After several decades of rapid urbanisation, population growth and industrialisation, most developing countries have now become home to the rapidly increasing informal sector’s polluting activities. With marked failures in their use of traditional Command and Control (CAC) legislation, limited technical and fiscal environmental protection resources coupled with weak environmental protection, complimentary judicial and legislative institutions, it has become necessary for these countries to look somewhere else for environment regulation policy. This study evaluates potential contributions of public-led voluntary agreements programs in the control of informal sector pollution in Lusaka’s Soweto and City markets in Zambia. The study employs Binary Logistic Models to establish factors critical to the successful implementation of environmental management voluntary agreements in the two markets. It also uses the Contingent Valuation Method (CVM) to assess and estimate traders’ Willingness to pay (WTP) for proposed improvements to cleanliness in the markets. The main empirical data for the study was collected by means of a questionnaire survey of 93 traders in the two markets and supplemented by semi-structured interviews. The study finds that indeed voluntary agreements have a potential to control informal sector pollution in developing countries like Zambia. The study also finds that while the informal sector significantly contributes to urban pollution, they are hamstrung by lack of capacity to control their own pollution. The absence of adequate regulatory enforcement and appropriate incentives in terms of waste bins and cleaners in these markets seriously militate against the sector’s limited efforts in implementing positive environmental management in these markets. The traders’ mean willingness to pay (WTP) for the proposed improvement to cleanliness in the two market is K483,384 per trader per year while the total WTP of all the traders in the two markets is K1,208,460,000 or K1.2 billion per year. As a proportion of the traders’ average annual income, the mean WTP amounts to 0.8%. The study concludes that deliberate interventions with the aim of enhancing their capacity are necessary. In this regard specific recommendations have been made for policy intervention in specific key areas, namely; the provision of appropriate incentives in form of increasing the number of waste bins and cleaners in the markets together with supporting organisational structure and efficient services in terms of frequent removal of waste from the markets by the local authority; the expansion and strengthening of the physical presence of regulatory and enforcement agents in these markets and finally; the building of a shared understanding among the traders of the need for maintaining a clean and environmentally conducive market area through continued sensitisation programs in these markets Copyright / Dissertation (MSc(Agric))--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Agricultural Economics, Extension and Rural Development / unrestricted

Promotion of foreign direct investment in Zambia’s mining sector has been a key priority of the government ever since large scale mining commenced in the country. The sector, which confers on the country numerous benefits either from the economic or social front, has continued to grow with a number of mines being opened in most parts of the country. However, mining, by nature, leads to degradation of the environment and consequently affects the right of persons to enjoy a clean, safe and healthy environment. In light of this, it became imperative that a study is undertaken to investigate the extent to which the environment and human rights are protected from the effects of mining activities in Zambia. The purpose of undertaking this study is to suggest an approach that could be adopted in order to ensure protection of the environment from the negative effects of mining activities. In achieving this goal, a comparative approach was embraced and a qualitative method of data collection employed. The study has revealed that foreign direct investment, environmental protection, and human rights are interrelated with one common objective– enhancing the livelihood of human beings. This is evident from the policies developed and legislation enacted to protect human rights and also control mining activities in Zambia. The study has also revealed that at the international level, standards have been developed to ensure minimisation of the effects of mining activities on the environment. However, these standards are not legally binding. A key finding of the study is that although there a number of domestic policies (such as the Mineral Resources Development Policy and National Policy on