The National Heritage Conservation Commission (NHCC) says it will intensify efforts to package heritage sites into compelling tourism products through improved site management, interpretation, documentation and storytelling.

NHCC Executive Director, Kagosi Mwamulowe, said the initiative will involve strengthening partnerships with the Ministry of Tourism, tourism agencies, local authorities, traditional leaders and the private sector.

Mwamulowe said this in a statement issued in Lusaka on Sunday, welcoming the announcement of the 2026 tourism theme by Ministry of Tourism Permanent Secretary, Evans Muhanga.

He said the theme, “Unblinking Focus on Delivery,” under the slogan “Commit. Execute. Deliver,” was timely, forward-looking and closely aligned with Zambia’s broader national development and tourism aspirations.

“The 2026 tourism theme speaks directly to the soul of our nation’s heritage. It challenges us, as custodians of Zambia’s tangible and intangible heritage, to reposition heritage sites not merely as preserved relics of the past, but as living assets that contribute meaningfully to tourism growth, community empowerment and national pride,” he said.

Mwamulowe noted that Zambia’s diverse heritage portfolio—ranging from national monuments, historical buildings and archaeological sites to cultural landscapes and traditional practices—remained an underutilised pillar in the tourism value chain.

He added that the 2026 theme presented an opportunity to deliberately integrate heritage conservation into mainstream tourism promotion.

“For the NHCC, this theme reinforces our mandate to ensure that heritage conservation goes hand in hand with tourism development. Preserving our heritage is not an end in itself; it is a means to tell Zambia’s story to the world, attract tourists beyond the traditional attractions, and spread the benefits of tourism to local communities,” Mwamulowe said.

He further reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to embracing innovation and digital platforms to raise awareness of Zambia’s heritage assets, particularly among youth and international audiences, in line with evolving tourism trends.

“We intend to place heritage at the centre of destination marketing by enhancing visitor experiences at our sites, promoting heritage circuits, and encouraging domestic tourism so that Zambians themselves appreciate and value the wealth of history that defines who we are as a people,” he added.

Mwamulowe also emphasised the importance of community involvement, noting that communities surrounding heritage sites are key partners in conservation and tourism promotion.

“The 2026 theme reminds us that sustainable tourism must be people-centred. Communities are the first custodians of heritage, and when empowered, they become ambassadors of tourism, safeguarding sites while benefiting economically from increased visitation,” he said.

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The government has pledged to maintain continuous and transparent engagement with citizens and stakeholders on the 2026 National Budget and the country’s broader economic reform agenda, beyond the forthcoming national Townhall Meeting scheduled for January 29, 2026.

Finance and National Planning Minister, Situmbeko Musokotwane, said public engagement would not be limited to a single event but will be sustained through regular communication in the weeks leading up to the Townhall and thereafter on a weekly, monthly and quarterly basis.

In a statement issued on Sunday, he said the Ministry of Finance and National Planning will consistently share timely, accurate and accessible information on the 2026 Budget, ongoing developmental programmes, progress on economic reforms and the policy choices shaping Zambia’s economic future.

Read more: IMF deal signals strong reform progress, boosts investor confidence —Musokotwane

According to Musokotwane, the approach reflects government’s understanding that public trust and confidence are built through openness, consistency and clarity.

“Citizens, businesses, civil society and cooperating partners deserve to understand not only what decisions are being taken, but why they are being taken, how they connect to national objectives and what they mean in practical terms for households, communities and enterprises,” he said.

The Minister noted that the Townhall Meeting would also mark the formal launch of the revised Public Engagement and Communication Strategy for the period 2025–2030, which was intended to strengthen dialogue, transparency and accountability in public finance management and economic governance.

Musokotwane called on all government agencies and statutory bodies under the Ministry of Finance and National Planning to actively support this communication drive by clearly explaining budgeted programmes and reforms to be implemented in 2026.

He stressed that both ongoing and planned reforms must be communicated proactively and in a coordinated manner, anchored in factual information, to ensure that stakeholders and the general public fully understand Government policies and initiatives.

“Economic reform succeeds when it is understood, when it is owned and when it is seen to be fair,” the Minister said, adding that speaking with one voice across Government will strengthen confidence in public institutions and reinforce national unity.

Musokotwane said Zambia’s prospects were strongest when government and citizens worked together, united by a shared purpose and commitment to national development.

He urged all stakeholders to approach the 2026 Budget season with confidence and responsibility, noting that sustained engagement was key to ensuring that the gains of reform endure and translate into shared prosperity for current and future generations.

The government, he said, remained committed to building a prosperous, resilient and equitable Zambia through inclusive dialogue, disciplined implementation of reforms and active citizen participation.

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Some stakeholders in the informal sector of the economy have criticised the governments of Zambia and Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) for what they described as inaction over deteriorating security conditions facing Zambian truck drivers operating in the DRC.

