News Digest - Thursday, December 18th, 2025

A significant day for our constitutional development as President Hichilema assents to Bill No. 7, while key agencies demonstrate progress with ZEMA clearing project backlogs and ZRA intercepting a major smuggling operation, collectively impacting governance, economic growth, and national revenue.

Main Stories

1. President Hichilema Assents Constitution Amendment Bill No. 7, Calls for National Unity
   President Hakainde Hichilema formally signed the Constitution of Zambia (Amendment) Bill No. 7 of 2025 into law, urging all Zambians to unite and focus on national development beyond political differences. He emphasized the reforms benefit current and future generations, announced the creation of new constituencies, and stressed the immediate priority of economic growth to create jobs and fund social support programmes like the Social Cash Transfer.
2. ZEMA Clears Development Project Backlog, Approves 321 Projects
   Following the appointment of its 6th Board of Directors, the Zambia Environmental Management Agency (ZEMA) cleared a three-month backlog, approving 321 out of 325 pending Environmental Impact Assessment reports for crucial development projects. The approvals include 898MW of solar power across ten districts, rehabilitation of the TAZARA line from Kapiri Mposhi to Nakonde, construction of 148 telecom towers nationwide, and three dams in Eastern Province, significantly unblocking investments in mining, energy, infrastructure, and manufacturing.

Other Notable Stories

• Finance & Trade: The Zambia Revenue Authority seized six trucks at the Kafue checkpoint carrying over 13,000 cases of smuggled alcoholic beverages, including 11,442 cases of Spirit Coolers and 2,290 cases of assorted whiskies, preventing an estimated K4.4 million revenue loss due to offences like undervaluation and misclassification; importers are urged to make accurate declarations.

Key Takeaways & Watchpoints

• Implementation of the newly enacted constitutional amendments, including the creation of new constituencies, begins.
• ZEMA's commitment to reviewing future project EIAs within statutory timeframes to maintain development momentum.
• Continued enforcement actions by ZRA against smuggling and trade fraud to protect national revenue.