THEMES :
inflation,
statistics
I think we all agree here that – when it comes to extractive resource which has finite lifespan, the thing to do is to maximize earnings from that resource and develop alternatives before it runs out. Copper and other minerals will run out, what happens then? Why are our current officials so adamant about the re-introduction of windfall taxes? Don’t they understand what is at stake? Why are they refusing to increase copper revenues when the prices are good?
THEMES :
law
Management of Collum Coal Mine and all the 13 workers who were shot at have agreed that their supervisors should not be prosecuted. This comes after mine management agreed to compensate victims of the shooting between K20 and K45 million.
A special event in London this Friday by STAR 100 a professional Ghanaian network. Among the speakers is the excellent Standard Chartered's Razia Khan and Oxford University's Rick Van Der Ploeg. Well worth attending!
Star 100 UK - Oil & Gas : Creating a Success Story for Ghana
THEMES :
general
Excerpt from this recent New York Times piece on the Collum saga. Taken at face value the above suggests that the Labour Commissioner would do anything, even lie, to protect Chinese owners. That is quite worrying considering that Chinese firms employ at-least 25,000 employees. Can those employees expect an impartial assessment from this Labour Commissioner? Not on this article!Since the shooting, Zambia’s labor commissioner, Noah Siasimuna, has been drawn into the dispute. Atop his desk is a thick folder about Collum Coal, but most of the paperwork is new. No signed labor agreement with the company was ever filed with his office as required by law, he said. Nor did the unions formally report any noncompliance.
Mr. Siasimuna, like the labor minister, Mr. Liato, cautioned against any conclusion that impugned Chinese businesses as worse than others. “We have bad employers that come from everywhere, including Zambia,” Mr. Liato said.
The unions, however, say Chinese owners are indeed their biggest headache. And, contradicting the government, the president of the Gemstone and Allied Workers Union of Zambia, Sifuniso Nyumbu, was able to produce contracts with Collum that had the signed and stamped approval of the commissioner’s office as well as letters from the Labor Ministry acknowledging union complaints about the company..
Information and broadcasting services deputy minister Angela Cifire has said the public media in Zambia is doing very well in newspaper circulation.
Ms Cifire said this in Parliament today when answering a question from Kachibiya Member of Parliament David Mwango who wanted to know how many copies of the Times of Zambia, Zambia Daily Mail, sold in the year 2009. Ms Chifire told Parliament that Times of Zambia in 2009 sold 2, 982, 211 copies while the Zambia Daily Mail sold 2, 239, 388 copies. The deputy minister further revealed that the Sunday Times sold 248 237 copies while the Sunday Mail sold 684 847.
THEMES :
media
The latest Lusaka Basic Needs Basket and the associated press release for October 2010. In October the basic needs basket for a urban family of six stood at K2,877, 830 (or US$589).
Lusaka Basic Needs Basket - October 2010
THEMES :
statistics
"The heavy-duty trucks from South Africa, Namibia and Botswana are the ones destroying our roads but are paying nothing as they travel to Lumwana mine...Why don’t we put tollgates on our roads? These trucks are destroying the whole road from Livingstone to Solwezi. We could collect money from these road destroyers by simply applying the law. Why don’t you government want to collect money?"- Hon Muntanga
"Why are we so kind to the mines? In countries where they come from, those involved in the mineral extractive industry pay up to 65 per cent in tax and here they want a tax break....When are we going to be rich? As a government, we should not feel pity for those mines...Maybe our generation has no potential to stand up to guys with money and we should leave it for our children"- Hon Shakafuswa
Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) says that Windfall taxes have the capacity to distort the country’s economy and suffocate mining companies.
KCM Board Member Jacob Mwanza says the taxes, if implemented, can only collect increased government revenue for a short period of time. Dr Mwanza says this revenue can distort the economy because it is money which is not budgeted for. He told a media briefing in Lusaka today that current mining taxes are adequate.
He added that the windfall taxes are not widely used in major copper producing countries such as Chile and Australia.
