25 Feb. 2026 /Mpelembe Media/ — A leaked draft of a $1bn health financing agreement between the US and Zambia has provoked widespread backlash and accusations of “shameless exploitation”. Under the proposed memorandum of understanding, Washington would provide health funding in exchange for severe and unprecedented conditions that advocates argue are vastly worse than deals struck with other African nations. Continue reading
Zambia’s Strategic Evolution: From Landlocked to Land-Linked Economic Powerhouse
25 Feb. 2026 /Mpelembe Media/ — This is an analysis of John McDermott, The Economist chief Africa correspondent
interview with Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema (often referred to as “HH”) ahead of the country’s upcoming August elections,. Hichilema is urging voters to “stay the course,” arguing that his administration has made significant strides in repairing the damage left by his predecessor, Edgar Lungu. He highlights several achievements, including securing a debt restructuring deal, delivering free education, enacting liberal reforms in power and agriculture, and initiating major infrastructure projects like the Lobito Corridor and Tazara railway renovations to transform Zambia into a “land-linked” nation. He also aims for the country to reach 1 million tonnes of copper production this year. Continue reading
Feb. 24, 2026 /Mpelembe Media/ –Zambia is currently undergoing a rapid digital transformation characterized by the expansion of financial technology (FinTech), increased internet penetration, and a concerted government push toward a digital economy. However, this growth has been accompanied by a surge in cyber threats, including massive financial fraud, online scams, and critical data breaches. In response, the Zambian government overhauled its legal framework by enacting the Cyber Security Act (2025) and the Cyber Crimes Act (2025). While the government champions these laws as necessary for national security and child online protection, civil society and digital rights advocates warn that the legislation grants the state sweeping surveillance powers, threatening freedom of expression, privacy, and democratic participation Continue reading
Feb 13, 2026 /Mpelembe media/ — The impulse to share a specific song with a partner is among our most enduring romantic rituals, yet it represents a profound transition in the human experience: the shift from music as a fleeting acoustic performance to music as a curated, tangible artifact. This act of intentional construction is not merely about entertainment; it is the building of a “sonic identity” that serves as a physical representation of intimacy. To understand why music maintains such a visceral grip on our romantic lives, we must look to the intersection of evolutionary ontogeny and cultural heritage. From the rhythmic scaffolding of our ancestors to the “Golden Soul” of 1970s Zambia, music functions as a sophisticated toolkit designed to signal fitness, accelerate trust, and preserve our collective “affective heritage.”
Feb 11, 2026 /Mpelembe media/ — Salma Sky (born Salma Dodia) is a leading figure in the Zambian music scene who has played a pivotal role in popularizing and shaping the local R&B genre. Born in Lusaka to a Zambian father and a Lebanese mother, she transitioned from a modeling career to music, eventually becoming half of a noticeable “power couple” alongside her husband and producer, Tivo Shikapwashya. Continue reading
Feb 11, 2026 /Mpelembe media/ — Chisenga Katongo is a Zambian-born Australian hip hop artist known for blending African sounds with socially conscious lyrics. Based in Perth, he addresses issues like peace and justice. A multi-instrumentalist and artist, he won the Australian Peace Prize in 2009. Continue reading
10 Feb. 2026 /Mpelembe Media — Based on the provided sources, there is no evidence that Kenneth Kaunda explicitly envisioned mpelembe.net as a network for the Pan-African movement. Instead, the sources describe Mpelembe Secondary School and the Mpelembe Network (mpelembe.net) in the following ways: Continue reading
10 Feb. 2026 /Mpelembe Media — In the heart of Southern Africa, the visual landscape is a moving gallery of saturated color and structural complexity. To the casual observer, the vibrant fabrics draped across shoulders or swaying in the heat of the Bulozi Plain are simply striking textiles. However, through a cultural lens, the Chitenge and the traditional Lozi attire are much more: they are “living monuments.” In Zambia, clothing is a sophisticated system of social signifiers that unifies the Lozi—a people composed of 38 distinct ethnic groups—into a singular national identity. From the “sartorial engineering” of the heavy skirts to the global journey of the wax prints, Zambian fashion narrating a story of indigenous resilience, colonial appropriation, and a confident modern renaissance.
10 Feb. 2026 /Mpelembe Media — New Frontier Benchmark JPMorgan is finalizing plans to launch a new frontier market local currency debt index, aiming to formalize investment in high-yield, developing economies. Expected to include 20 to 25 countries, the index focuses on nations such as Egypt, Vietnam, Kenya, and Nigeria, which are anticipated to carry the heaviest weightings. This launch addresses growing investor appetite for riskier debt, with analysis suggesting that frontier local markets have systematically outperformed mainstream emerging market indices over the last eight years. Continue reading
04, Feb. 2026 /Mpelembe Media — To look back at the start of the decade is to remember a world drowning in signal-less noise. Whether it was the “Blue Carpet” spectacle of Outernet London or the surreal corporate logistics of the 2026 AVN Expo—where lanyards and coffee queues met the stark reality of a dress code regulating body concealment over formal attire—we have lived in a state of restless, digital chaos. But as we move through 2026, the tectonic realignment of our digital existence is finally settling. We are transitioning from the era of mere digital literacy into a phase of deep, agentic integration. This is the year of “The Great Grounding,” where the abstract promises of technology and the opaque maneuvers of power are finally being anchored in verifiable, actionable context.. Continue reading