Philip as a community player who touched many lives. 

“What we learn from Philip is that he came to our land and not to reap but to sow; and he did so through a wonderful seed, real seed which is the seed of humanity. He exhibited that through being a community player and a great partner in socio-economic development. Philip was a true African as much as he was a global citizen with a footprint on almost all the continents on the globe,” Chief Mumena said. 

The traditional leader indicated that Philip was a great mining stalwart who invested in the livelihoods of people in the province through education, health, infrastructure and agriculture among other corporate social responsibility programmes. 

Dean of the Anglican Cathedral of the Holy Cross Father Charley Thomas affirmed that Philip’s pioneering spirit extended the mental and physical boundaries of the Copperbelt Province. 

“Philip was driven by purpose and had a clear vision to create a better world. The impact of Philip’s world is beyond the 20,000 employment created globally by FQM or even the 10,000 indirect jobs; the impact of what he started is going to stay for years to come,” Fr. Thomas said in his sermon. 

“Philip's reputation and his unique signature on life continues to positively impact many lives. He indeed ran a good race that is resoundingly a true definition of what the Bible in Ecclesiastes 7:1- 4 reminds us that, "A good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death is better than the day of one’s birth.” 

Present at the memorial service was Home Affairs Minister Jack Mwimbu who was flanked by senior Government officials, former Vice-President Enock Kavindele, Chief Kapijimpanga and Chief Mumena of the Kaonde people, and FQM senior staff. 

Philip is survived by his wife Vivien, children and grandchildren.

Sisters in Zambia support children with disabilities

By Derrick Silimina

Changa Chitabo, 19, and his younger brother, Josephat, 17, stagger and struggle to maintain their balance and walk as their class teacher rushes ahead to give the young lads support. 

They had no access to special learning facilities, considering their home village is on the rural outskirts of Ndola town, some 750 kilometers (466 miles) north of Zambia's capital, Lusaka. 

Innocent Chitabo, the 45-year-old father to Changa and Josephat, told the Global Sisters Report he used to spend sleepless nights trying to provide for their health care, sustain their basic needs and find a special needs school for his boys. Both live with Usher syndrome, a rare genetic disease that affects both hearing and vision and sometimes causes problems with balance. In 2021, Chitabo finally secured spaces for his sons at the Bauleni Special Needs Project and School facility and is happy to see how they are progressing and responding.

Born and raised in rural Ndola, Chitabo spoke emotionally of how difficult it is to raise disabled children in a rural area. He noted that the young boys faced social and economic challenges in terms of mobility, and lack of access to health care and special education facilities for their severe disabilities.

In Zambia, disability is stigmatized due to negative traditional beliefs, entrenched stereotypes and ignorance. As a result, children and adults with disabilities are often neglected, isolated and discriminated against. 

In 1995, the Sisters of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary carried out a survey in Bauleni township, a poor, densely populated slum about 10 kilometers southeast of Lusaka, to ascertain the number of children with special needs living in that area.

The sisters discovered that more than 100 disabled children between 10 months and 24 years lived in homes, isolated from the public due to their disability. The ravaging effect of the HIV/AIDS pandemic in the early 1990s also led to an increase in the number of orphans who flooded the streets of Lusaka.

Having started with four classrooms, the school runs two tracks, special needs education and general education, and has grown tremendously. More than 200 children with disabilities from preschool to grade 12 are enrolled. The facility has more than 1,000 learners and has expanded to offer job skills and nutrition training. 

In response to those needs, the Bauleni Special Needs Project and School, managed by the Sisters of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary in the Archdiocese of Lusaka, was born one year later.

"We are the only school in Lusaka and Zambia as a whole with classes for children with deaf-blindness and children with multiple disabilities, and that is a huge success for us," Sr. Yvonne Mwila, school director, told GSR.

Mwila said that the facility, in conjunction with the Zambia Institute of Special Education,  looks at a child holistically and establishes the need for qualified teachers before learners are admitted to class so they can incorporate into society and participate effectively.

The school provides psychosocial support, physiotherapy, speech therapy, counseling and provision of epilepsy drugs, among other services.