Environment) and legislation (Environmental Management Act and the Mines and Mineral Development Act) that prescribe the expected standards to be upheld by mining companies, these do not contain adequate mechanisms to curtail environmentally degrading mining activities. Furthermore, institutions such as the Human Rights Commission, Mines Safety Department and Zambia Environmental Management Agency that have the responsibility of ensuring that mining companies comply with the applicable legislation have not been effective in this regard largely as a result of the numerous challenges that they face, including insufficient funding, inadequate capacity and political interference. This has led some spirited non-governmental organisations to bring court actions against erring mining companies. The analysis of the decisions rendered by the courts shows that the courts have, in these cases, taken a dim view of claims brought before them by complainants against the actions of respondent mining companies. The thesis concludes that while there has been an increase in investment in the mining sector, there are no corresponding legislative or policy measures to curtail mining activities that have negative impacts on the environment. The absence of such measures has left mining companies at liberty to act with impunity at the expense of a sound environment and consequentially, protection of the human rights of persons that live in the vicinity of the mines. It is therefore argued that the framework for foreign investment has neither facilitated protection of the environment nor guaranteed respect for human rights. In order to address this problem, a suggestion is made to the effect that Zambia's legislation needs to adopt some of the best practices that exist in the mining and environmental legislation enacted by some SADC Member States. Doing so would ensure mutual reinforcement of the framework on foreign direct investment and mining on the one hand, and environmental protection and human rights on the other. / Mini Dissertation (LLM)--University of Pretoria, 2017. / Centre for Human Rights / LLD / Unrestricted

MSc (Microbiology) / Department of Microbiology / Background: The occurrence of microorganisms and endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) in water poses a serious concern due to their effects on humans, animals and environment. In recent years, EDCs have been increasingly reported in rivers that receive large amounts of wastewater effluents. Of all the EDCs, natural and synthetic hormones are among those that are recognized for their potential to mimic or interfere with normal hormonal functions of humans and animals. The present study aimed at assessing the occurrence of these hormones in relation to the molecular diversity of Aeromonas and evaluating the resistance of Aeromonas to antibiotics as well as to assess anti-bacterial activity of two selected traditional medicinal plants. Methods: Wastewater, water and fish samples were collected from various sources (rivers, wastewater treatment plants, taps, and dams) for the detection of hormones and isolation of Aeromonas species. The analysis of hormones from various organs of the fish and from water samples was conducted, after extraction using enzymelinked immunosorbent assays (ELISA). Different types of hormones including Estriol, Estradiol, Ethinylesradiol and Testosterone were detected, and their concentrations determined. Aeromonas spp were isolated rom the samples using microbiological methods and Conventional PCR was used for genotyping as well as for detection of the beta-lactamase genes. Kirby-bauer method was used to determine the susceptibility profiles of Aeromonas to different antibiotics. Microdilution assay was used to determine the Anti-bacterial activity of the plant (Annoniceae and Zornia milneana) extracts against Aeromonas species. Results: A total of 144 samples were collected from 23 different locations in two countries: South Africa and Zambia. These included wastewater and treated wastewater, River water, fish and tap water. 