News Digest - Thursday, August 21st, 2025

Zambia reaffirms its commitment to reproductive health funding with significant financial allocations, while sports headlines feature national team selections and disciplinary actions in football leagues. Concurrently, economic debates surface regarding fiscal ratings, and developments unfold in high-profile legal cases involving taxation and alleged murder.

Main Stories

1. Zambia Disburses $11.4 Million for Reproductive Health Commodities
   The government has disbursed over USD 11.4 million from the national treasury since signing a February 2023 Memorandum of Understanding with UNFPA to boost local funding for sexual and reproductive health commodities. This includes USD 4.3 million allocated for procurement in 2025 through the UNFPA system.
2. Hazel Nali Returns in ZESCO Ndola Girls Squad for CAF Qualifiers
   Copper Queens goalkeeper Hazel Nali has been named in ZESCO Ndola Girls' 25-member squad for the 2025 CAF Women’s Champions League COSAFA Qualifiers in South Africa after recovering from a year-long injury. She will compete for the starting position with Annie Namonje and Leticia Lungu.
3. ZPL Sanctions Zesco United for Fielding Ineligible Players
   Zesco United has been sanctioned by the Zambian Premier League with a 3-0 forfeiture loss to Konkola Blades and a K10,000 fine for fielding ineligible players during their August 16, 2025 match at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium. The sanction references breaches of the FAZ Disciplinary Code.
4. Police Confirm Four Suspects in Enock Simfukwe's Killing
   Police in Central Province have confirmed four people are in connection with the death of 22-year-old Enock Simfukwe, who died on August 17 from blunt force trauma and head injuries. Simfukwe was buried at Lusaka’s Chingwere Cemetery on August 21, 2025.
5. Supreme Court Orders Nestlé Zambia to Pay K13.8 Million in Taxes
   The Supreme Court ruled in favour of ZRA, ordering Nestlé Zambia to pay K13.8 million in taxes following a transfer pricing audit covering 2010-2014. The ruling overturns a previous Tax Appeals Tribunal decision that had favoured Nestlé on five out of six grounds.
6. President Hichilema Appoints New Deputy Air Force Commander
   President Hakainde Hichilema has appointed Brigadier General Henry Chiwaya as the new Deputy Air Force Commander, promoting him to Major General. This follows the redeployment of outgoing Deputy Commander Major General Arthur Kalaluka into the diplomatic service.

Other Notable Stories

• Sports & Events: The betting company 1xBet is hosting viewings of the African Nations Championship at Buffalo Park in Lusaka starting August 22, offering prizes like sunglasses, bar vouchers, a TV set, and a smartphone for attendees who deposit or bet at least 100 ZMW.
• Sports & Events: MMA Zambia announced its national team for the 2025 IMMAF World Championships in Tbilisi, Georgia (September 27 - October 2), including Women’s Flyweight athlete Miracle Chipito, following Zambia's performance at the 2025 Africa Championships.
• Governance & Justice: The Zambia Civil Liberties Union (ZCLU) demanded the arrest of all individuals involved in the torture and murder of Enock Simfukwe at a farm owned by Maria Zaloumis and Nathaniel Chinyeremi Barthram, criticizing the police response.
• Economy: EAZ National Secretary Dr. Nicholus Mainza stated that former EAZ president Dr. Lubinda Haabazoka's rating of President Hichilema's fiscal performance as nine out of ten is "over-ambitious and overrated," citing gaps in social expenditure prioritization.
• Infrastructure & Utilities: The Lusaka Water Supply and Sanitation Company (LWSC) has developed a Water Supply Investment Master Plan and a Sanitation Master Plan targeting 100% service coverage in Lusaka Province by 2035 to address water challenges.
• International Relations: Vice President Mutale Nalumango urged Japanese investors to explore opportunities in Zambia's mining, energy, health, and agriculture sectors during a bilateral meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba at TICAD 9 in Yokohama, marking 60 years of diplomatic ties.
• Governance & Justice: Lusaka magistrate Amy Chilangwa sentenced EFF president Kasonde Mwenda and and 13 others to three months' simple imprisonment, suspended for three months, for unlawful assembly during a March 10, 2023 protest at the Lusaka civic centre.

Key Takeaways & Watchpoints

• Monitor implementation of Zambia's USD 11.4 million domestic funding for reproductive health commodities procurement via UNFPA.
• Track police investigations and legal proceedings regarding the four suspects named in the Enock Simfukwe murder case.
• Observe the impact of the Supreme Court's Nestlé Zambia tax ruling (K13.8 million) on other corporate transfer pricing audits.