In addition to being recognized as a center of excellence for inclusive, special needs education, the school also offers in-service training for its teachers and support staff who work with children and young adults with special needs.

Chomba Nakazwe, a teacher specializing in working with the most severely disabled children at the facility, said it is fulfilling to contribute to the well-being of disabled children.

Her classroom is dubbed Lowani, a Chewa language term that means, "Come in."

Driven by her passion for serving, Nakazwe noted that some of the most severe cases among her learners are those with autism. But thanks to the Bauleni school, they can interact with their friends and learn. 

The facility supports parents and families by offering counseling services and free physiotherapy services for their disabled children, along with job skills and training to help them secure a brighter future. The project also runs a home-based education program for more than 200 children with disabilities without access to the facility and in the catchment area of the school and rural areas.

To make the project sustainable and self-reliant, the school runs income-generating ventures, including a bakery, vegetable production, carpentry, tailoring, a shop and a piggery.

With its motto, "called to love and serve," the Sisters of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary home-based program for disabled youth in Zambia emphasizes child safety and rights. 

Known for its mission to champion children with severe developmental needs, the school has brought hope to formerly suffering families now receiving care. 

Gertrude Phiri, mother of a 10-year-old child born with cerebral palsy, said she was in denial about her second-born's disability.

"But after I got counseled here, I believed that God would see me through the struggle that comes with raising a child that is physically challenged."

Benefits for Zambian workers

 

By Derrick Silimina

According to a new law, workers in Zambia can now withdraw up to 20 % of their pension savings. However, only savers who have been contributing to the national pension scheme for at least five years or making 60 contributions are eligible to withdraw money.

The effects of the legislation have been instant as hundreds of Zambian workers keep queueing up or going online to verify if they are eligible for benefits.

“We have signed into law the National Pension Scheme Amendment Bill 2023, which is in line with our promise to the Zambian people. The new law will allow citizens to reinvest the funds into various ventures and assets of their choice,” President Hakainde Hichilema said recently.

As of June 2023, the National Pension-Scheme Authority (NAPSA) has paid out 7.5 billion Zambian kwacha (ZK) (€ 300 million) to more than 316,000 members. 

The government set aside a total of around ZK 11 billion (€ 480 million) to pay 600,000 eligible members, according to the pension authority. The body projects that the least projected withdrawal will be ZK 5,000 (€ 220) and the maximum ZK 160,000 (€ 7015) per contributor.

Lackson Chota, a civil servant, bubbled with excitement after finding out that he is eligible for pre-term benefits. 

“After I got mine recently, I invested the money in building a boarding house for students. Student accommodation is in demand. I am guaranteed a threefold return from my initial investment of ZK 100,000. I plan to reinvest the income into building a block of flats,” Chota says.

Equally, Ruth Tembo, an employee at a Chinese clinic in Lusaka’s Roma suburb, is optimistic that the pension pay out will have a positive impact. “I have always wanted to start a poultry business. Once I withdraw my cash, I want to build a poultry house and buy other inputs to run the venture. I think the payment will help many people to take the step into entrepreneurship.”

This is the first time employees in Zambia have been able to access their benefits earlier. 

Economists argue that the move will spur economic development and reduce rising poverty. Disposable incomes will increase trade and commerce and contribute to relief, especially in the private sector.

The Pensions and Insurance Authority (PIA) however advises workers in Zambia to be careful with the use of their savings. People should rather look for investment opportunities instead of spending the money on consumer goods.

Amos Kunda, a mine worker from the north-western province, has taken the advice. “I decided to invest my 20 % in government bonds and once they mature, I will be able to use interest to invest in my children’s education,” he says.

Financial analyst Kelvin Chisanga believes the country will witness an increase in trade and commerce that will boost government revenue. “The ZK 11 billion to be injected into the economy will create aggregate demand,” Chisanga says.

A Bountiful Catch

By Derrick Silimina

A group of fishermen from Kenya’s coastal county of Kwale sail quietly in a traditional boat, allowing it to gently glide across the deep waters of the Indian Ocean under a night sky dotted with glittering stars. 

