🇿🇲 BRIEFING | Kalaba Criticises 24-Hour Economy Plan as Online Backlash Mounts
Opposition leader Harry Kalaba has sharply criticised the government’s newly announced 24-hour economy policy, arguing that Zambia lacks the economic activity required to sustain round-the-clock commercial operations.
The criticism follows Cabinet’s approval of the policy earlier this week, which proposes allowing businesses, markets and transport hubs to operate throughout the day and night as part of broader efforts to stimulate economic growth and job creation.
In a post shared on social media, Kalaba dismissed the proposal in blunt terms.
“You can’t open an economy for 24 hours when there is no economy to talk about. Where the economy operates 24 hours, there is activity in that economy and people have money to spend. None of these exist.”
The remarks quickly triggered a wave of reactions online, with many social media users pushing back against the former foreign affairs minister’s position.
Several commentators argued that the policy is intended precisely to expand economic activity rather than wait for it to emerge on its own, noting that extended trading hours could create opportunities for small businesses, transport operators and informal traders.
Others pointed out that in many cities across Africa and beyond, informal economies already function late into the night, suggesting that government’s move could simply formalise practices that already exist in markets, bus stations and urban trading centres.
The debate reflects a broader national discussion about whether Zambia has the infrastructure, security and consumer demand necessary to support a fully functioning night-time economy.
Supporters of the policy say a structured 24-hour system could spread economic activity across longer operating hours, create new work shifts and improve service delivery in sectors such as retail, logistics and transport.
Critics, however, have raised concerns about issues such as security, electricity supply and consumer purchasing power, arguing that these factors will ultimately determine whether the policy succeeds.
For now, the government has yet to release detailed implementation guidelines, leaving questions about how and when businesses will transition into round-the-clock operations.
What is clear is that the proposal has already ignited a lively political and public debate, with the country weighing whether the concept represents a bold economic reform or a policy whose success will depend heavily on Zambia’s underlying economic realities.
© The People’s Brief | Francine Lilu
His always confused