Book Reading Goal Review
Books Read So Far : 34 books
Remaining Books to Achieve Target : 16 books
Weeks Remaining to Achieve Annual Target : 7 weeks **
**As December is "blogging leave", I shall also be taking leave from reading for 4 weeks (hence will freeze the count) :)
THEMES :
books
I had announced Zambia Elections webpage a while back - it is now cleaned up a little bit. The website will published articles and news item solely related to the 2011 elections. We hope when the candidate profiles, "manifestos" or other policy statements are available we can put them on there. The website comes with its own Twitter and Facebook pages.
Do also check out the third website - House of Chiefs dedicated to the matters of traditional leadership. I have also cleaned this up a little bit!
THEMES :
elections
The International Finance Corporation-IFC, an agent of the World Bank, says Zambia will next year receive 150 million US dollars credit meant for irrigation. Vice President Ars Phunell says the credit is meant to support irrigation projects at three yet to be identified sites in the country. And World Bank Country Manager Kapil Kapoor said the credit facility will be repaid in the next 20 to 30 years.
And Commerce Minister Felix Mutati said government is embarking on several infrastructure projects in rural areas, to give an opportunity to rural dwellers to participate in the economic success of the country. He named one of the projects as Kasaba Bay, which is creating investment and jobs.
THEMES :
debt
Hon Hamududu recently observed that government had not given a coherent rationale on current mineral taxation, "It’s not that they don’t have an explanation, they do....The problem is that they are simply not making their argument clear when they talk about the new tax regime and the variable corporate tax which they claim is better than windfall tax". Many of us have longed for a clear and coherent defence of higher mining taxation. I was therefore delighted to see Henry Kyambalesa's defence of the current mining taxation. I welcome this intellectual "exchange of ideas" on the most important economic question facing our country. Our children will judge us on how best it was handled.
I am afraid to say that based on his latest narrative, Kyambalesa is on the wrong side of the argument and without merit. But let me start with where I think we are in agreement. We fully share the basic premise that more government revenue is not a panacea :
Seize the Moment has a review of Twilight in the Morning by Theresa Lungu. There's also Q&A with the author, where she mentions her project - Books for Zambia.
THEMES :
books
Canada’s aid agency, the Canadian International Development Agency, lost about $880,000 as a result of the embezzlement, The Globe and Mail has learned. The Canadian aid agency spent more than $30-million on programs in Zambia last year....Zambia’s president, Rupiah Banda, has accused the donors of “blackmail” and “interference” for their decision to suspend their aid payments. The British medical journal, The Lancet, has estimated that foreign donors have postponed or cancelled $273-million (U.S.) in aid to Zambia because of corruption allegations over the past 18 months. This does not include the Canadian suspension....
THEMES :
aid,
corruption
Of late, the taxation of mining companies operating in Zambia has become a highly topical issue. Currently, the mining companies are reportedly taxed as follows:
(a) 3% mineral royalty on income (that is, earnings) from copper sales;
(b) 30% corporate profit tax on profits declared after deducting costs and mineral royalties;
(c) 15% variable profit tax on all taxable income (that is, profits) earned that exceed 8% of copper sales;
(d) Deduction of 25% of expenditures on machinery and equipment from taxable income per year once a mining project starts operating;
(e) 15% income tax on foreign companies and expatriate consultants providing services to locally based mining companies; and
THEMES :
mining
This surely must be a joke. It appears we have a new political party called African Democratic and Economic Organization Zambia Must Change Now. With a name like that it is not surprising that the abbreviation is equally long. ADEDO - ZAMUCANO has been formed with the intention of contesting the 2011 elections. The interim Party President is a Brown Kapika who alledgedly had gone into "self-imposed exile" to the Netherlands in 1992 during the Chiluba regime. He returned last month! The party’s symbol is a "red card", which has not gone well with Father Frank.
THEMES :
politics
By Ruth Henson
There are several factors that contribute to low profit margins for Zambian businesses :
1. Inconsistent government policies. Nobody knows what government policy will be for any reasonable period of time. Government can and does change the rules whenever it is politically expedient to do so. This can have unforeseen disastrous effects on businesses.