Abdullai Karim, one of the fishermen, ponders his next fishing expedition as he unloads a bucket full of anchovies (small shoaling fish of commercial importance) locally known as “dagaa” in Swahili. 

“I am very excited that dagaa fishing is becoming more profitable here than before, thanks to the recently clinched export deals with China. In the old days, most of us (anchovy fishermen) struggled to find a viable market and mostly relied on a less profitable domestic market, but now exports are reviving the local aquatic sector,” Karim told ChinAfrica. 

For Karim, venturing into the deep waters of the Indian Ocean in search of anchovies, a popular local delicacy, has always felt surreal. 

Other fishermen in Kwale, a small county located around 30 km southwest of Mombasa, are similarly cheerful about this new development in the local fisheries sector. 

“We are thankful to our government for securing a ready market in China for our aquatic produce,” said a fisherman, beaming with joy. 

According to the 2023 economic survey report released by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics, the East African country’s total fish production was 174,000 tonnes, valued at 37.5 billion Kenyan shillings ($259 million) in 2022. 

In this context, Kenya Vision 2030 development blueprint recognised fisheries and aquaculture sectors as the key sources of food security, poverty alleviation, and employment creation.  

For this reason, in January 2022, Kenya and China inked two protocols aimed at facilitating bilateral trade in avocados and aquatic products, setting the stage for the exports of anchovies, popular worldwide for their rich nutritional content.

Raising output 

While anchovy fishing is the main source of income for the majority of residents of Shimoni in Kwale, they are unable to achieve growth due to outdated fishing techniques and a lack of export market for their catch, despite the fact that the anchovy fishing has proven to be the best aquatic business internationally. 

A Chinese company, Huawen Food (Kenya) Export Processing Zone Ltd., has set foot in the area to energise the fishing business. It has established a factory for processing and packaging anchovies bought from local fishermen in Kwale.  

The Chinese firm’s quest to inject fresh vitality into the local blue economy has made the Kenyan government optimistic about the prospects of the exports of processed anchovy products to the vast Asian market and job creation for the youth in Kenya’s coastal areas. 

“Employment is the top priority for President William Ruto’s government; we will give Huawen the required support to make it grow,” Cabinet Secretary for Mining, Blue Economy and Maritime Affairs Salim Mvurya said recently while flagging off the first consignment of anchovies destined for the Chinese market from Kwale. 

The establishment of the factory has enlarged revenue streams for local artisanal fishermen, created new jobs, and boosted the ongoing efforts to inject vibrancy into Kenya’s fisheries sector. 

The first batch of anchovies from the Kenyan coast were showcased at the third edition of the recently held China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo in Changsha, the capital of central China’s Hunan Province. 

“This is the first batch of export to China and we hope for win-win economic and trade cooperation between China and Kenya. We are happy to be in Kwale providing work opportunities to the local people,” Huawen Managing Director Liu Zhiyong said.  

Liu elaborated that the company provides direct and indirect employment to the residents as it buys fish from local fishermen, thus contributing to the improvement of their livelihoods. 

Additionally, as a way of capacity building for the fishermen, the company is planning to offer training on modern vessels, new technology and equipment, so as to maximise production, create more employment opportunities, and strengthen relationship with the community. 

Reliable market 

Analysts say the investment by the seafood company brings an exceptional opportunity to local fishermen by assuring a reliable market for their catch, hence spurring the growth of the local blue economy. 

Speaking at the flagging-off event, Fatuma Masito, a member of parliament from Kwale County, stressed that the occasion comes at a time when the local people are looking up to the ocean as one of their only sources of economic empowerment.  

The lawmaker urged management of the factory to give the residents highest priority in recruitment as it makes plans to increase its workforce from the current 150 to 500 in the coming months.  

The Kenya Fisheries Service revealed that over 350 kg of anchovies earmarked for shipment to China are part of the 70 tonnes already processed at Kibuyuni in Shimoni area of Kwale by Huawen. 

“The recent flagging-off ceremony of the first batch of anchovies destined for China is a reassurance that the economy of this fishing county will be revived,” said Hussein Juma, a local fisherman. 