17α-ethinylestradiol (EE2) was detected in most of the samples (92.7%) with concentrations varying from 0.59 ng/ml to 65 ng/ml. The hormones were also detected from drinking water, with testosterone detected at high concentrations of up to 140 ng/ml in tap water. Most sewage treatment plants were not able to remove the EE2 from the wastewater as the concentration of this hormone in the final effluent was almost always higher than that in the influent. These homones were also detected in drinking water at high concentrations of up to 53.49 ng/ml in the tap water for EE2 and 1777 ng/ml for E2. The overall detection of Aeromonas species in the samples was 84.5%. A. caviae was the most prevalent species accounting for 73.6%, followed by A. veronii with 64.6%. The bacteria were completely resistant to cefuroxime accounting for 100% resistance. Aeromonas isolates also showed high resistance to trimethroprim (88.7% for A. hydrophila), cefazolin (highest 97.8% for A. cavie), and ceftazidime (83.9% for A. sobria). TEM was the most prevalent beta-lactamase gene with detection rate of 87%. All isolates lacked the presence of the CTX-M3 gene. Also, wastewater had the highest prevalence of A. veronni and A. caviae accounting for 87.5% and 82.5% respectively. Multiple antibiotic resistance was also observed with the Aeromonas isolates being resistant to up to 11 antibiotics. High prevalence of 77.1% of Aeromonas hydrophila was observed in the presence of ethinylestradiol (EE2). Aeromonas veronii and Aeromonas caviae were the most predominant species in the presence of total estriol, A. veronii had a prevalence of 57.1% and A. caviae had a prevalence of 52.8%. Aeromonas hydrophila and Aeromonas caviae had the lower prevalence in the presence of hormones with the percentages of 26.1% and 27.8% respectively. The methanol extracts of both Zornia milneana and Annona species showed good activity against the Aeromonas spp with the lowest MIC of 0.078 mg/ml. Ethyl acetate extracts were the least effective. Conclusion: This study has shown high occurrence of steroid hormones in all types of environmental samples tested. These included tap water, river water, wastewater and fish both in Zambia and South Africa. Therefore, steroid hormones constitute and important health problem in the Southern African Sub-Region. The incapacity of the wastewater treatment plants to remove EE2 is an important problem that needs to be tackled immediately. The prevalence of Aeromonas species is very high in our environmental water as well as in drinking water, with the highest prevalence observed in fish and wastewater. It was also revealed that there is relationship between steroid hormones and Aeromonas species, with the hormones supporting the growth of Aeromonas species. The presence of beta-lactamase genes which causes Aeromonas to be resistant to antibiotics was also noted. Methanol extracts of Zornia milneana and Annona spp were the most effective against Aeromonas spp and could serve as primary sources for the isolation of lead compounds. / NRF

Master of Public Health - MPH / Background: HIV/AIDS remains a major public health issue that is affecting all population groups and communities in Zambia. Among the most affected groups are key populations (KPs) such as female sex workers. KPs are considered at high risk of contracting HIV but have limited access to HIV services and retention in care due to internalized stigma, discrimination, criminalization, and negative attitudes towards HIV treatment. Under the USAID Open Doors project in Zambia, KPs access comprehensive HIV prevention, care and treatment services. The test and treat strategy is implemented by the project in support of the UNAIDS 90-90-90 targets by 2020 to diagnose 90% of people living with HIV, put 90% of them on treatment, and for 90% of them to have suppressed viral load. Aim: This study aimed to determine retention in care among female sex workers (FSWs) in the first six months after ART initiation using the HIV care cascade. Methodology: A retrospective cohort study was conducted of all new HIV positive female sex workers (FSWs) initiated on ART between October 2018 and June 2019 (9 months period) based on the electronic records. Data were extracted from SmartCare, an electronic health record system used by the ART clinic. Microsoft Excel and Epi-Info 7 software were used for data entry and analysis. Kaplan–Meier survival analysis was conducted to examine differences in retention rates. Results: A total of 205 FSWs were initiated on ART, out of which 180 were active on ART (36 youths and 144 adults) and 25 were lost to follow-up (four youths and 21 adults) during the 9 months study period. Of the 180 FSWs active on ART, 36 were FSWs aged 18 – 24 years (youths) representing 90% retained in care while 144 were FSWs aged 25 – 42 years (adults) with 87% being retained on ART treatment. Retention in ART care was not significantly different in the survival curves between the age groups of FSW youths and FSW adults during the study period (p-value = 0.637). Retention in ART care was not statistically significant for education (p-value = 0.481), marital status (p-value = 0.545), and occupation (p-value = 0.169). Conclusion: Retention in ART care among FSWs was 88%. However, there were no significant differences by age group identified in this study. While this study shows 88% retention rate among FSWs, it will be used as a baseline in meeting the UNAIDS 90-90-90 goals.

