By Kellys Kaunda

UPND GOVT ELATED OVER 5.2 BILLION DOLLARS IN FOREIGN RESERVES – WHAT HAS THAT TO DO WITH THE MAJORITY POOR?

A lot actually. Every single individual in Zambia is a beneficiary of foreign reserves.

Every item used or consumed every day is affected by foreign reserves.

The cloths on your back, the vehicle transporting you, the road on which you are traveling, the fuel in the vehicle, the drink in your favorite club, the drugs in the hospital, the materials your house is made out of, the school fees you are paying a foreign country, etc, etc, all demand foreign currency.

Being heavily reliant on imports, Zambia needs huge amounts of foreign currency.

This is one among other reasons you need foreign reserves.

This account is indispensable to the survival of this country and its economy.

Mess it up, and life as we know it will suddenly turn into hell.

Our neighbors in Zimbabwe experienced this. We did during the final years of the UNIP era.

The next question is: where is this money coming from?

Well, we export copper, precious stones, electricity, maize, etc.

We also borrow in dollars, receive development funds from the ADB, the World Bank, the IMF, donor countries, etc.

How sustainable is the foreign reserves account?

It would be fragile if the source is largely the borrowed funds.

The good news though is that copper production is on the increase and so are receipts thereof.

We are also building gold reserves which should provide a sense of comfort.

Now, be that as it may, foreign reserves are but just one of the aspects of this country’s economic story.

The rate at which this country’s economy continues to grow is way too slow to catch up with the pace at which other pressing problems are growing.

For instance, the rate of growth in employment opportunities is nothing in comparison with the rate at which unemployment continues to grow.

The same can be said about growth in other sectors such as infrastructure.

The needs far outweigh the pace of growth in this sector.

This is why development in Zambia is largely seen on television than felt in one’s life.

This is why in Zambia government has to invest in massive public relations strategies just so that somebody somewhere gets to know that something is happening.

Whatever public goods and services government is producing currently, important though they may be, are too few and far between to make any serious dent in the country’s poverty levels.

UNWANTED MESSAGES IS TRESPASS – COURT

A banker worked at NATSAVE as Treasury Manager. The bank used his personal phone number to register for bank account with another bank – Indo Zambia Bank. So, all the messages from the bank were being sent to this number of the employee. However, in 2023, his contract of employment came to an end and left the bank.  He also notified the bank to remove his phone number from the signatory and authorisation with Indo Bank.

Months passed but continued receiving messages from the bank. He wrote the bank complaining that the unwanted messages to his phone were affecting him and requested that the bank change the credentials. The bank did not remove him.

He then sued  NATSAVE in Lusaka High Court for trespass on his phone and demanded K1.5 million as compensation. The bank did not call any witnesses but raised a point of law. Is there trespass on the phone via messages? The bank argued that trespass can only be on land or chattels, which do not involve messages on the phone.

The Court heard both arguments and noted that this case was novel and unique in that trespass has customarily involved land in most cases.

“It is clear that in a matter involving a well founded claim would not fail merely on account that there was no physical interference or control of the physical asset or damage done to it by the tortfeasor,” the Judge noted.

“In this present case, I find the Plaintiffs claim for trespass contextually tenable. The claim for damages for trespass to the Plaintiff phone succeeds,” the Court ruled.

The Judge, however, ordered that the ex banker be paid K30,000 in damages for trespass instead of the K1.5 million claimed which was “excessive”.

The Court said evidence showed that the banker received a “barrage or bombardment of unsolicited messages, with utter contempt” and repeated pleas for the bank to stop fell on deaf ears.

“The Defendant’s trespass was not only committed on day one or occasion, but continued from time he left employment…” the Judge said.

“The nature of the discomfort was to the extent that the quietness of his retirement was disturbed by the barrage of authorisation text messages from his former employer, as if he was still in active service, sent to his phone without consent,” the Court said.

The Judge noted that it was actually in the interest of the bank to remove the ex-employee from the signatory authorisation and receiving text messages from the bank as it could have triggered fraud.

“In the age where a thief can remotely steal more with a computer than through a gun, the want of the duty of care on the part of the Bank to honour the Plaintiff’s request was concerning,” the Judge observed with dismay..