Aston Sakala, a player in the informal sector, said recent attacks that had resulted in the deaths of Zambian truck drivers required urgent intervention by the two governments and the international community.

“We are deeply saddened and outraged by the recent brutal attacks on our truck drivers in the DRC. These hardworking individuals, who are members of our consortium, have been subjected to violence, beaten, and even murdered by unscrupulous individuals,” Sakala said on Sunday.

“These heinous acts are a gross violation of human rights and a serious concern for us as a consortium.”

Sakala said stakeholders were particularly distressed by the apparent lack of attention and response from the Zambian government.

Read more: govt-cracks-down-on-branded-online-taxis

“We urge President Hakainde Hichilema to seek an urgent audience with his DRC counterpart Félix Tshisekedi to address this critical issue and ensure the safety of our citizens in the DRC,” he said.

In response to the incidents, Sakala called for the establishment and maximum utilisation of dry ports in Zambia to reduce the number of Zambian drivers entering the DRC.

He said DRC-based drivers should instead collect goods and merchandise from these dry ports, thereby minimising the risks faced by Zambian truckers.

“We cannot stand idly by while our brothers are brutally murdered in broad daylight. This is unacceptable and demands immediate attention.”

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Copper capped off 2025 with its best annual performance since 2009, propelled by tightening global supply and rising expectations that demand linked to electrification will outstrip production in the years ahead.

The metal, widely regarded as a bellwether for global economic activity, surged 42 percent on the London Metal Exchange (LME) over the year, outperforming all other industrial metals traded on the exchange.

A powerful end-of-year rally pushed prices to a series of record highs, although copper eased slightly on the final trading day of 2025, slipping 1.1 percent to US$12,558.50 a tonne, according to Mining.com.

Earlier in the week, prices had reached an all-time peak of US$12,960 a tonne.

Read more: Copper prices experience steady rise on the back of strong global demand, tightened supplies

Market analysts attributed much of the rally to near-term supply constraints, compounded by speculative positioning around future trade policy in the United States.

Traders rushed to ship copper into the US in anticipation of potential import tariffs, tightening supply in other regions and driving prices higher.

United States (US) President, Donald Trump’s intention to revisit tariffs on primary copper in 2026 reignited an arbitrage trade that had earlier disrupted the market.

While the price gap between US and international markets narrowed toward the end of December, the flow of metal into the US significantly reduced availability elsewhere.

“The expectation of future US import tariffs on refined copper has led to more than 650,000 tonnes of copper being shipped into the country, creating tightness outside the US,” said Natalie Scott-Gray, senior metals analyst at StoneX Financial Ltd.

She added that approximately two-thirds of visible global copper inventories are now held on the COMEX exchange.

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Economist, Lubinda Haabazoka, says Zambia’s biggest challenge in 2026 will be converting recent economic gains into tangible benefits for the private sector and the wider population.

Haabazoka noted that while the country had made measurable progress in stabilising the economy, the real test now resided in safeguarding that stability, lowering the cost of capital and ensuring that growth was inclusive and widely felt.

“The 2026 test will be whether Zambia can protect stability, reduce the cost of capital and turn momentum into broad-based private sector expansion — so growth becomes not just measurable, but widely felt,” Haabazoka said in a statement on Friday.

He noted that by the end of 2025, Zambia had achieved several key milestones signalling a clear path to economic recovery.

Read more: Haabazoka urges Zambia to take advantage of copper boom for lasting economic reforms

These included improved external credibility, reflected in positive movements in credit ratings and continued progress under the International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme, as well as stronger food security following a rebound in maize production.

Haabazoka also highlighted growing momentum in the mining sector as a critical pillar of the country’s economic outlook.

“Large-scale investments in mining have helped restore investor confidence and underscore Zambia’s long-term potential, particularly in capital-intensive industries,” he said.

Beyond macroeconomic indicators, Haabazoka observed that government efforts to channel recovery towards grassroots development marked a notable policy shift.

He said measures such as increased utilisation of the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) and targeted public sector recruitment were deliberate attempts to translate macroeconomic stabilisation into jobs, improve services and economic opportunities at community level.

However, Haabazoka cautioned that sustaining progress would require consistent policy implementation and a business environment that enabled private enterprises to grow and create employment.

“The foundations are being laid, but the next phase must ensure that growth reaches households and enterprises across the country,” he said.

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Zambia has become the first African country to formally accept China’s Yuan for the payment of mining taxes and royalties, highlighting Beijing’s growing financial influence in the continent’s strategic resource sectors.

Chinese-owned mining companies operating in Zambia have begun settling part of their tax and royalty obligations in Yuan, marking a significant shift in how Africa’s second-largest copper producer manages revenue from its mining industry, according to Business Insider.

