• For instance North Western province and Northern for quiet sometimes if you look at our data has had elevated inflation rates.
• Reduced price increases for meat products, chicken, fish cooking oils, appreciation of the
• Economists to understand what is happening regarding inflation rate.

Zambia Statistics Agency (ZAMSTATS) says 9.7 percent slowdown in annual Inflation rate for the Month of June is a national average rate.

Speaking during a Public Discussion Forum hosted by Economics Association of Zambia in Lusaka, ZAMSTATS Interim Statistician General Mulenga Musepa said on a provincial scale, there are some provinces such as Northwestern Province that recorded increased inflation rate at 13.9 percent from 13.2 percent and others slowed to 6.4 percent such as central province from 6.8 percent.

“But you can see the other provinces inflation was higher and below there is only Lusaka (8.2%), Eastern (6.6) and Central (6.4%) which had lower inflation,” he said.

Mr. Musepa as such requested economists “from the Agency point of view” to have an understanding on what is causing higher inflation in other parts of the country whiles some with lower inflation explaining that that some of these provinces have people with lower incomes “and therefore with higher inflation they would actually erode the meagre incomes if at all they have anything, and therefore the importance of paying attention when we break inflation by region.”

Mr. Musepa noted doing so will help in targeting various interventions to improve interventions and income earning opportunities in the various provinces after he said that there is also for an employment apart from the national average which will musk the reality “we also break it to provinces” and Youth unemployment.

“For instance North Western province and Northern for quiet sometimes if you look at our data has had elevated inflation rates, so what is the problem because you could have these provinces pulling up inflation because of economic structures so you need to go into that and find out,” he explained.

He also highlighted that the Manual used to compile the Zambia Consumer price Index was developed by International Labour Organisation (ILO), International Monetory Fund (IMF), OECD, Eurostat, UNICEF and World Bank among other partners.

Mr. Musepa said Zamstats observed that main factors that have contributed to slow down in inflation rate include reduced price increases for meat products, chicken, fish cooking oils, appreciation of the Kwacha and currently sustained stability, Gradual recovery of Cattle industry from 2018 as well as easing of covid-19 restrictions which led to improved supply of goods.

And Economist Chibamba Kanyama observed there has been so much narrative after Zambia Statistics Agency made an announcement on the single digit inflation from the Media.

Mr. Kanyama had since urged Economists to understand what is happening regarding inflation rate so they may be able to explain the subject through various Media platforms, emphasizing need for multiple voices.

“The strategy has been to ask, identify many more other economists and I believe that” there are many more other economists who should be answering to these questions.

“Capable individuals, and you are among those capable individuals you have to understand what is happening,” he told Economists.

An Economic Association of Zambia (EAZ) Interim National Secretary Gibson Masumbu in his closing remarks welcomed suggestion for the Association to work together with ZAMSTATS to ensure there is an expansion in terms of educating the masses.

He said EAZ would ensure it takes up the role and work with various entities that will provide the vital information for the association to do so.