Case citation- Charles Mwila v National Savings and Credit Bank – 2023/HP/1771 and Judgment delivered on Thursday last week.

Lecture notes;

1. This is groundbreaking case as it now extends trespass to text messages and WhatsApps being sent to phones. If one does not like the constant unwanted messages, one can now sue for trespass. This is why most email and marketing products gives you an option to unsubscribe to avoid such litigation.

Dickson Jere

JOINT MEDIA STATEMENT FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

K300 Electricity Subsidy Program Officially Commences 

Lusaka – 22 December 2025 – The Rural Electrification Authority (REA) in partnership with ZESCO Limited is pleased to announce that the last mile connection fee subsidy program under the Accelerating Sustainable and Clean Energy Transformation in Zambia (ASCENT Zambia), has officially commenced today.

ASCENT Zambia is a five-year Program with a US$200 million World Bank funded project, complementing the US$250 million Government funding commitment.

The Program is aimed at accelerating universal access to affordable, reliable, and clean electricity across Zambia, particularly in rural and peri urban areas.

The last-mile connection fee subsidy program targets 100,000 new on-grid connections in 2026. Under the program, households and businesses in rural areas requiring a standard single-phase connection will pay K300 instead of K4,846. This subsidy is intended to remove financial barriers and enable more Zambians to connect to the national grid.

Eligibility is primarily based on proximity to existing infrastructure, with applicants required to be within 30 metres of an existing low-voltage distribution pole. REA and ZESCO will publish lists of eligible districts and townships, which members of the public are encouraged to consult.

In line with the programme’s inclusion objectives, women-headed households and female-owned enterprises in eligible areas are particularly encouraged to apply.

In order to promote equity and nationwide participation, each province has been allocated 10,000 subsidized connections during the initial rollout, in line with the national target of 100,000 connections. This approach will ensure that all provinces are given an equal opportunity to benefit from the program.

After the first 30 days of implementation, REA and ZESCO will jointly review the update and response levels per province. Based on this assessment, provincial targets may be adjusted to optimize utilization of the subsidy and ensure the program delivers maximum national impact.

REA and ZESCO encourage all eligible households and businesses to apply promptly and take advantage of this opportunity to access affordable electricity.

For further details, including the full list of eligible areas, application procedures and additional guidance, members of the public are advised to visit official REA and ZESCO communication platforms or contact the nearest REA or ZESCO Offices.

Issued jointly by:
Ms. Ndekela Mazimba
Senior Public Relations Officer
Rural Electrification Authority
And
Ms. Rose Sibisi
Stakeholder Relations Manager
ZESCO Limited

By Amb. Emmanuel Mwamba

ON EMV AT 20:00HRS,- VOTE PROTECTION STRATEGY, CAN THE OPPOSITION PREVENT THE RIGGING OF THE 2026 ELECTIONS?

Can the Electoral Commission of Zambia Deliver a Credible, Free and Fair Election in 2026?

President Hakainde Hichilema, who is also a constitutional delinquent and a candidate for impeachment and future arrest, has initiated serious plots and mechanisms to undermine the 2026 General Elections to ensure that he has safe and easier passage into his second term.

He started by systematically attacking the Opposition, and engaged in stealing, killing and destroying the Patriotic Front, the largest political party in Zambia, and by harrassing, charging, arresting and imprisoning his political opponents and critics.

He has appointed cadres at ECZ, passed oppressive laws, passed a new Constitution with focus on the upcoming elections.

The appointment of officials at Electoral Commission of Zambia; Mwangala Zaloumis as Chairperson, Mcdonald Chipenzi as Commissioner, Brown Kasaro as CEO and Dr. Collins Kachaka as Director of ICT, has raised serious concerns on their capacity to deliver a credible, democratic, free and fair elections.

The conduct of the UPND in the by-elections where their violent youths attack and disperse Opposition campsites on the eve of the elections and chase party agents from polling stations, has been perfected to rig the outcome of elections, raising concerns that their collaborative efforts with ECZ will highly compromise the 2026 elections.

Is the Opposition ready to counter these dirty schemes, protect the vote, and secure the results that will reflect the will and choice of the people of Zambia?