The most important tick-borne diseases (TBDs) occurring in Zambia that affect domestic animals, particularly cattle and small ruminants, are theileriosis (East Coast fever and Corridor disease), anaplasmosis (gall sickness), babesiosis (red water), and heartwater (cowdriosis). Of these, theileriosis is the most important, causing significantly more deaths than the other tick-borne diseases combined. Despite their importance, little is known about the occurrence and prevalence of haemoparasites in cattle in the communal areas of Zambia. Clinical signs and post mortem lesions are pathognomonic of mixed tick-borne infections especially babesiosis, anaplasmosis and East Coast fever (ECF). The main objective of this study was, therefore, to screen selected communal herds of cattle for tick-borne haemoparasites and identify the tick vectors associated with the high cattle mortalities due to suspected TBDs in the local breeds of cattle grazing along the banks of the Chambeshi River in Mungwi, Zambia. East Coast fever is endemic to the district of Mungwi, Northern Province, Zambia and vector control using acaricides has proved to be very costly for the small scale farmers. Also, Mungwi experiences increased cattle mortalities between December to March and May to July. All age groups of cattle are affected. A total of 299 cattle blood samples were collected from July to September 2010 from Kapamba (n=50), Chifulo (n=102), Chisanga (n=38), Kowa (n=95) and Mungwi central (n=14) in the Mungwi District, Northern Province, Zambia. Ticks were also collected from the sampled cattle from April to July 2011. DNA was extracted and the parasite hypervariable region of the small subunit rRNA gene was amplified and subjected to the reverse line blot (RLB) hybridization assay. The results of the RLB assay revealed the presence of tick-borne haemoparasites in 259 samples occurring either as single or mixed infections. The most prevalent species present were the benign Theileria mutans (54.5%) and T. velifera (51.5%). Anaplasma marginale (25.7%), Babesia bovis (7.7%) and B. bigemina (3.3%) were also detected in the samples. Nine percent of the samples tested negative for the presence of haemoparasites. In a number of samples (4%) the PCR products failed to hybridize with any species-specific probes but hybridized only with the genus-specific probes which could suggest the presence of a novel species or variant of a species. Of the four Theileria species known to occur in Zambia (T. parva, T. mutans, T. velifera and T. taurotragi), T. parva is the most economically important, causing Corridor disease in the Southern, Central, Lusaka and the Copper-belt provinces, while causing ECF in the Northern and Eastern provinces of Zambia. In our study, only one sample (from Kapamba) tested positive for the presence of T. parva. This was an unexpected finding; also because the tick vector, Rhipicephalus appendiculatus, was identified on animals from Kowa (14%), Chisanga (8.5%), Chifulo (6%) and Kapamba (1.4%). We can only speculate that the RLB hybridization assay may not have been able to detect the parasite in the animals sampled due to a too low parasitaemia. The samples should also be subjected to the T. parva specific real-time PCR assay to determine a more accurate T. parva prevalence in cattle in the Mungwi district, Northern Province. In Zambia, Babesia bovis and B. bigemina are recognized as being of economic importance in cattle. In our study, B. bovis was present in 7.7% of the sampled animals and B. bigemina in 3.3% of the animals. We detected B. bovis in all of the five sampled areas with the highest detection in Mungwi central (14.3%) and Kowa (10.5%). As expected, the tick vector Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus was identified from animals from all of these areas. Babesia bigemina was only reported from Kowa (10.5%). The most abundant ticks identified from the sampled animals from Kowa were Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) decoloratus (36.3%) and Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus (8.8%). These tick vectors have been implicated in the transmission of B. bigemina. Our findings are in concordance with results obtained by other authors who have speculated that an increase in the detection of B. bovis may indicate that B. bovis is becoming endemic in this