Musonda Mukuka

Southern African literature is having a moment you can't afford to miss. A Zambian writer just won one of literature's most prestigious prizes. A photographer's unseen archives are rewriting Lusaka's visual history.

New year, same you? Not if you can help it. While everyone's promising to hit the gym and read more books, the real opportunity lies in skills that could actually change your bank balance. 2026 is the year to learn something that pays.

As 2025 draws to a close, it's tempting to dwell on what went wrong. But look closer, and Zambia reveals itself as a nation rich in everyday miracles. This list of 25 gratitudes celebrates the food, festivals, people, and places that make Zambia extraordinary. More than nostalgia, it's a reminder that home is built from small wonders we too often take for granted.

You don't need thousands of kwacha to start a business in Zambia—you just need to start smart. Whether you've got K500 or K10,000, there's a realistic, profitable venture waiting. From reselling accessories to poultry farming, this guide breaks down what you can actually do with your budget.

The holidays in Lusaka are chaotic, joyful, and fleeting—but your Instagram doesn't have to show it. From vintage lounges with perfect lighting to vibrant food markets and art-filled courtyards, these spots offer effortless photo opportunities without the stress. Whether you're after moody interiors, colourful cocktails, or creative murals.

Walk into any Zambian bookstore, and you'll find shelves groaning with memoirs and self-help guides. But fiction? That's rare as rain in August. Mulenga Kapwepwe's Perfect Marriage breaks that drought with a story that does something remarkable: it captures the tension between modern desires and traditional expectations without choosing sides.

Scrolling through the same apps, watching other people live their weekends—sound familiar? While Lusaka's digital world never sleeps, something remarkable is happening beyond the screens. Ready to actually touch grass this weekend?

Before smartphones and streaming services, Zambia's greatest stories travelled from grandmother to grandchild, whispered around crackling fires under star-filled skies. From a man's perilous journey to reclaim his wife from the underworld to the masked ancestors who still dance among the living, Zambia's folklore pulses with magic, morality, and timeless wisdom.

In Zambia, a funeral is a community event, not a private affair. Tradition roots in collective labour and support, seen vividly in villages, a modern shift in urban areas, where this open-door policy is sometimes exploited by individuals more focused on personal gain than genuine mourning.

What started as friendly wagers under shady trees has exploded into a digital epidemic. As betting apps sweep through Zambia, promising instant wealth with a single tap, experts warn of a generation quietly gambling away their futures.

Every nation's independence story has a face—but rarely just one. While Kenneth Kaunda's image adorns Zambian currency and monuments, the fight for freedom was waged by a coalition of brilliant, conflicted, and courageous individuals whose stories deserve equal recognition.

Zambia's most infamous bank heists aren't the Hollywood thrillers you'd expect. There are no elaborate tunnel systems or synchronised watches. Instead, these are stories of breathtaking audacity, inside knowledge, and in one case, a distraction involving cold meat.

On September 18, 1961, a DC-6 aircraft carrying UN Secretary General Dag Hammarskjöld crashed in the forests near Ndola, killing one of the most influential diplomats of the Cold War era. The official verdict: pilot error.

The Lusaka Playhouse is more than a decaying building; it's the heart of Zambian theatre. But can passion alone save it? Let's go behind the scenes of the iconic landmark, moving beyond the public debates to uncover the real financial struggles threatening its future.

In 1979, Hollywood stars landed in Lusaka to make cinema history with local actors. The result was brilliant, terrible, and Zambian all at once. This ambitious international collaboration became a beloved local cinema staple while flopping abroad.

Africa's second-largest wildebeest migration, a 200-year-old royal ceremony that transforms rivers into highways, and waterfalls that nearly claimed the name "Victoria Falls."