Join the Debate on EMV by calling +260973078082

⬆️ READ OPINION | UPND Using Chabinga to Kill the PF

I write as a concerned PF member who has followed recent political happenings with growing unease. The repeated claim that the UPND has no hand in the internal turmoil within the Patriotic Front is becoming harder to sustain when weighed against events unfolding in the public domain. What is presented as coincidence increasingly looks like calculated political advantage.

After more than 25 PF Members of Parliament voted in favour of Bill 7, Acting PF President Given Lubinda exercised party authority and expelled the MPs for indiscipline. Whether one agrees with the decision or not, this was an internal party process. What followed, however, raised serious questions. Chief Government Spokesperson Cornelius Mweetwa publicly declared Lubinda’s action null and void. His statement was direct interference in the internal affairs of an opposition party.

Later the same day, Robert Chabinga went live on Facebook and other UPND-aligned media platforms. He openly mocked Lubinda, dismissed the expulsions, and vowed to drag him to court. The sequence, timing matters and  tone all matter. If the ruling party is not involved in PF internal disputes, why did a senior government official move first to delegitimise a lawful internal decision?

Further concerns arise from visible state conduct. Chabinga enjoys special state security. He was present at the signing ceremony of Bill 7 and was seen interacting cordially with President Hakainde Hichilema and Vice President Mutale Nalumango. The smiles said everything.

It is therefore reasonable to ask whether Robert Chabinga is being positioned as a vehicle to weaken and fracture the PF from within. This is not unprecedented in Zambian politics. It would be strategic. It explains the confidence with which internal PF authority is being challenged using state platforms and legal threats.

This concern goes beyond party loyalty. It is a democratic concern. When the ruling party, through state officials, appears to shield or elevate one faction inside an opposition party, the line between governance and political manipulation becomes dangerously thin. This line matters for Zambia’s democratic future.

I raise these questions because The People’s Brief has built a reputation for interrogating power without fear or favour. This pattern deserves scrutiny. Silence risks normalising a precedent where opposition parties are weakened not by voters, but by state-assisted internal disruption. Zambia deserves clarity.

🔖 Submission By: Chipasha Mulenga —PF Member and Political Observer

⬆️ Editor’s Note: This opinion reflects the views of the author. The People’s Brief publishes diverse perspectives to promote informed public debate and democratic accountability. We invite readers to submit opinion articles and commentaries to editor.peoplesbrief@gmail.com.

© The People’s Brief | Chipasha Mulenga

By Kellys Kaunda

ONE ZAMBIA, ONE NATION, SAID KAUNDA. ENTER HICHILEMA: ONE ZAMBIA, ONE NATION. ONE NATION, ONE PEOPLE.

Presidents are the most watched individuals and the most scrutinized.

Their clothing, their interactions with others and every word that comes out of their mouths can be subjects of intense debate.

Basically, there’s a good reason: they are the most influential people in a given nation-state.

For instance, during the signing into law of Bill 7, President Hichilema added the words “one people” to Kaunda’s slogan of “One Zambia, One Nation” so that it comes out as “One Zambia, One Nation. One Nation, One People”.

That caught my attention. Why “one people” when the word nation itself means one people?

Didn’t the President know this or does he want posterity to remember him for something?

Or, there was something else on his mind?

I think the starting point should be with Kaunda who popularized the phrase.

Kaunda was confronted with the daunting task of building one nation out of over 70 ethnic groups with each demanding a stake in the new state.

He needed to find all kinds of innovative ways to build one nation hence the slogan: One Zambia, One Nation.

However, even if we have been an independent state for slightly over 60yrs, the nation-building project remains an ongoing agenda on the table of every President.

There’s no President that has never faced this challenge. So, every one of them has had to find innovative ways of rallying the citizens of this country around the notion of nationhood.

One typical characteristic of the Hebrew Biblical text is how it restates one particular term by using a different word.

It is meant to emphasize the point and not an expression of the ignorance of the rules of grammar or redundancy in wording.

Hichilema, like every President before him, is facing the challenge of building and holding the country’s various ethnic groupings into one nation state.

That to me is my guess as to what was on his mind when he said: One Zambia, One Nation. And one nation, one people.

