Akatoka N Kayama

Greet with a hearty “Eh Mwane!” alongside three claps and don’t come close to the sacred muselo. Any person who steps on the muselo has their shoes confiscated!

Heroes' Day exists because Zambia's independence was not peacefully handed over but painfully fought for from the colonial rulers. It is Zambia's collective gesture of gratitude to the architects of freedom, known and unknown.

At the heart of it all stands Chief Monze, adorned in leopard skins and ivory, his presence a bridge between the living and the spirits. Here, every gesture carries meaning: the scattering of grain, the pouring of beer, the rhythmic stomping of the Chitombi dancers.

Nearby, Chief Mukuni, draped in regal animal skins, leads a procession, his presence a bridge between the living and the ancestral spirits watching from the mist. For those who stand witness, the ceremony is more than a performance, it’s an invitation to step inside a story still being written.

He established Zambia as a sovereign nation, implementing the philosophy of Humanism as a national ideology, and achieved regional anti-apartheid advocacy in supporting liberation movements across Southern Africa.

As the next ECF review looms in November 2025, the government faces a critical test. Can it maintain the current reform momentum while addressing immediate economic pain points?

Zambia’s healthcare system faces a critical juncture after the U.S. government's decision to reduce $50 million in annual aid for medication and medical supplies. There are concerns about how Zambia will continue its HIV, malaria, and tuberculosis programs.