In 2025, consider the poor – JCTR

By NATION REPORTER

NORMAN Chavula, the acting executive director at the Jesuit Centre for Theological Reflection (JCTR) says Government should next year reform its policies to prioritise the poor and most vulnerable in the wake of high cost of living and drought.
Mr Chavula said there was need for policy reform to prioritise human-centred and on economic restoration but also alleviate the burden on vulnerable populations.
“As Zambia prepares for 2025, JCTR urges the government to enhance the various measures put in place to reduce poverty and vulnerability but also make them more human centred to address the high cost of living,” Mr Chavula said.
He said policy reforms should prioritise human-centred approaches that not only focused on economic restoration but also alleviated the burden on vulnerable populations.
He said economic recovery had been stalled by the drought and the slowing down of the economy.
“Zambian families feel the squeeze inflation averaged 15 percent in 2024, exceeding the target band of six percent to eight, eroding purchasing power, and straining household incomes,” Mr Chavula said.
He said the escalation of food prices had disproportionately impacted the 60 percent of Zambians living in poverty, particularly in urban areas, where poverty rates were rising faster than in rural regions.
Mr Chavula said frequent and long hours of power outages lasting more than 12 hours and even days in some cases, had significantly disrupted small and medium-sized enterprises, reducing profitability, triggering job losses, and increasing closures.
“At household level, energy disruptions have escalated costs for food preservation and alternative energy sources, further diminishing quality of life,” he