Tag Archives: Zimbabwe

23May/26

When the world’s biggest dams run dry

May 23, 2026EnvironmentAfrican Development Bank, Ayodele Odusola, EXTREMES Siavonga, Kariba, Kariba Dam, Kariba, Zimbabwe, Lake Kariba, Reservoir, SADC, Siabulimo Chigwambari, Siavonga, Tonga, Tonga people, Zambezi, Zambezi River, Zambia, Zambia and Zimbabwe, Zimbabweadmin

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 →

20May/26

Zambia Tames Its Deadly Gold Rush

May 20, 2026Environment1, 2, 3, 4, 5, Artisanal mining, Burkina Faso, Environmental crime, Ghana, Gold mining, Gold rush, Illegal mining, Informal economy, Kakenenwa Muyangwa, Kyalo Goldfields Limited, Minamata Convention on Mercury, Mining, Mining Mineral Resources, Traditional mining, Ukraine, Zambia, ZCCM Investments Holdings, ZCCM-IH, Zimbabweadmin

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 →

17May/26

Zambia’s pivot from copper to conservation

May 17, 2026Travel11, Botswana, Botswana–Zambia border, Cape Town, Carr’s, Central Zambezian miombo woodlands, China, Green Safaris, India, List, Livingstone, Lower Zambezi National Park, Luangwa, Lusaka, Mozambique Channel, Norman Carr, Nsumbu National Park, Real Africa, S Pool, South Luangwa National Park, United Kingdom, United States, Victoria Falls, Windhoek, Zambezi, Zambezi River, Zambia, Zimbabweadmin

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 →

09Mar/26

The Political Economy of Crisis, War Finance, and Inflation

March 9, 2026FinanceCentral bank, Chronic inflation, Convertibility plan, Currency, Currency substitution, Economic collapse, Economic collapses, Fiat money, Financial crises, Fiscal policy, Fixed exchange rate system, Foreign exchange market, Frédéric Bastiat, Galloping inflation, Germany, Gold standard, Hungarian pengő, Hungary, Hyperinflation, Inflation, Monetary policy, Money, Phillip Cagan, Seigniorage, U . S . Federal, United States, US Dollar, Venezuela, Zimbabweadmin

Why the “Money Printer Goes Brrr”: The Ancient Roots of Modern Inflation

March 9, 2026 /Mpelembe Media/ — Inflation, Hyperinflation, and the “Money Printer” Relying on the printing press to fund state expenditures has historically been a primary catalyst for inflation and, in extreme cases, hyperinflation. This phenomenon stretches back to the fall of the Roman Empire, where successive emperors debased the silver Denarius to pay for military and administrative costs, ultimately destroying public faith in the currency. Modern examples of hyperinflation—such as Weimar Germany in 1923, Zimbabwe in 2008, and Venezuela—demonstrate the devastating consequences of unchecked monetary expansion, which annihilates savings, causes basic necessities to become unaffordable, and forces citizens to resort to bartering or foreign currencies

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25Feb/26

Leaked $1bn US-Zambia Health Deal Sparks Outrage Over Data and Mining Demands

February 25, 2026HealthAsia Russell, Elijah Muchima, Hakainde Hichilema, Josiah Kalala, Julius Kachidza, Kenya, Presidents of Zambia, United States, Washington, Zambia, Zimbabweadmin

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 →

19Feb/26

Green Gold and Grey Zones: Africa’s Uneven Pivot from Prohibition to Industrial Powerhouse

February 19, 2026EconomyAccenture, Australia, Biopiracy, Bioplastic, Cannabis, Cape Town, Czech Republic, Entheogens, Euphoriants, France, Germany, Hemp, Herbs, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Medicinal plants, Morocco, South Africa, Spain, Telkom, United Kingdom, Zimbabweadmin

Africa’s Billion-Rand Botanical Blueprint: Bridging Ancient Ethnobotany and the Industrial Hemp Revolution

Feb 17, 2026 /Mpelembe media/ — The African cannabis landscape is undergoing a historic structural transformation, shifting from a century of colonial-era prohibition toward a sophisticated, multi-tiered regulatory environment driven by economic necessity and industrial innovation. As of 2025/2026, the continent is positioning itself as a critical supplier to the global legal market—projected to reach $50 billion by 2027—while grappling with significant internal challenges regarding social equity and regulatory coherence. Continue reading →

22Dec/25

2025 Africa Cup of Nations

December 22, 2025FootballAdrar Stadium, Africa Cup of Nations, African Cup of Nations, Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Casablanca, Comoros, Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Ivory Coast, Mali, Morocco, Morocco national football team results, Moulay Abdellah, Mozambique, Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, Rabat, Senegal, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabweadmin

Dec. 22, 2025 /Mpelembe Media/ — The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, a premier football tournament hosted by Morocco will span from 21 December 2025 to 18 January 2026, the competition features 24 national teams divided into six distinct groups. The document lists specific match dates, kick-off times, and various stadium locations across the country, starting with the opening group stages and concluding with the final in Rabat.
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05Jan/25

A Year of Climate Breakdown

January 5, 2025EnvironmentAtlantic hurricane season, Bangladesh, Boris, Brazil, Chad, China, christian aid, Colombia, Columbia, Cuba, Disaster, Effects of climate change, Extreme weather, Germany, Helene, Hurricane Helene, Hurricane Milton, In Cuba, In Florida, Malawi, Mayotte, Mexico, Milton, Namibia, Natural disaster, Niger, Nigeria, Philippines, Spain, Sul, Tropical cyclone, United States, US, Water security, Weather hazards, Yagi, Zambia, Zimbabweadmin

Jan. 4, 2025 /Mpelembe Media/ — Christian Aid’s report, “Counting the Cost 2024,” analyses the economic impact of ten extreme weather events in 2024, revealing billions of dollars in losses and highlighting the disproportionate effect on poorer nations. The report underscores the urgent need to reduce carbon emissions and transition to renewable energy, citing expert opinions stressing the escalating consequences of inaction. Continue reading →

10Feb/24

The rise of African prophets: the unchecked power of the leaders of Pentecostal churches

February 10, 2024Human InterestApostolic-Prophetic Movement, Charismatic authority, Charismatic Christianity, Charismatic movement, Christian new religious movements, Continuationism, Creative Commons, Joshua, Josiah Taru, Pentecostalism, Prophecy, Prophet, William M. Branham, Zimbabweadmin

Josiah Taru, Rice University

Over the last 20 years there’s been an unprecedented increase in charismatic Pentecostal prophets – or men of God as they’re called in Pentecostal parlance. Across Africa their unchecked influence has spread into social, economic and political institutions.

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16Jan/24

Zambia and Gambia explained

January 16, 2024Human InterestAngola, Botswana, Congo, Economy of the Gambia, Gambia, Gambian dalasi, Kwacha, Least developed countries, Malawi, Member states of the African Union, Member states of the Commonwealth of Nations, Member states of the United Nations, Mozambique, Namibia, Outline of the Gambia, Republics in the Commonwealth of Nations, Senegal, Tanzania, The Gambia, Zambia, Zambian Kwacha (Rebased Jan 2013), Zimbabwe, ZMWadmin

Jan. 16, 2024 /Human Interest/ — Zambia and Gambia, despite their similar-sounding names, are quite different countries in Southern and West Africa, respectively. Here’s a breakdown of their key differences: Continue reading →