A marketeer and her vision

By Derrick Silimina

Mitech market, home to approximately 2000 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), is one of Solwezi’s most affordable consumer markets, offering a diverse range of goods and services ranging from fresh and dry foods to clothing and hardware.

For Mary Mbanza Lufupa, 53, Mitech market is her base for most consumer goods that are on demand in the area. 

“I started with a K200 as my capital selling vegetables (tomatoes, onions) and chickens in 2008 after I realized the need to make profit from both business ventures and earn a living,” Lufupa says. 

Upon a further need to sharpen her entrepreneurial skills, Lufupa got recruited for the Kansanshi Mining Plc- sponsored monthly business training project in January 2021. 

“The training has helped me in terms of managing money properly and being able to reinvest in business for sustainability. Due to the training, I was inspired to invest in a fish pond but the fish was washed away by the rains due to poor pond banks which succumbed to pressure,” she narrated. 

She disclosed that her capital has now grown to over K1000 due to good financial practices and that her vision is to enlarge the poultry house to accommodate over 250 birds. 

In 2015, the Kansanshi Foundation used to give her and her colleagues 25 chicks and feed to raise these birds for sale, adding that the capital raised through this grant is in use till this date. 

“I have put the poultry business on hold and will resume later this year with 150 chickens,” Lufupa stated. 

She thanked KMP for the training and the grant which had empowered her permanently as her capital for the poultry business project is now at K3000.

Tobacco: a global agent of death

 

By Lumbiwe Mwanza

It is growing in popularity especially among young people in Zambia and most drinking places are synonymous with the water-pipe tobacco but some experts say a single shisha session is the same as smoking 200 cigarettes.

In the same way that some people will enjoy a cold Mosi lager or need a cigarette to keep going while they're relaxing, for Janet Zimba, 26, smoking shisha is the perfect way to unwind her evening after a hard day’s work. 

“I like to enjoy my shisha after a long day and every evening after work, I come here (shisha lounge) with my mates to relax. If I don't do it, it feels like I'm missing something,” Janet said as she puffs a rhapsody of smoke with her colleagues at Zoran cafe located at Levy shopping complex in Lusaka, Zambia’s capital. 

Shisha, also known as hookah or hubble bubble, is a glass-bottomed water pipe in which fruit-flavoured tobacco is covered with foil and roasted with charcoal. The tobacco smoke passes through a water chamber and is inhaled deeply and slowly; the fruit-flavoured tobacco tastes smooth and smells sweet, enthusiasts say, making it a pleasant and thrilling experience.

As shisha is gaining traction among the youth in Lusaka, its origins of which is disputed (some say India, while others point its roots from Turkey) is slowly decimating Zambia’s future leaders.

While some people are drawn to it for being ‘cool’ with patrons flocking to shisha parlours, experts warn that the smoke exposes someone to the highly addictive chemical including nicotine, tar, carbon monoxide and heavy metals such as arsenic and lead.

“I prefer shisha to cigarettes because I believe that the risk of tobacco is reduced since it is purified as it passes through the water,” Janet stated as her friend Melvin added, “Yeah, smoking shisha is the coolest experience one can ever have and not a health hazard as compared to dry tobacco.” 

However, the World Health Organisation (WHO) insists that shisha increases the risk of developing heart and circulatory diseases as the smoke produced contains high levels of toxic compounds including carbon monoxide, heavy metals and cancerous causing chemicals hence the shisha smoke is associated with risks of diseases such as cancer, heart and lung complications.

While most Zambian pubs are making a fortune from shisha sales which cost K120 ($6) per session, some countries such as Tanzania and Rwanda have since banned the piped tobacco within their territories.

Just like Shisha, a few minutes away from Lusaka town, is Chibolya - the most feared slum in the city where even the police or other law enforcers do not dare to tread. The notorious township is renowned as the hub for drug trafficking including the abuse of tobacco.

Trekking her way back home into the slum, Lucy Mutale walks through a bumpy track giving way to lined-up shacks covered in plastic and outside one hut, four 20-year-old boys share a joint as the smell of cannabis drifts through the township.