part of the country. This could be due to uncontrolled movement of cattle that frequently occurs within Zambia. Heartwater (cowdriosis) is caused by Ehrlichia ruminantium, a rickettsial disease that affects domestic and wild ruminants. In Zambia, heartwater is mainly a disease of cattle, although outbreaks in sheep and goats have been reported and recorded. In our study, only one sample (from Kapamba) tested positive for the presence of E. ruminantium even though Amblyomma variegatum ticks were identified from 52.9% of the sampled animals from all study areas. The cattle sampled in our study are not regularly dipped and no game has been spotted in cattle grazing areas. It is possible that these cattle may have attained a state of endemic stability to heartwater. It is also possible that the RLB hybridization assay may not have been sensitive enough to detect E. ruminantium infections if the parasitaemia was very low. Samples should also be subjected to the E. ruminantium-specific pCS20 real-time PCR assay to determine more accurately the E. ruminantium prevalence in cattle in the Mungwi district, Northern Province. Anaplasma marginale (the causative agent of bovine anaplasmosis) has previously been shown to be present in all the provinces of Zambia and is the only Anaplasma species of importance to cattle in Zambia. In our study, 25.7% of the sampled cattle tested positive for A. marginale; it was detected in all areas except Chisanga. Amblyomma variegatum was identified from 52.9% of the sampled cattle, and Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus from 12.1% of the cattle. Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus has been incriminated as being a vector of A. marginale. Furthermore, three samples (from Kowa) tested positive for the presence of Anaplasma centrale. To our knowledge, no vaccination regime using A. centrale is being conducted in the Mungwi district of Zambia. The presence of A. centrale is, therefore, an interesting finding. The results of our study suggest that the cause of cattle mortalities in Mungwi during the winter outbreaks is mainly due to A. marginale, B. bovis and B. bigemina infections. This was confirmed by the results of the RLB hybridization assay, clinical manifestation of the disease in the affected cattle (own observation) and the tick species identified on the animals. It appears that in Mungwi, babesiosis due to B. bovis mostly infects cattle above one year of age. Calves appear to be less affected by B. bovis infection. There is need for further epidemiological surveys in Mungwi district, Northern Province, Zambia to get a better understanding of the epidemiology of these tick-borne haemoparasites affecting cattle. We conclude that integrated control policies should be developed to take account of multi-species pathogen communities that are commonly associated with clinical and sub-clinical TBD infections in Zambia. / Dissertation (MSc)--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Veterinary Tropical Diseases / unrestricted

Previous research has found that voting behavior in the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) can be an expression of ideological alignment or distancing from the Western or non-Western bloc. This paper investigates whether the domestic attitude towards Russia influenced the voting behavior of Zambia and Tanzania, voting on resolutions in UNGA condemning Russia’s aggression against Ukraine in 2014 and 2022 respectively. While Tanzania abstained in both votes, Zambia abstained in 2014 and voted in favor of the resolution in 2022.  Taking departure in framing theory, I seek to identify frames of Russia in Zambia and Tanzania in the two-year periods before each vote, to answer the question if a shift in public opinion can explain, or at least coincide, with their foreign policy choices. By conducting a qualitative text analysis of articles in national newspapers, I identify five different frames of Russia. The study finds that there was a shift in media framings in both Zambia and Tanzania, indicating that public opinion could explain why Zambia, but not Tanzania, changed their position. However, the study cannot conclude whether the change originated in public opinion or somewhere else, thus leaving the question of whether shifts in public opinion explain the foreign policy decision unanswered.