The Bank of Zambia has confirmed that payments in renminbi began in October, making Zambia the first country on the continent to officially acknowledge the acceptance of mining-tax payments in the Chinese currency.

Bloomberg reports that the move reflects China’s expanding role in Zambia’s economy, where it is both the largest buyer of copper and one of the country’s biggest creditors.

Read more: Chinese company receives investment license for $1.1 billion Ndola refinery project

The central bank said the decision aligned with Zambia’s export patterns and its broader reserve-management strategy.

“A large portion of copper exports go to China, and Chinese mining firms already receive some, if not all, of their export payments to China in renminbi,” the Bank of Zambia said in a response to emailed questions.

“The Bank of Zambia has diversification and the build-up of reserves as a key objective, and purchasing renminbi enables the bank to actualise this objective,” it added.

The central bank further noted that holding Yuan would help Zambia service its Chinese debt more efficiently, allowing the country “to service its debts to China in a more cost-effective manner.”

Zambia’s decision comes as Africa increasingly becomes a testing ground for China’s long-standing efforts to internationalise its currency.

Several African countries are exploring ways to reduce reliance on the US dollar in trade and debt servicing, particularly where China is a major lender.

In October, Business Insider Africa reported that Kenya converted part of its Chinese debt into Yuan to ease pressure on its strained public finances. The restructuring of a US$5 billion railway loan from the Export-Import Bank of China into Yuan-denominated debt is expected to save Kenya about US$250 million annually.

Ethiopia has also opened discussions on similar arrangements, while Zambia itself had previously indicated it was considering such options.

To support the new system, the Bank of Zambia last month began publishing an official renminbi-Kwacha exchange rate, enabling mining companies to choose whether to sell dollars or Yuan when meeting their tax obligations.

The arrangement builds on regulations introduced in 2018 and expanded in 2020, which require mining firms to sell foreign-currency earnings to the central bank to bolster Zambia’s reserves during its debt crisis.

The acceptance of Yuan payments signals a deepening of China’s footprint in Africa’s mining economy, with its influence now extending beyond trade and financing into the currency systems that underpin the continent’s resource revenues.

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The Petroleum Transporters Association of Zambia (PTAZ) has called for the full implementation of the local content statutory instrument to cushion the impact of increased toll fees announced by the National Road Fund Agency (NRFA).

PTAZ General Secretary, Benson Tembo, said the effective enforcement of local content laws would help transporters manage the higher costs following government’s decision, in line with the 2026 National Budget, to hike toll fees for medium and heavy-duty vehicles at toll gates across the country.

In a statement issued on Thursday, Tembo said government should fully implement Statutory Instrument (SI) No. 68 of 2025 to give comfort to local transporters.

“This statutory instrument has guaranteed 100 percent transport business for local Zambian transporters from the mines and it has taken effect today, January 1, 2026,” he stated.

Tembo further urged government to enforce SI No. 35 of 2021, which provides a 50 percent quota of transport business for Zambian citizen-owned companies on imported and exported commodities, and 100 percent for all local transport business.

He commended government for reviewing the proposed toll fees at the Michael Chilufya Sata Toll Plaza and other toll gates countrywide.

Read more: National Road Fund Agency reportedly earns K4 billion, exceeds 2024 toll collection target

“We are grateful to government for listening to our stakeholders over the recently proposed toll fees at Michael Chilufya Sata Toll Plaza and all the toll gates around the country,” he said.

Tembo noted that the prompt review had given transporters relief.

“On December 30, 2025, we expressed our concerns over the proposed increase of toll fees and it is gratifying to hear that the proposed fees at Michael Chilufya Sata have been reviewed downwards from the initial fee of K1,200 to now K600.”

He said the move confirmed that government listens to citizens when concerns are raised genuinely.

Tembo described the transport sector as one of the largest employers in the region, adding that reducing the cost of doing business would spur growth and create more jobs, especially for young people.

However, he observed that statutory instruments to effect the new toll fees had already been issued, with what he termed a minimal adjustment from K250 to K300 across all toll gates, which he said was manageable.

Tembo also expressed gratitude to government for approving the bulk procurement of petroleum products, describing the move as long overdue.

He said bulk procurement would guarantee security of supply, reduce fuel costs, and correct distortions caused by private sector-led procurement.

“The government bulk procurement will make all the strategic TAZAMA storage depots active once again unlike now when they are almost white elephants,” he said.

He cited depots in Chipata, Mpika, Mansa, Mongu, Solwezi, and the recently constructed Lusaka depot as facilities that needed full utilisation to sustain jobs and surrounding businesses.

Tembo said full utilisation of the depots could allow Zambia to move from monthly to quarterly fuel price reviews, enhancing economic predictability.

“The bulk procurement of petrol approved by the Cabinet will guarantee business for the local fuel transporters which is not the case today.”

He accused some oil marketing companies of giving themselves undue advantage by allocating transport contracts to their own fleets or foreign transporters.

