Thu Sep 10 2026 /Mpelembe Media/ — Brigadier General Laston Chabinga served as a flag officer in the Zambia Army, holding executive command of the 3 Infantry Brigade headquartered in Ndola, the administrative and industrial hub of the Copperbelt Province. As active Brigade Commander around March 2017, he directed the military’s strategic and operational envelope across critical regional defense and economic corridors. Continue reading
The Rise of Zed Beats and the Digital Music Revolution
Fri , Aug 0& 2026 /Mpelembe Media/ — Zed Beats, which takes its name from the letter “Z” in Zambia, represents a dynamic hybrid music genre that emerged in the late 1980s. Young, self-taught producers began using affordable computer software to blend indigenous Zambian elements with popular global sounds like R&B, reggae, rap, hip-hop, Jamaican dancehall, Afrobeats, and amapiano. The rise of this digital movement was catalyzed by a major cultural void in the late 1980s and 1990s, when the devastating HIV/AIDS epidemic claimed the lives of a generation of veteran musicians who had anchored traditional live genres like Kalindula and Zamrock. To fill this void, which had left radio and television heavily dominated by foreign music, young enthusiasts utilized newly accessible computer technology to resurrect local music and forge a modern urban identity. Continue reading
The Jeremiah Island Evictions
Thu, July 30 2026 /Mpelembe Media/ — This report documents and examines the ecological, social, and industrial landscape of Lake Kariba and the broader Zambian region, focusing on the tension between economic development and community welfare. One source highlights the area’s tourism and biodiversity, detailing the lake’s role as a massive man-made reservoir that supports both wildlife and hydroelectric power. In contrast, legal and technical reports address the displacement of rural populations and the necessity of protecting customary land rights through fair compensation and informed consent. Efforts to improve public health are also discussed, specifically through the creation of nutrient-dense fish-based food products to combat infant malnutrition. Finally, the sources document the importance of regulatory oversight, as evidenced by the closure of a major fish farm for violating environmental and sanitary standards. Together, these texts illustrate a complex regional effort to balance industrial growth with environmental protection and human rights. Continue reading
Building Zambia’s Engineers: The STEM Legacy and Academic Rigor of Kitwe Boys
Thur, July 03 2026 /Mpelembe Media/ — Kitwe Boys Secondary School, founded in 1957 during the peak of British colonial administration in Northern Rhodesia, reflects the broader social, political, and architectural transformations of the Copperbelt region. Spanning eras of strict racial segregation, rapid post-independence integration, and modern educational adaptation, the school’s history provides a powerful lens into the heritage of Zambia’s mining heartland. Continue reading
The Dragon and the Copper Belt: The Complex Realities of China-Zambia Relations
Fri, Jun 18 2026 /Mpelembe Media/ — The relationship between China and Zambia is deeply complex, evolving from historical solidarity into a modern partnership defined by massive economic investment, sovereign debt crises, and significant labor controversies. Continue reading
Rising Tides and New Horizons: Lake Kariba’s Hydrological Recovery and Energy Revival
Sat, May 23 2026 /Mpelembe Media/ — Recent developments around Lake Kariba highlight a remarkable hydrological, economic, and safety transformation for the region. Following a severe El Niño-induced drought that caused water levels to plummet to just 13% of usable capacity in 2024, above-average rainfall in the 2025/2026 season has driven Lake Kariba’s water levels up to 42.40% by mid-May 2026. This rapid recovery has allowed the Zambezi River Authority to allocate 30 billion cubic meters of water for hydroelectric power generation, paving the way to ease crippling load-shedding in Zambia and Zimbabwe and triple electricity output at facilities like the Kariba South Power Station. Continue reading
From Copper to Gold: Zambia’s State-Led Blueprint for Formalizing Artisanal Mining
Wed, May 20 2026 /Mpelembe Media/ — Zambia is actively diversifying its mining economy beyond its traditional reliance on copper by executing a structural overhaul of its artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) sector. The primary catalyst for this shift was a massive, unregulated gold rush in the Kikonge area of Mufumbwe in mid-2025. The sudden influx of thousands of informal miners led to catastrophic safety failures, the emergence of illicit smuggling markets, and deadly clashes with state security forces. Recognizing that military intervention was an unsustainable fix for an economic problem, the Zambian government shifted toward a commercial integration strategy. Continue reading
Zambia’s Tourism Renaissance: Record Arrivals, Open Borders, and Economic Revival
Sun, May 17 2026 /Mpelembe Media/ — Booming Tourism and Economic Growth Zambia is experiencing a tourism renaissance, recording a historic 2.19 million international arrivals in 2024—a 35.3% increase from the previous year. The government has strategically positioned tourism as a primary engine for economic diversification away from copper mining, increasing the sector’s budgetary allocation by 281% since 2021. Continue reading
Why the “Money Printer Goes Brrr”: The Ancient Roots of Modern Inflation
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