This study examines the public debt, public debt service and economic growth nexus in Zambia, Zimbabwe and South Africa using time-series data from 1970 to 2017. This research provides empirical evidence to contribute, firstly, to the ongoing public policy debate regarding the dynamic relationship between public debt, public debt service and economic growth, and their causal relationship; and secondly, to the relative impact of domestic and foreign public debt on economic growth in the selected study countries. For this purpose, four empirical models were utilised and estimated using the Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) bounds to cointegration and the error correction ARDL-based causality test. Model 1 explored the impact of aggregate public debt on economic growth, while Model 2 investigated the relative impact of domestic and foreign public debt on economic growth. Model 3 examined the impact of public debt service on economic growth, whereas the causality between aggregate public debt and economic growth, and between public debt service and economic growth is tested in Model 4a and Model 4b, respectively. Results show that in Model 1, aggregate public debt has a positive impact on economic growth in Zambia but is negative in Zimbabwe and South Africa. In Model 2, domestic public debt negatively impacts economic growth in Zambia and Zimbabwe and positive impact in South Africa. In addition, foreign public debt has a positive impact on economic growth in Zambia and negative impact in Zimbabwe and South Africa. The results from Model 3 largely support a negative relationship between public debt service and economic growth in Zambia and Zimbabwe, and an insignificant relationship in South Africa. The causality results for Model 4a indicate that it is economic growth that drives public debt in all the study countries. Finally, no causal relationship between public debt service and economic growth was confirmed in all the study countries (Model 4b). / Economics / D. Phil. (Economics)

This dissertation is divided into five Chapters. The first chapter provides the background and thereafter justifies the need for this research. It also includes the research questions, the methodology employed in undertaking this research, the literature review, and the limitations of the study. Chapter Two is the theoretical framework of this dissertation. It provides the theories which underpin and explain the interplay between JW guardians’ authority which form the basis of their children’s healthcare decisions on one hand, and children’s RTH on the other hand. Chapter Three examines the legal frameworks for the protection of children’s RTH in the United Kingdom and South Africa and further provides an analysis of the norms and operation of both legal frameworks. This is in order to highlight learning points for possible law reform in Zambia for attaining an effective framework for the protection of children’s RTH. Subsequently, Chapter Four delves into Zambia’s legal framework for the protection of children’s RTH. In view of the comparative study in the preceding Chapter, this Chapter identifies the weaknesses and gaps in Zambia’s children RTH framework by drawing lessons from the foreign laws examined. Subsequently, Chapter Five concludes the study. It summarises the findings and provides the appropriate recommendations for the implementation of effective and adequate children’s RTH framework in Zambia. / Mini Dissertation (LLM)--University of Pretoria, 2021. / Centre for Human Rights / LLM / Unrestricted

This thesis analyses a dialogue between the US ambassador to Zambia and two Zambian officials, regarding LGBT+ rights, following the sentencing of a same-sex couple by the Zambian high court. The theoretical framework utilizes postcolonial theory and a few of its concepts, namely cultural imperialism, and colonial discourses. To analyse the material, critical discourse analysis was conducted to examine if colonial discourse is present in the dialogue, and if so, how the discourses are used to reproduce or challenge the uneven power relationship between the West and Zambia. The thesis could conclude that discourses of cultural imperialism as well as colonial discourses were indeed present in the dialogue. The US ambassador reproduced the uneven power structure and the Zambian officials both reproduced as well as challenged it. The findings aim to contribute to the field of global LGBT+ advocacy, especially when conducted in a postcolonial context.

In this paper, we examined the effects of real effective exchange rate (REER) changes on the Zambia´s trade balance, and whether the Marshal-Lerner condition (M-Lerner condition) and the Jcurve effect are satisfied in Zambia following the depreciation of the Zambian Kwacha (ZMK) against the U.S. dollar. Using annual time series data from 1990 through to 2019, the Johansen cointegration test results show that there is a long run relationship between the trade balance, the real effective exchange rate, the Zambia's GDP growth, the world´s GDP growth, and the Zambia´s terms of trade. A standard trade balance model was employed to estimate the long run and short run relationships between the trade balance and the variables in the trade balance model. The results from the trade balance show that the depreciation of the ZMK against the U.S. dollar improves the trade balance in the long run though the results could not validate the M-L condition since the coefficient value of REER was found to be far much less than unity (1). The results further uncover that the world´s GDP growth and the terms of trade both have a significant positive effect on the trade balance in the long run. The Zambia´s GDP growth was found to be statistically insignificant. In the short run, the results from the trade balance model show that the effects of the depreciation of the ZMK against the U.S. dollar on the trade balance were statistically insignificant, thus not consistent with the J-curve effect. The results from the Error Correction Model (ECM) on the other hand show that about 6.3% of the disequilibrium in the Zambia´s trade balance model is corrected every after one year.