News Digest - Monday, May 11th, 2026

Our nation continues to witness tangible progress through Constituency Development Fund projects delivering health, education and energy infrastructure from Luapula to Eastern Province, while Government has launched a transformative National Education Policy 2025 to reshape learning for future generations. At the same time, authorities are tightening accountability through enforcement actions on tax compliance and warnings against financial mismanagement in local councils. These developments reflect a period of accelerated service delivery and institutional reform that touches the daily lives of Zambians in both rural and urban communities.

Main Stories

1. Government Launches National Education Policy 2025
   Education Minister Douglas Syakalima has officially launched the National Education Policy 2025, replacing the 1996 framework with the first comprehensive review in nearly three decades, and introduced Competence-Based Assessment tools designed to build critical thinking and digital literacy in our learners. The Ministry has secured over 500 million Kwacha to support the school feeding programme across all districts, ensuring no child is left behind as we strengthen the foundation of our human capital.

2. MPs Warn Over Persistent Financial Mismanagement in Local Councils
   Chairperson of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Local Governance, Twaambo Mutinta, has presented a report to the National Assembly highlighting continued weaknesses in financial management, procurement, project implementation and revenue collection in local authorities across our nation. These irregularities directly undermine the efficient delivery of services to our communities and demand urgent corrective action to protect the public resources entrusted to our councils.

3. UPND Administration Reaffirms Zero-Tolerance Stance on Corruption
   Chief Government Spokesperson Cornelius Mweetwa has reaffirmed that the UPND administration remains committed to fighting corruption, noting that President Hakainde Hichilema has repeatedly warned cabinet ministers and public officials against misuse of public resources while allowing investigative bodies to operate without State House interference. Mweetwa cited the establishment of the Financial Crimes Court as a key reform to fast-track justice, even as he acknowledged that findings from the ZAMMSA forensic audit and CDF contract weaknesses contributed to Zambia’s recent decline on the Corruption Perceptions Index.

4. ZRA Prepares to Prosecute Seven Taxpayers for Smart Invoice Non-Compliance
   The Zambia Revenue Authority is set to prosecute seven taxpayers for willfully failing to comply with Smart Invoicing requirements, part of an intensified enforcement programme that has already seen more than 44,110 businesses register for the system. Under the Value Added Tax Act, offenders face fines of up to K120,000, imprisonment of up to three years, or both, a clear signal that fair tax compliance remains essential for funding the development we all aspire to achieve.

5. Government Hands Over K11 Million in CDF Health and Education Infrastructure in Mansa Central
   Luapula Province Deputy Permanent Secretary Evans Sikhabubba has officially commissioned CDF projects worth over K11 million in Mansa Central Constituency, including the Mabumba maternity annex, a 1×3 classroom block at Namwandwe Secondary School, a staff house at Mupofwe Rural Health Post, a laboratory and ablution block at Mibenge Secondary School, and Kalyongo Health Post. These facilities bring essential health and education services closer to our people in Luapula, showing how decentralised resources can translate directly into lives saved and futures built.

6. CDF-Funded Water System Restores Dignity and School Attendance for Girls in Chama
   A newly installed water reticulation system at Kasangani Primary School in Chama District, funded with K297,095 from the 2024 Constituency Development Fund, has significantly reduced absenteeism among girls by improving menstrual hygiene management. Senior teacher Karen Nalungwe explained that the school had previously shared a single borehole with the surrounding community, and this intervention ensures our girls can remain in class with the health and dignity every young Zambian deserves.

7. K8.5 Million CDF Electrification Project Powers Rural Growth in Eastern Province
   A CDF-funded electrification project valued at K8.5 million has been launched in Kaphinde and Kazimule areas of Luangeni Constituency, connecting schools, health facilities, trading centres and surrounding villages to the national grid. This expansion of energy access lights the path for rural businesses and safer health services, proving that no corner of our nation should be left in the dark as we pursue inclusive development.