“They have been giving transport contracts to foreign transporters and some selected few transport companies while leaving a lot of local transporters to merely operate on spot hire and as subcontractors,”Tembo claimed.

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Government has intensified efforts to grow Zambia’s manufacturing sector through targeted investor incentives and policy measures, including Statutory Instrument No. 45 of 2025, which prioritises local procurement, Commerce, Trade and Industry Minister Chipoka Mulenga has said.

Mulenga said improving macroeconomic conditions—marked by declining inflation and a stable exchange rate—were beginning to deliver tangible benefits to both businesses and consumers.

“What an exciting time for Zambia. With inflation now at 10.5 percent, closer to single digits, and a stable exchange rate, it is clear that Government efforts are paying off,” Mulenga said in a statement issued on Thursday.

He was commenting on ZAMBEEF’s decision to reduce prices on selected products, which the company attributed to exchange rate stability, lower inflation, easing commodity prices, stable fuel costs and improved power supply.

Read more: Commerce minister, Mulenga, tasks Zambian embassy in China to proactively seek new trade opportunities

Mulenga commended the company for passing on economic gains to consumers, describing the move as a strong example of how public-private collaboration can drive inclusive growth.

“Today’s announcement shows what can be achieved when Government and the private sector work together,” Mulenga said, urging other firms to follow suit as Zambia positions itself for a more prosperous 2026.

Meanwhile, Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry Permanent Secretary for Commerce and Trade, Lillian Bwalya, said increased collaboration between Government and the private sector was yielding positive results, with rising investment in the manufacturing sector.

She reaffirmed Government’s commitment to improving the business environment and promoting value addition as key drivers of economic growth and national development.

Announcing the price reductions, ZAMBEEF Chief Executive Officer, Faith Mukutu, said the move was aimed at passing on economic benefits to consumers in line with the company’s strategy of market growth and cost optimisation.

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The Energy Regulation Board (ERB) has maintained the pump price of petrol while reducing the prices of diesel, kerosene and Jet A-1 for January 2026.

This means petrol will remain at K29.92 per litre, while the price of diesel has been reduced from K26.98 to K25.11 per litre.

Kerosene has been adjusted downward from K26.51 to K23.88 per litre, while Jet A-1 has also been reduced to K25.03 per litre.

Read more: Breaking! ERB raises September fuel prices as Kwacha depreciation offsets global oil decline

ERB Board Chairperson, James Banda, said in a statement issued on Wednesday that the price adjustments were influenced by favourable macroeconomic developments recorded in December 2025.

He said the local currency appreciated by 3.13 percent against the United States dollar, moving from an average exchange rate of K23.24/US$ to a closing rate of K22.52/US$.

“Further, international oil prices generally decreased since the last fuel price review on November 30, 2025. Following this movement, the ERB has revised downwards the pump prices for diesel, kerosene and Jet A-1, while petrol will be maintained at K29.92 per litre,” Banda stated.

He said the new fuel price structure will take effect at midnight on December 31, 2025, and will remain in force until the next fuel price review by the ERB.

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The United Truck Drivers and Allied Workers Union of Zambia (UTDAWUZ) has declared full support for the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) Zambia Chapter’s demand for urgent protection of truck drivers operating in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), warning that it will lobby for a regional boycott of DRC-bound routes if insecurity persists.

The union’s stance follows a surge in what it described as “unacceptable” and “barbaric” attacks on Zambian truck drivers in the DRC, including killings and robberies along key transport corridors.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, UTDAWUZ called on the ITF and its more than 700 affiliates worldwide to take decisive action to protect drivers, whom it said continue to face deadly risks while transporting goods across the region.

“Our drivers are being killed while the world watches. We are no longer asking for safety; we are demanding it. If the DRC authorities cannot secure our corridors, then those corridors must remain empty,” UTDAWUZ said.

Read more: Kanchibiya lawmaker, Chanda, calls for tripartite dialogue to protect truck drivers

The union outlined a set of demands, including immediate and visible security guarantees for all transport workers operating within DRC borders.

UTDAWUZ also called for full investigations into recent attacks and the prosecution of those responsible for the killings and robberies of drivers.

In addition, the union urged regional transport unions under the ITF umbrella to prepare for a coordinated boycott of cargo routes into the DRC until clear safety benchmarks are met.

UTDAWUZ stressed that the transport sector remains the backbone of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) economy, facilitating trade and regional integration.

However, it warned that economic activity cannot come at the cost of workers’ lives.

“The transport industry cannot be built on the blood of drivers,” the statement said, adding that continued reliance on what it termed “silent diplomacy” had failed to protect workers.

The union said it was ready to work with regional partners and international labour bodies to ensure decisive action was taken, insisting that no further lives should be lost due to insecurity along critical regional trade routes.

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