2. Excessive taxation. Every kwacha earned in Zambia is taxed over and over. Earn a salary and pay tax on it. Spend it and get taxed again. Pay your Zesco bill and pay excise tax which is then vatable. Anything imported is charged duty and then VAT even on the duty. Fuel has tax upon tax upon tax which then feeds into the cost of everything else. All this tax would make sense if it was fairly shared but those who can afford good accountants pay less, mines pay less, new investors pay less. The formally employed carry a disproportionate share. Again sharing on the expenditure side is disproportionate. Taxes pay for politicians children to go to expensive private schools and the children of the poor have to pay to go to school because government funding is insufficient to run the school.
THEMES :
investment
The Company, through its Zambian subsidiaries, is party to Development Agreements with GRZ for its existing operations which provide an express right to full and fair compensation for any loss, damages or costs (including interest) incurred by the Company by reason of the government's failure to comply with the tax stability guarantees set out in the Development Agreements, and rights of international arbitration in the event of any dispute. Following consultation with external legal counsel, the Company assessed there to be a high probability of recovery from the GRZ of payments made in respect of these taxes.
In the consolidated financial statements, the Company has recognized a tax expense in accordance with applicable laws from time to time notwithstanding the Development Agreements. In addition and reflecting the enforceability of the Development Agreements, the Company has recognized a receivable from the GRZ for an amount in respect of the expected ultimate repayment of taxes in excess of the taxes permitted under the Development Agreements. This receivable has been classified as "loans and receivables" and initially recorded at fair value based on management's best estimate of the timing of receipt and amounts due. As required, the receivable is assessed for impairment at each reporting period based on changes in facts and circumstances; any impairment amounts required may be material. As at September 30, 2010, this receivable amounts to $221.4 million.
Currently, the Company is involved in discussions with the GRZ to find an alternative solution to arbitration or litigation to fully resolve all outstanding matters in relation to the tax changes introduced in conflict with the Development Agreements. While the timing and outcome of these discussions remains uncertain, the Company recognizes that resolving this dispute through arbitration may not be in the best interest of either the Company or the GRZ. Accordingly, while no terms have been agreed to, the Company is seeking to achieve a compromise resolution which respects the key terms of the Development Agreements.
THEMES :
mining
I am reliably informed that the Post newspaper has the largest circulation of about 40,000 copies per day, as compared to the Daily Mail and Times of Zambia which have a combined print run of not more than 15,000.
The Post usually sells like hot cakes, whereas the public tabloids would be very lucky to push sales above 3,000 copies per day. I also speak with absolute confidence as someone who has sold newspapers before: for every 100 copies of the Post sold on the street, one would be very lucky to sell 5 copies of the Times and the Daily Mail combined. People hate these papers. The “unsold” copies are over 90%.
THEMES :
media,
parastatals
THEMES :
mining
According to the 2010 edition of the Human Development Index, the quality of life in three countries—that is, Zambia, Zimbabwe and the Democratic Republic of the Congo—has slid backward, while many people around the world have experienced dramatic improvements in education, health, economic well-being, and other key aspects of their lives.
The decline in the socio-economic well-being of Zambians has, by and large, been a culmination of several factors described in a nut shell below.
THEMES :
governance
Kafue River in Chingola has been polluted again by mining effluent from Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) Tailings Leach Plant (TLP) leaving most of the townships without tap water. Environmental Council of Zambia inspector Webby Simwayi who rushed to Kafue raw water in-take confirmed the poisoning of the Kafue River, the main source of drinking water for all Copperbelt towns....
Mr Simwayi said he was happy that Mulonga Water and Sewerage Company(MWSC) had quickly shut down the raw water in-take plant to prevent poisoning of people....He said the fact that even marine life was found dead prompted his technicians to shut down the in-take plant....A Times staffer who rushed to Kafue River found the peasant farmers living along the river picking the dead fish for consumption. The fish and other marine life was also found dead along the banks of Kafue River and by 18:00 hours yesterday the river poisoning levels were very high.
