A Non-Governmental Organization in Zambia, the Gender Organizations Coordinating Council (NGOCC), has decried what it described as persistent corruption in the country in 2024, in a year it says has been of mixed outcomes in governance, citing progress in some areas and setbacks in others.

The Board Chairperson of NGOCC, Beauty Katebe, who made the assertion while speaking at a year-end media briefing in Lusaka on Monday, acknowledged government’s efforts to combat corruption but expressed concern over political and governance irregularities.

Katebe noted that the gale of suspension, dismissal, and conviction of high-profile individuals involved in financial crimes has bern positive steps but however criticised the unabated corruption, emphasising that it disproportionately harms vulnerable groups, especially women and girls.

“Corruption diverts resources meant to uplift the livelihoods of citizens, particularly women and girls, who make up the majority of the poor in Zambia,” Katebe said.

She also drew attention to findings in the Financial Intelligence Centre and Auditor General’s reports, noting that irregularities remained unaddressed.

“The glaring financial discrepancies are deeply worrying, and no concrete action appears to have been taken to address them,” she stated.

The NGOCC leader condemned the prolonged detention of protesters in 2024, attributing it to the outdated Public Order Act, reiterating the groups’ earlier calls for reforms to the legislation, describing it as repressive.

“The government must ensure justice is visibly served, with fairness and equality before the law, including for those exercising their right to protest,” she said.

Katebe also urged the government to operationalize the Gender Equity and Equality Commission, which has remained dormant since its establishment in 2015.

“The Commission, enshrined in the Zambian Constitution, is vital for mainstreaming gender in policy, legal, and administrative frameworks. Its absence denies women and girls a mechanism to promote gender parity,” she emphasized.

A prominent Zambian climate-smart agriculture expert, Oliver Bulaya, has warned of a collapse of the county’s agricultural sector with a potential threat to food security due to the worsening impact of climate change.

Bulaya, who bared his mind in an interview with Zambia Monitor on Friday, warned that ignoring the crisis could lead to severe disruptions in the country’s food supply and economy.

“Unless concerted efforts are made, the country will continue facing dire consequences from climate change,” the expert noted.

He lamented a growing trend of farmers relocating to regions experiencing above-normal rainfall, such as the northern block, as they struggle with losses caused by climate variability.

Bulaya emphasized that the once-reliable rainfall areas like North-Western Zambia are now experiencing lower precipitation, as seen during the 2023/2024 farming season and cautioned that poor farming practices, which had already strained the Southern region, could lead to similar challenges in other parts of the country if proactive measures were not implemented.