THE Zambia Environmental Management Agency (ZEMA) has clamped down on Coco Manufacturing Foods, arresting the company’s manager, Tang Xiao Pin, for refusing to halt operations after being ordered to stop production.
Acting on a tip-off, ZEMA enforcement officers found the factory still running at full capacity despite a previous shutdown notice issued for operating without the necessary environmental clearance under the Environmental Management Act of 2011.
Upon inspection, officers impounded a large consignment of products, among them include thousands of cases of soft drinks, bottled water, juice and biscuits produced after the ban was imposed.
The agency also seized four production lines and sealed off the plant.
According to ZEMA corporate affairs manager Ruth Kamwi, the company had earlier been fined K100,000 for operating without a decision letter and another K80,000 for continuing without a license, bringing the total penalty to K180,000.
“Coco Foods ignored every directive given to them. This arrest is meant to remind other firms that ZEMA regulations must be respected,” Kamwi said.
“The agency will not hesitate to take firm measures against institutions that endanger public safety and the environment through unlawful operations.”
ZEMA has since sealed off the factory and taken control of the seized products, while investigations continue to determine the full extent of the violations.
By Sharon Zulu
Kalemba October 30, 2025
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THE Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry has moved to clarify recent remarks made by the Minister Chipoka Mulenga on pricing of essential goods, saying the government is not planning to dictate or control prices but merely advocating for fair pricing.
This follows earlier reports suggesting that the government might introduce uniform prices for items such as fertiliser, cooking oil and sugar, which raised questions among businesses owners.
According to a statement by the Ministry, the government wants businesses to be responsible and fair in setting their prices, in line with the improving economic situation.
“The Minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry, Hon. Chipoka Mulenga, is not calling for price controls,” the Ministry stated.
“What the Minister is advocating for is fair pricing that reflects the current macroeconomic environment.”
Mulenga noted that with the Kwacha stabilising, inflation coming down and fuel prices relatively low, consumers should be able to feel the benefits.
He further urged producers and other industry players to pass on these gains to ordinary Zambians rather than keeping prices artificially high.
Mulenga said the government’s stance is to ensure that businesses are free to operate without government interference, however, with a responsibility to treat consumers fairly.
By George Musonda
Kalemba October 30, 2025
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MINISTER of Green Economy and Environment Mike Mposha has expressed disappointment at Zambia Environmental Management Agency (ZEMA) officers who reported late for work following his impromptu visit.
Yesterday morning, Mposha stormed the Zambia Environmental Management Agency (ZEMA) headquarters in Lusaka without warning and what he found left him fuming.
He found only a handful of officers at their desks long after 08:00 hours, the normal reporting time.
Mposha said it was shameful that while President Hakainde Hichilema works up to zero hour, even on weekends, some civil servants still treat government jobs like a weekend retreat.
“If your President is working at midnight, who are you to be reporting for work after 08:00 hours?” he thundered.
“We don’t know 17 hours in this government, we work until the job is done.”
The Minister warned that showing up after 08:20 was not just indiscipline, but theft.
“If you can’t report on time, you are stealing. You are stealing our time and the people’s trust,” he charged.
He said ZEMA’s poor work culture was partly to blame for the delays investors face when seeking environmental approvals, calling for a complete change of attitude.
Furthermore, Mposha was also disappointed by reports that some ZEMA officers were extorting money from clients in exchange for faster approvals.
“I am giving you a friendly warning,” he said sternly.
“Desist from these practices where you want to extort money from clients. I’m watching”
The Minister said he had received alarming information about ZEMA officers who deliberately delay decisions to pressure clients into offering bribes.
He further cautioned that any officer found guilty of extortion would be arrested, not transferred.
Story and Pictures by George Musonda
Kalemba October 14, 2025
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