News Digest - Wednesday, August 13th, 2025

Zambia faces a tragic mining death and fatal road accidents while grappling with governance matters including the Lungu burial appeal and maize export approvals. Economic developments feature the BoZ policy rate decision and new banknotes, alongside progress on a national rehabilitation centre.

Main Stories

1. Man dies at illegal gold mine
   Herbert Kafunya, 24, died on August 11, 2025, at Kapindu illegal gold mine in Nyimba District after being hit by an excavator operated by Stansilas Matipa of Sony Drilling and Exploration Company. He was drilling a borehole for Kwaisu Chinese Gold Mining Company and was pronounced dead at a nearby clinic; his body is at Nyimba Hospital mortuary.
2. Chikanta annuls 7 teen marriages
   Chief Chikanta dissolved seven marriages involving teenagers aged 14-17 in his chiefdom over the last six months. The chiefdom is enforcing the re-entry policy to return girls to school and providing counselling to parents and children.
3. Lungu burial appeal set for Friday
   South Africa’s High Court scheduled a hearing for this Friday regarding the appeal by the family of late former President Edgar Lungu against the court's judgment on his burial.
4. Illegal shave earns woman 5yrs in jail
   A 23-year-old Lusaka businesswoman received a five-year prison sentence for illegally shaving the head of a six-year-old boy using a razor blade after promising him sweets.
5. Maamba pledges speedy works
   Maamba Energy Limited CEO Cyrus Minwalla announced staggered maintenance for its 300MW plant, with the first unit shutting down from August 17-31, 2025, and the second from September 7-21, 2025, to ensure consistent power supply.
6. Govt in K91m ZCCM-IH dividend payout
   ZCCM-Investment Holdings paid a K91 million dividend to the government after making a K40 billion profit in 2024, marking its tenth consecutive annual dividend. Finance Minister Situmbeko Musokotwane commended ZCCM-IH for dismantling the US$1.7 billion Mopani-Glencore debt.
7. K250 million rehab centre coming
   The government is investing K250 million in a national drug rehabilitation and skills development centre in Lusaka. The Drug Enforcement Commission is tasked with establishing the centre, which aims to address addiction's impact on families and the labour market.
8. Cabinet approves 501,620MT of maize export
   Cabinet approved the export of 501,620.61 metric tonnes of surplus maize grain or its equivalent in mealie meal to regional destinations. This includes 63,883.61 MT of maize grain (partly early maize) and 350,189.6 MT of mealie meal, while ensuring national food security.
9. BoZ maintains policy rate at 14.5%
   The Bank of Zambia's Monetary Policy Committee kept the rate at 14.5%, noting inflation declined to 13.0% in July but remains above the 6-8% target. Inflation is projected to average 13.3% in 2025 and enter the target band in Q1 2026.
10. New K100, K50 banknotes to be released next month
    The Bank of Zambia will release new K100 and K50 banknotes in September 2025. The old notes will be withdrawn starting September 1, 2025, and BoZ has launched an educational app called "Zambian Banknotes" to help the public identify security features.
11. Zambia fined K115,000 by CAF
    The Confederation of African Football fined the Football Association of Zambia USD 5,000 (approx. K115,000) after coach Avram Grant missed a mandatory pre-match press conference at the African Nations Championship in Kenya.
12. Cabinet declares Wonderful Group Land in Chilanga as Industrial Park
    Cabinet approved designating part of Wonderful Group of Companies' land in Chilanga as an Industrial Park. The project is expected to attract US$2.45 billion investment, create 9,650 jobs, and include an 85MW thermal power plant (45MW to the national grid).
13. Two babies among seven dead in Mutanda–Solwezi Road accident
    Seven people, including a four-month-old and a two-month-old baby, died in a multi-vehicle crash on the Mutanda-Solwezi road on August 11. Five others sustained serious injuries when a Toyota Noah collided with a stationary truck and then an oncoming truck.

Other Notable Stories

• Governance & Justice:
  • Police in Chipata arrested a 32-year-old Petauke man for possessing K19,200 in counterfeit notes.
  • The Ministry of Health appointed Jane Chisanga Banda as Interim Acting Director General of ZAMMSA.
  • MMD leader Nevers Mumba stated President Hichilema's push for Lungu's burial in Zambia stems from duty, not personal obsession, condemning UPND cadres for demeaning the remains.
  • Muchinga Province Minister Njavwa Simutowe denied demeaning Lungu's remains, stating he was merely happy about the repatriation ruling.
• Economy & Finance:
  • Economist Dr. Trevor Hambayi criticized UPND's social spending, likening it to PF's infrastructure spending as wasteful and unproductive, claiming Zambia is poorer than 20 years ago.
• Social Issues:
  • The Pharmaceutical Society of Zambia president Keegan Mwape called for a technical committee to probe the justification for ZAMMSA disposing of expired medicines worth K129 million.
  • Zambia Medical Association president Dr. Kaumba Tolopu urged ZAMMSA to develop mechanisms to monitor drug shelf life to avoid wastage like the K129 million loss.

Key Takeaways & Watchpoints

• Maize exports totalling 501,620 metric tonnes approved by Cabinet to regional markets.
• Bank of Zambia maintains Monetary Policy Rate at 14.5% amidst declining but still above-target inflation.
• New K50 and K100 banknotes scheduled for release and commencement of old note withdrawal from September 1, 2025.