For Lucy, an urgent need to smoke at certain times of the day, morning or night is what she battles with daily. 

“I try to control it but it is difficult,” says Lucy who started smoking in grade eight, and by the time she was 18 years old, she smoked every day. Over time, smoking crept into every corner of her life due to addiction.

Recently, while in college and still smoking a pack of cigarettes a day - Lucy learned she was pregnant. She tried to quit, but realised that doing so only made things worse. 

Sadly, her baby was born two months early, which is a danger for all pregnant women who smoke. Her tiny baby girl spent weeks in an incubator at the University Teaching Hospital (UTH). 

“I knew that smoking was bad and I almost lost my child but I didn’t think I would have a premature baby,” Lucy lamented. 

Health experts say that every six seconds someone dies from tobacco as half of current tobacco users will eventually die from a disease associated with its use as it is the only product in the world that kills nearly 6 million people every year.

The WHO recently stressed that if current trends continue, tobacco will kill nearly 8 million people every year throughout the period leading to 2030 since most tobacco-related deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries. 

In this context, health pundits are of the view that unless counter measures are taken, tobacco will kill more than 1 billion people in the 21st century.

In Zambia, over 7,100 people die each year and 60 percent of deaths are of people under 70 years,  according to Centre for Trade Policy and Development (CTPD) research on Tobacco.

As the tobacco industry sells 6 trillion cigarettes every year, with revenues estimated to a tune of $614 billion in 2009, tobacco companies are unrelenting in their efforts to counter and undermine tobacco control initiatives and activities.

In response to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, tobacco companies have altered their tactics by strengthening the cooperation network they have established with their allies through innovatively communicating with the media, building a network with decision-makers, and creating links with key statutory institutions.

For this reason, relevant stakeholders including Nongovernmental organisations and health care institutions need to work hand-in-hand with governments to counter tactics of tobacco multinationals aimed at undermining the implementation of the WHO’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control in a bid to curtail the increase in tobacco consumption among the youth in Zambia.

“Government should adopt appropriate laws and measures to ban tobacco advertising, increase taxes on tobacco products and ban smoking in public places are the only ways to counter the tobacco epidemic,” said Thomas Kalaba, a second year public health student at Apex University.

Arguably, tobacco is a major problem in Zambia which affects nearly 140 lives every week, according to health statistics. The southern African country is a major tobacco producer and has ratified the WHO’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control and has some tobacco control measures in place.

Centre for Primary Healthcare communications officer Paxina Phiri said that the more the Government drags the process for enacting the Tobacco Bill into law, the more lives will be lost and the higher health expenses will be.

Phiri lamented that despite efforts to engage the Government as to why the draft Tobacco Bill has stalled at the Ministry of Justice, no response has been given which she said raised speculation.

“As Civil society, on 17th July this year, we sent a letter requesting the Minister of Justice to explain why the draft Tobacco Control Bill has been delayed for over four months. However, to date, there is no response. So we don’t know why there is this delay but one thing for sure is that the more the Government sits on the Bill, the more people are dying and the more health expenses,” Phiri explained.

Zambia Tobacco Control Consortium (ZTCC) Vice President Webby Mwamulela reiterated that passive smoking is more harmful than first hand smoke.

And Ministry of Health Acting Chief Non-communicable Disease Officer  Enerst Kakoma said that Tobacco has remained a global agent of death as its use causes over 40 diseases, many of them fatal.

“Combustible tobacco products other than cigarettes are also associated with the same sort of chronic disease outcomes associated with cigarette smoking, such as cancer and cardiovascular disease,” Kakoma explained.

As one of the key measures to counter tactics by tobacco multinationals, CTPD programs Coordinator Natalie Kaunda noted that the commodity’s taxation is still very low hence the need to look at ways of increasing tax because when tobacco tax rates go up, tax revenue also increases which could help in economic transformation.

“The Government should significantly increase tobacco taxes from the current 37.3% of retail price to the WHO recommendation of 75% of retail price. In an effort to grow the economy, it is critical that opportunities in key economic sectors such as the agriculture sector are all identified and maximised with the view to generate more income,” Kaunda insisted.