Today, Vice President Mutale W.K. Nalumango inaugurated the Coalition Against Illicit Alcohol at the Southern Sun Hotel in Lusaka.
In her address, the Vice President expressed appreciation for the opportunity to launch the Coalition, which aligns with her office’s mandate to promote national values, ethics, and human dignity as outlined in Article 8 of Zambia’s Constitution. She highlighted the serious health risks associated with illicit alcohol, commonly known as Junta, Tujilijili, Kambama, or Kachasu, and called for a concerted effort from both the government and stakeholders to address its production, sale, and consumption.
Vice President Nalumango reported findings from a recent study by the Centre of Primary Care Research in Zambia, which revealed that about 70 percent of alcohol produced in the country is illicit, often containing dangerous substances like shoe polish, methylated spirits, and other chemicals that have led to fatalities in some regions. She noted that other illicit beverages are smuggled into the country and often produced under unsanitary conditions using smuggled industrial ethanol.
Ms. Nalumango reaffirmed the government’s commitment to combating alcohol abuse, as highlighted by President Hakainde Hichilema’s address to Parliament on March 15, 2024. She emphasized the government’s dedication to providing a robust legal and policy framework, including the Liquor Licensing Act of 2011, the Compulsory Standards Act of 2017, the National Alcohol Policy of 2018, the Zambia National Public Health Act No. 19 of 2020, and the National Policy on Drug and Substance Control of 2024.
Veep Nalumango urged local authorities to strengthen enforcement of existing liquor control laws and called on all Zambians to oppose the harmful consumption of alcohol.
In her capacity as the Member of Parliament for Chongwe, Minister of Lands and Natural Resources Hon. Sylvia Masebo expressed her support for the Coalition, emphasizing that combating alcohol abuse is a priority for her. Minister of Local Government and Rural Development Hon. Garry Nkombo also spoke, noting that Zambia has adequate laws to fight illicit alcohol consumption. He urged collaboration among government, civil society, and NGOs to address the issue, stressing that the normalization of illegal alcohol consumption poses a serious threat.
Mr. Nkombo concluded by reminding that the free education policy should be adhered to and not used as a pretext for illicit alcohol production.
