The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) hosted the second stakeholder consultative meeting in Lusaka on the revised Competition and Consumer Protection General Regulations, Statutory Instrument No. 97 of 2011, and the Guidelines for the Issuance of Administrative Penalties. The review was to align the regulations and guidelines with the Competition and Consumer Protection (Amendment) Act No. 21 of 2023.

Officiating the meeting, CCPC Vice Board Chairperson, Mr. Sikambala Musune, emphasized stakeholder value as a key pillar for the Commission, describing the engagement as a partnership built on consensus and shared responsibility.

Commissioner Musune, stressed that penalties are not meant to be punitive for their own sake but serve as deterrents to promote compliance. By clearly defining how penalties are determined and applied, the Commission aims to reduce uncertainty in business operations and enhance fairness in enforcement.

Meanwhile, CCPC Executive Director, Mrs. Eunice Phiri Hamavhwa, said that with Lusaka being the center for fair trade in Zambia, there is a need to build a shield that protects consumers and a lighthouse that guides businesses towards fair growth.

The Lusaka engagement follows the inaugural consultative meeting held in Livingstone and forms part of a nationwide series of consultations scheduled to take place across four districts.