THEMES :
environment
And Mwale said her organisation was disappointed with Mwamba’s wife, Chama, for withdrawing the case against her husband. Mwale said NGOCC had expected Chama to lead by example in redressing the rampant violation against women and children through this high-profile case. “She has once again lost an opportunity to give women an opportunity to resolve to seek justice at the hands of difficult economic, social and cultural situations,” Mwale said.
THEMES :
justice,
local-govt,
women
The IMF recently nodded a gigantic Chinese loan to Ghana aimed at finance Ghana's oil and gas infrastructure and agricultural development.
Jagdish Bhagwati on why the attempt by some NGOs and activists to impose a straitjacket on corporate social responsibility is misguided and must be rejected.
Zimbabwe's Econet Wireless recently launched its mobile broadband package to 4.5 million subscribers after spending $100m on upgrading major cities.
Perpetual Sichikwenkwe on how the lack of land reform continues make Zambian women vulnerable and are effectively "forced to farm for free".
THEMES :
china,
land,
local-govt,
zimbabwe
Guy Scott on the potential role of the youth in 2011. You can read the rest of the piece here.The current electorate is the remnants of the electorate that registered in 2005. Many 2005 voters have died, lost or sold voters cards, or migrated in search of work. What remains is hard core that is not necessarily representative of the voters register that will emerge from the ongoing registration exercise. They are few in number – in the case of Chilanga the turnout was only 23 per cent versus the 65-75 per cent one would expect from a recently compiled roll. And their demographic profile is perhaps different from what is to come - none of them are younger than 22 years old, for one thing.
THEMES :
elections
The basis of punishment is not how successful it will be in rehabilitating the offender but rather whether it is fair with respect to the crime committed. In other words, the basis of punishment is justice. In the domestic sphere, our punishment is really a form of corrective discipline. The parents’ chief interest is not justice but the positive changing of the character of the child. But that is not the job of the judiciary. The work of the judge is to ensure a correct interpretation of the laws enacted by the legislative arm of government, to acquit the innocent (i.e. those who continue to obey the laws), and to prescribe fair punishment on those who break those laws.
So, whether the punishment meted out will reform the convicted criminal or deter other would-be offenders is not the business of the judiciary. The one question they should ask themselves is: “Does this punishment fit the crime that has been committed?
Once we are clear about the basis of punishment, then we are ready to address the question of the death penalty. The one question we must answer is: “Is it fair to take away the life of person who maliciously takes away the life of another person?”
I have ready your incisive observations on your website and was tempted to post my response to you on the Zambian Economist. However, I thought I should first do it here. I agree with you that a rational basis to uphold the death penalty finds its strongest foundation in a theistic framework because values there are absolute. For instance, in that framework you can argue for a priceless value of human life on the basis that humans are made in the image of God.
However, given that I had fifteen minutes in a context where others together had a good three hours, I needed to confine myself to that which was already common ground with the vast majority of my hearers--common sense. In my booklet, "The Death Penalty--True Justice of Archaic Folly," I work from a theistic framework and my arguments are more formidable. Again, thank you for your observation!
THEMES :
justice
Statement by the IMF Staff Mission at the Conclusion of a Visit to Zambia
Press Release No. 10/411
November 3, 2010
An International Monetary Fund (IMF) mission visited Lusaka October 28-November 3, 2010 to continue discussions for the fifth review under the Extended Credit Facility (ECF). The mission had fruitful discussions with Hon. Situmbeko Musokotwane, Minister of Finance and National Planning; Dr. Caleb Fundanga, Governor of the Bank of Zambia; and other senior officials.
On agriculture, Sata said maize marketing and credit finance under the MMD government has disadvantaged small and medium-scale farmers due to lack of credit and the determination of the floor price of maize by the government without taking into account the production costs incurred by farmers.
THEMES :
agriculture,
manifestos
THEMES :
inflation,
statistics
