Zambian government moves to repeal outdated petroleum, land Acts

Cabinet has approved in principle the introduction of a Bill in Parliament to repeal the Petroleum Act No. 28 of 1930, in order to align it with the dynamic changes in the petroleum industry.

Chief Government Spokesperson, Cornelius Mweetwa, said in a statement issued in Lusaka on Thursday that the nearly century-old Act was originally designed to regulate the exploration, extraction, and management of petroleum resources.

However, Mweetwa noted that the petroleum landscape had changed significantly over the decades, rendering many provisions of the current Act outdated and inadequate.

“The current Act has an inadequate scope and is unable to address emerging issues in the subsector, including price support mechanisms such as uniform petroleum pricing to mitigate high fuel costs in rural areas,” he said.

He added that the proposed Bill would introduce international best practices in the management of petroleum importation, transportation, quality assurance, storage, the use of sustainable fuels, and penalties for non-compliance.

Read more: Petroleum prices hit historic mark, as fuel rises to K34.19, diesel K32.15 per liter

Mweetwa said the updated legislation was expected to enhance efficiency, safety, and oversight throughout the petroleum supply chain.

Meanwhile, Cabinet also approved in principle the introduction of a Bill to repeal the Land (Perpetual Succession) Act, Chapter 186 of the Laws of Zambia.

“This is intended to ensure that accurate and timely information on Trusts—such as details on the creator, trustee, and beneficiaries—is available to government authorities,” Mweetwa said.

He explained that the reform would also empower law enforcement agencies, financial institutions, and other competent authorities to access information on the beneficial ownership and control of Trusts.

Mweetwa warned that the current legislation is susceptible to abuse by individuals or entities seeking to use Trusts as vehicles for money laundering and financing of terrorism.

The Land (Perpetual Succession) Act allows societies, churches, and non-governmental organisations to register Trusts for land ownership.

Mweetwa said the planned repeal was aimed at plugging legal gaps and strengthening safeguards against misuse.

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