US AMBASSADOR HIGHLIGHTS CORRUPTION CONCERNS IN ZAMBIA

…..Corruption – A Barrier to US Business in Zambia

The American Ambassador’s statement in the News Diggers of Sunday 21st December 2025 suggests that corruption might be a significant obstacle for American companies attempting to do business in Zambia. This implies that Zambia’s bureaucratic processes may be prone to corruption, making it tough for companies to navigate without engaging in unethical practices.

American companies are held to strict standards under the US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), which prohibits bribery of foreign officials. If they engage in corruption, they face severe penalties, including fines and sanctions. The ambassador’s statement could be seen as a nod to the integrity of American companies operating internationally.

Corruption can indeed hinder business growth and economic development. The US has been actively working to combat corruption globally, imposing sanctions on individuals and entities involved in corrupt activities.

Francis Chipili
Business and Political Analyst

WE STOPPED UNZALARU PROTEST DUE TO TOO MANY ACTIVITIES – POLICE

LUSAKA Police Commissioner Lemekani Chirwa says UNZALARU was advised against having a planned protest on Friday due to the many activities that were happening.

On Friday, University of Zambia Lecturers and Researchers’ Union (UNZALARU) failed to have a scheduled protest march to State House, after they were stopped by police.

.

UNZALARU had planned to protest over unpaid gratuities dating as far back to April, 2016, pensions dating back to 2016, and none remittance of statutory obligations such as NHIMA, NAPSA, ZRA, and Union subscriptions.

Earlier, UNZALARU wrote to police, notifying them of the planned protest but were advised against going ahead.

In an interview, Saturday, Chirwa said UNZALARU was advised to reschedule the protest to a date when the police had less responsibilities.

Chirwa stressed that conveners of demonstrations should heed to police advise.

“There are a lot activities which the police are doing. We are policing the Chawama by-election campaign[s] and we had presidential duties; providing VIP security at Mulungushi [International Conference Center]. So, we could not allow so many activities taking place at once, we are over strict, we have so many events at once.

So, we set the priority, we didn’t tell them that they cannot do their activity, but they should reschedule when we feel there are no major activities around in town, then they will be instructed to do it. When we advise as police those conveners who are mobilizing the event, they should respect our advice.

Sometimes we cannot tell them exactly why and we tell them it is for security reasons, behind security reasons there are a lot of other factors, so they have to cooperate with us,” said Chirwa.

News Diggers

By Kellys Kaunda

CIVIL SOCIETY MUST SERIOUSLY INVEST IN CIVIC EDUCATION

Shortly after we returned to multiparty politics, a golden era of civil society burst upon Zambia.

Civil society entities who engaged in all manner of political products and services arose.

They were to be found in every corner of the country.

A good number of them had a component or specialized entirely in civic education.

Engaging publics directly for purposes of providing them with the necessary skills to intelligently participate in public affairs was the objective.

This made sense because in a democracy, the public is the master.

The public decides the destiny of the country.

The public ultimately decides on the constitution and subsequent laws by which they may be governed.

A public that is intelligent about public affairs is a guardrail against the tyranny of the ruling class.

It forces the rulers to deliver on their development promises.

Unfortunately, civic education has well-nigh vanished from the Zambian political scene.

Instead, we have a civil society that largely focuses on engaging the ruling elite.

As expected, the ruling elite puts up a facade of engagement and ultimately does as it so wishes.

It’s time to revisit the immediate post-1991 civil society spirit that invested in civic education, invested in the people.

As the ruling elite grows more bold in threatening the independence of institutions of democracy and blurr the lines that separate the three arms of government, it’s a strong signal for civil society to resort to civic education.

The people hold the only hope of protecting our hard-won democracy.

On the other hand, the ruling class often invests in holding onto their sectional privileges even if it means killing democracy.

President Hichilema donates K800,000 to Matero Evangelical Church!

President Hakainde Hichilema has donated K800,000 to the Evangelical Church in Matero Congregation towards the completion of their church building.

The President, through his political adviser Levy Ngoma who attended today’s church service on his behalf, also gave an additional K300,000 to the church choir.

-Diamond TV