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.

Zambia leverage Hitech in agriculture

By Derrick Silimina

Zambia National Farmers Union (ZNFU) wants to improve agricultural yields for farmers and puts special emphasis on leveraging technology. Therefore, it organized an agricultural exhibition.

The Union’s president, Jervis Zimba, believes that Zambia can leverage its vast natural resources to provide employment opportunities. With the expansion of agricultural-value chains, predominant unemployment amongst the youth and women will be a thing of the past, he hopes. 

ZNFU organized an event called “The 2023 AgriTech Expo” in Chisamba district, together with a civil-society group, DLG Agriculture.

“AgriTech Expo aspires to connect all farmers in different parts of Zambia to deepen economic integration and to boost trade and investment in the agricultural sector – not only in the country but also to serve the export markets in the region and beyond,” Zimba said. 

The ZNFU’s flagship event is certainly one of the largest agricultural trade fairs in sub-Saharan Africa which is a meeting point for practitioners in plant and livestock production.

“We believe that by promoting trade amongst African countries, we are strengthening the continent’s industrial base and ensuring that we produce goods for ourselves and each other,” the farmers Union leader stated.

The activity showcased live demos of the latest kit to crop plots profiling developments in agronomy, and had workshops and seminars, among other events. It proved to be an important event in Zambia’s agricultural calendar, offering networking and learning opportunities for agriculturalists.

Technologically advanced farming tools are crucial because farmers are increasingly looking at sustainable production systems that ensure a fair economic return on their enterprises while at the same time, looking after and enhancing the environment.

Among the state-of-the-art precision agriculture apparatus showcased at the just-ended event were smart agricultural spraying drones from various leading local and international firms. Sunagri Investment Zambia Limited – a local drone-technology firm incorporated in 2017 demonstrated how gadgets in the agriculture sector have evolved over the years in enhancing farmers’ productivity.

“Over the five years of our operations in Zambia, we have grown our drone capacity from accommodating four litres of pesticides covering one acre of land to the latest drones with 40 litres capacity with the capacity to spray five to six hectares,” the company director, Frazer Zhang said. 

Other firms that showcased their equipment were Tata Zambia’s John Deere tractors which have been in Zambia for over 20 years and have worked with subsistence and commercial farmers and large corporations. 

In the seed agribusiness, Syngenta was present to showcase its crop solutions. “Our technologies enable millions of farmers around the world to make better use of limited agricultural resources. Through partnerships, collaboration and a good growth plan, we are committed to improving farm productivity, rescuing land from degradation, enhancing biodiversity and revitalizing rural communities,” Syngenta Zambia managing director and Southern African head, Given Mudenda, said.

Lackson Mweemba, a small-scale farmer who travelled from Choma in Southern province to attend the event said: “I am excited to see the latest agricultural gadgets on display here. This experience has reawakened my passion to go into agribusiness full time.”

Zambia’s mining safety record raise alarm bells

By Derrick Silimina

The mining industry’s safety record has raised alarm bells, with 12 fatalities and 14 perilous accidents reported by the Ministry of Mines by June. 

Paul Kabuswe, the Mines and Minerals Development Minister, voiced deep concern over the surge in accidents compared to the previous year. 

He issued a stern call to stakeholders and mine operators, stressing the urgency of prioritizing worker safety and adhering unwaveringly to mine safety protocols.

Kabuswe highlighted the role of the mining sector, represented by the chamber, in setting an industry-wide example that instills confidence in safe mining practices.

Speaking at the 16th Intercompany Mining First-Aid Competition in Kalumbila District, Kabuswe commended participants for their remarkable first aid skills and stressed the intrinsic link between a secure workplace and healthier, more productive employees. 

He underscored the broader impacts, including contributions to sustainable development and a favorable industry reputation. He reiterated his message from the previous year, asserting, "Occupational health and safety is not negotiable! We all have a responsibility to guarantee the safety and health of our workforce.

FQM Trident Mining Limited was lauded for hosting the event, under the theme Learn First Aid You Never Know When You Need It. 

Chamber of Mines President Godwin Beene echoed Kabuswe’s concerns, emphasizing that non-affiliated mining operations were responsible for the majority of fatalities. 

Beene urged the Ministry of Mines to engage these companies with the Chamber of Mines, providing access to vital safety programs.

The 2023 Intercompany Mining First-Aid Competition showcased over 20 teams, with Lubambe Copper Mine Support Services securing the top position with an impressive 76.93%. KCM Geology followed closely in second place with 75.75%. Teams from Mopani Copper Mine and KCM Nchanga mine secured third and fourth places, respectively.

Chamber of Mines President Beene’s call for collaboration echoed, as he urged the integration of non-affiliated mining operations into safety initiatives. 

The competition celebrated the dedication of high-performing teams to safety and emergency response. 

Kabuswe’s message resonated throughout – ensuring safety is a collective responsibility that leads to a healthier workforce, increased productivity, and a more resilient industry.

Invisible hand in drug shortages

By Derrick Silimina

In public health facilities in Zambia, there is an ongoing drug shortage and patients fear not getting vital medicine.

The country’s national drug stock levels currently stand at 53.1 %, way below the World Health Organization’s stipulated minimum threshold of 70 % to 80 %, according to the Zambia Medicines and Medical Supplies Agency (ZAMMSA).

“The ongoing shortage of medicine in all government health facilities is worrying. As a diabetic, I take injectable insulin regularly. When I go to the public facility, I am told they have run out and must opt for the expensive private drug stores,” Sarah Tembo, a Lusaka resident, says.

In many of these health facilities, several essential and life-saving medicines are in short supply. These include painkillers such as paracetamol, nifedipine for hypertensive patients and insulin used by diabetics. Health care workers in these facilities are helpless and cannot offer the needed care without the required drugs.

Critics have blamed corruption and embezzlement for the current drug shortage. As the drug and medicines supply chain continues to be a big business globally, some local pharmaceutical experts have hinted at the practice by individuals in the procurement and supply chain departments in public health facilities to steal medicines and sell them on the black market.

“There’s a very big cartel in the procurement and supply of medicines. The government has been procuring quite alright, but there’s an invisible hand, which is reselling drugs using government resources and that powerful syndicate went to an extent of bringing in expired drugs in the country,” Peter Makayi, a pharmaceutical expert, says.

Some stakeholders are calling on the government to declare a “State of Emergency” in the wake of this ongoing crisis. They argue that this will allow the invocation of disaster management procedures and accord the issue the much-needed attention it deserves.

The government is however hesitant to take up the recommendation. They have instead announced that they have procured enough essential medicines for health facilities to address the nationwide shortage of drugs.

Mutale Nalumango, Zambia’s vice president, acknowledges that the country faces the challenge of lack of essential drugs countrywide. She believes that part of the problem is the messy supply chain in the pharmaceutical industry which costs the state a lot of money. She also expresses frustration with unscrupulous individuals who steal drugs meant for public facilities. “When there is a middleman, there are challenges. My appeal is that we do away with most of these intermediaries,” she suggests.