8. Lusaka City Council Disburses K2.7 Million to 142 Cooperatives in Chawama
   The Lusaka City Council has disbursed grants worth K2,771,404.72 to 142 cooperatives and community groups in Chawama Constituency under the CDF empowerment programme, with beneficiaries pledging to use the funds responsibly. This direct investment in grassroots enterprise strengthens our local economies and demonstrates how decentralised funding can turn collective ambition into sustainable livelihoods for hundreds of families in our capital.

9. Lusaka City Council Recovers Over K682,000 in CDF Loans for Kanyama Revolving Fund
   The Lusaka City Council has recovered K682,229.62 from CDF loan beneficiaries in Kanyama Constituency between 2022 and 2025, funds that will now be revolved across all six wards to ensure equitable and inclusive development. This recovery demonstrates that when we enforce accountability at the local level, we protect the resources meant to uplift our communities and ensure they continue working for the people.

Other Notable Stories

Local Government & Rural Development:

• Minister of Local Government and Rural Development Gift Sialubalo has called on councils nationwide to fully utilise the Constituency Development Fund to improve service delivery, emphasising that prudent use of these resources remains key to raising living standards in every constituency.
• Lundazi PF MP Brenda Nyirenda has officially moved into a newly built constituency office constructed at a cost of K1.45 million under the 2024 CDF, with an additional K550,000 from the 2025 allocation used to complete external works and furnish the facility.
• Eastern Province Minister Peter Phiri has expressed satisfaction with the quality of CDF-funded community projects in Lumezi District and urged local authorities to safeguard taxpayers’ money by ensuring durability and high construction standards.
• Local Government and Rural Development Minister Gift Sialubalo has commissioned the newly constructed Manyama Bus Station in Kalumbila District, built at a cost of K6.8 million, as a demonstration of Government’s commitment to improving public infrastructure and service delivery.

Business & Empowerment:

• Seventeen members of a cooperative in Mpika have used a K40,000 CDF grant received in 2022 to open Pharaz Bakery, purchasing a mixer for K18,000 and a double oven for K19,500 to produce over 40 loaves of bread each day for the supportive community of Kamwanya. It seems the only thing rising faster than their dough is the community’s belief in what Zambian women can achieve when given the right support.

Health & Social Services:

• The National Health Insurance Management Authority has reassured members that healthcare access will continue without disruption, confirming it currently works with over 400 accredited providers and is engaging private facilities in Lusaka that had been limiting the number of NHIMA patients attended to each day.
• Ministry of Youth, Sport and Arts Principal Nicholas Goma has called for increased investment in young people, describing Zambia’s youth as a vital national asset whose active participation across all sectors is central to our development agenda.

Justice & Public Safety:

• Eastern Province Police Commanding Officer Robertson Mweemba has raised alarm over more than 200 defilement cases recorded in the province between January and April this year, describing the trend as deeply concerning for our communities.
• Former Catholic priest Simon Tembo, aged 42, has denied stealing a Toyota Hilux valued at K700,000 belonging to Chipata Diocese, appearing before the Petauke Magistrate’s Court in the Ukwimi area of Lusangazi District.
• In the murder trial of former IBA Director General Guntilla Muleya, defence lawyers have objected to the admission of CCTV footage before the Lusaka High Court, questioning the qualifications of digital analyst Nyambe Muyunda to testify on the contents; Judge Vincent Siloka has adjourned the matter to May 12, 2026.

Key Takeaways & Watchpoints

• The successful implementation of the National Education Policy 2025 and the K500 million school feeding programme will depend on coordinated distribution of resources across all districts in the coming academic year.
• ZRA’s enforcement actions on Smart Invoice compliance and the Parliamentary Select Committee’s findings on council mismanagement set the stage for stricter fiscal oversight in both central and local government operations.
• Ongoing CDF investments in health posts, classrooms and rural electrification projects nationwide will require continued quality monitoring to guarantee long-term value for the communities they serve.