Former Zambia presidential candidate and opposition Green Party President Peter Sinkamba has called on his country’s authorities to expedite the implementation of the Cannabis Act (33), 2021 and the Industrial Hemp Act (34), 2021 in order to rescue Zambia from the crippling effects of the Iran War.
Sinkamba’s call comes after Zambian Treasury Secretary Felix Nkulukusa recently revealed that if the ongoing Middle East War pitting Iran against the United States and Israel continued up to the end of the year, Zambia’s total revenue loss bill would increase to 11.97-billion Zambian Kwacha (K11.97-billion) or US$632 308 000 equivalent.
Despite a fragile ceasefire the US and Iran struck recently in an attempt to secure lasting peace through dialogue, oil price hikes have persisted on world markets as international efforts continue to dampen the oil trade jitters. In Zambia, the suspension of a fuel tax has meant the government has had to carry the can of fuel price hikes.
Responding to Nkulukusa’s announcement, Sinkamba expressed grave concerns that the treasury would be able to maintain the required revenue levels as the fallout from the Middle East conflict widens. In remarks to Zambian media, Sinkamba said: “This is the time for the government to implement measures that can help the country from losing more revenue because the war in the Middle East will not finish any time soon.”
He highlighted that the continued loss of revenue would empty treasury coffers and force the government to borrow money, a situation he viewed as untenable, given current attempts to grow the economy.
To prevent this, government needed to put in place measures to cushion the country against the financial effects of the Middle East war. One viable alternative was to implement the cannabis and hemp legislative protocols to help Zambia generate revenue, Sinkamba suggested.
Sinkamba has for years been calling on Zambia to adopt cannabis to help stimulate economic growth. He most memorably ran on a legalisation ticket in the 2015 and 2016 presidential elections.
In an exclusive interview with Cannabiz Africa last year, Sinkamba blamed the country’s failure to implement a viable cannabis sector on government ineptitude.
He also criticised authorities for entrusting the Zambian military, officially the Zambia Defence Force National Service (ZDFNS) with the cannabis industry. The ZDFNS is the sole entity permitted with the cultivation and sale of cannabis in Zambia. Mr Sinkamba has warned that thearrangement will be a disaster for the country.
However, the government has retained the military monopoly set-up and recently announced members to a new National Cannabis Coordinating Committee (NCCC), to take the country’s cannabis agenda forward. Zambia has legislated for medicinal and industrial use with recreational cannabis use still off the limits and strictly prohibited.
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