News Digest - Monday, January 19th, 2026

Today's developments highlight our nation's progress in youth skills development, economic stability for farmers, and strengthened governance frameworks, alongside crucial justice system updates that impact daily life across Zambia.

Main Stories

1. Choppies-UNZA Partnership for Future Managers
   Choppies Zambia signed an MoU with the University of Zambia (UNZA) to train graduates for managerial roles, aligning with government priorities on job creation and youth empowerment. Minister Elvis Nkandu emphasized this initiative supports our national drive for youth readiness in employment, entrepreneurship, and leadership.
2. K175 Million Disbursed to Mumbwa Farmers
   Government has paid K175 million to 22,000 maize farmers in Mumbwa District who supplied grain to the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) during the 2025 season, part of a commitment to end payment delays. Farmers like Gift Chishinga expressed relief, reinforcing the importance of timely payments for our agricultural backbone and national food security.
3. Act 13 Enhances Governance Stability and Inclusion
   President Hichilema's assent to Act 13 ensures continuity for the Attorney-General and Solicitor-General during political transitions and introduces proportional representation to boost participation of women, youth, and marginalized groups. Governance experts like Mutale Chilufya note this strengthens institutional stability and investor confidence, vital for our economic growth.
4. New Occupational Safety Law Enacted
   President Hichilema assented to the Occupational Health and Safety Act (Number 16 of 2025), extending worker protections beyond mining to all sectors and mandating workplace safety committees. This law addresses a decades-old gap, ensuring safer conditions for Zambia’s workforce and shared employer-employee responsibility in hazard prevention.

Other Notable Stories

• Governance & Justice:
  • Matero MP Miles Sampa formally apologized to the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) for falsely claiming it established a "fake" polling station during the Chawama by-election, acknowledging he was misled by informants.
  • Zambia’s Forensic DNA Laboratory reported that 48 out of 123 paternity tests in 2025 excluded the alleged fathers—a sobering reminder about the importance of trust in family foundations, while underscoring the lab’s role in resolving civil disputes alongside its primary focus on criminal cases like sexual offences.
• Public Safety & Justice:
  • Police are investigating the disappearance of an infant transferred from Kanyama Hospital to UTH on December 31, 2025; parents disputed a body shown to them, prompting an ongoing probe and planned autopsy.
  • A Chililabombwe man, Brian Zulu, was arrested for allegedly stabbing his brother Mumba Zulu to death following a long-standing feud, as confirmed by Copperbelt Police Commanding Officer Mwala Yuyi.
  • Security guard Ezekiel Mafuta, 27, was committed to the Lusaka High Court for trial on two counts of aggravated robbery involving K20 thefts from two victims while armed with a pistol.

Key Takeaways & Watchpoints

1. Monitor the rollout of the Occupational Health and Safety Act, particularly the establishment of workplace committees, to ensure enhanced protection for workers across all sectors.
2. Track the implementation of proportional representation under Act 13 for its impact on diversifying representation in governance and decision-making bodies.
3. Observe the continued disbursement of payments to remaining farmers by the FRA, crucial for sustaining agricultural productivity and rural economic stability.