Cannabis in Zambia: Interview with Daniel Tonga

To cultivate cannabis for exportation one needs to obtain a license which has been pegged at US $250,000. This price is beyond the reach of most locals.

– Daniel Tonga

Cannabis, in Africa as a whole, is still a hushed conversation and when the subject comes up the arguments are rather antiquated. That said, a handful of countries are gradually warming up to the economic potential of hemp, at least to revive ailing economies. A few others are considering the therapeutic potential of cannabis as well, Zambia is one of such countries. We spoke to Daniel Tonga to get an insider view.

Meet Daniel.

You have a background in Economics. How did you find yourself in cannabis?

I have done research projects in economics and I have written several research papers in the area of economics. As an economist, I found myself in cannabis because I have been giving my economic views on cannabis. Generally, I have been speaking about the economic impact of legalizing cannabis for medicinal and export purposes in Zambia. Previously, there has been so much debate regarding cannabis legalization in Zambia for medicinal and export reasons. Some people have objected to this, but I always sided with views that legalizing cannabis for medicinal and export purpose is good for economic benefits.

Cannabis has a long history in Zambia, can you give us some background on how it all began?

First of all, cannabis was not indigenous to Africa and was most likely brought by Arab traders from India. It arrived on the east coast at trade hubs like Zanzibar and Mozambique, and then it moved up the Zambezi river basin until finally reaching Zambia. It should be noted that when David Livingstone first explored southern Africa, cannabis became known for its effectiveness in helping people become efficient in work. It was later discovered that it was a stimulant for bravery and sexual activities.

The crop was used in southern Africa including Zambia. So, its history dates back to colonial times. In Zambia, the crop was first traditionally grown in Livingstone, Zambia in the southern part. It was basically used as a stimulant for work and other activities. When the crop was banned by the colonial masters, its prohibition continued even after Zambia got its independence from colonial masters.

What’s the legal status of cannabis in Zambia? What can one do or not do? Are there any efforts that are being made towards full legalization and what is the progress so far?

Cannabis is illegal for recreational use in Zambia. However, Zambia enacted two laws, the Cannabis Act, 2021 and the Industrial Hemp Act, 2021. The enactment of these laws came after deliberation by cabinet under then, Patriotic Front government – PF (Now out of power), decision to permit the production and export of cannabis for medical and export purposes. The reason for this move was driven basically by the need to boost foreign exchange sources for economic growth. Currently, one cannot use cannabis for recreation under the Zambia law and if anyone is found cultivating cannabis for recreation purposes, they face being arrested, sentenced and jailed. Therefore, it is illegal for recreation use.

Zambia has only legalized cultivation and production of Cannabis only for economic and medicinal purposes, even then the process towards pull legalization is at snail’s pace. That said, to cultivate cannabis for exportation one needs to obtain a license which has been pegged at US $250,000. This price is beyond the reach of most locals.

The cost of a cultivation license in Zambia is out-of-reach for most locals. Is this true?

Yes, the cost of license fee is exorbitant. It has been pegged at US $250,000 which is preventing many local Zambians from participating in this cannabis business. So there has been a cry that these fees should be revised because they only serve the interest of those foreign investors who can manage to pay that kind of money.

The Zambian government intends to boost Zambia’s failing economy through the export of hemp and cannabis? How is this going so far?

The cannabis and hemp industries are still in developing stages; therefore, it might take some few more years before we begin to see the benefits trickling down and boosting Zambia’s economy. Exports are still dominated by copper, agriculture and tourism, and not cannabis and hemp as yet. However, the recent change of government has helped boost investor confidence which will help improve the economy. In addition, I must state that if effectively harnessed, cannabis production for exports is expected to garner about $34 billion per annum.

Zambia definitely has several legacy cannabis operators. What efforts are being made to incorporate them into the legal industry?

We expect to see some of these incorporated because once they become legal, they will be allowed to trade. So far, this process has been very slow.

7. Many African nations, even where weed is illegal, import cannabis. What’s your take on this?

In Zambia, imports are only allowed for cannabis that is meant for medicinal purposes. However, imports that come through illegal means are done by cartels and businesses that illegally sell weed to the public, and this is not a good thing. I support importations that are legal and meant for medicinal purposes and not illegal important for recreation use.

8. The Zambian government intends to woo foreign investors to the hemp and cannabis industry at the expense of local investors. What do you think about this trend and what is likely to be the repercussion?

This is not a good move because wooing investors in cannabis industry at the expense of local investors is killing our own local industries. This move means that foreign investors will benefit more, and they don’t have interests of host countries at heart. I think, local investors must be prioritized and incentivized so that they can be developed to compete effectively at the international level. So having more foreign investors, will allow them to benefit more from profits than locals which is not good for the country that wants to support locals. In fact, there is big business for hemp and locals need to be supported. According to Africa Cannabis Report estimates that legal hemp industry could be worth more than 7.1 billion USD annually by 2023.

9. Having legalized the growing of medicinal cannabis in 2019, Zambia is a pace-setter in the African region. What have been some of the challenges that marijuana farmers have encountered so far?

The challenges are common. The first one is that cannabis and hemp production is costly, and farmers require substantial funds to finance the production processes. The other challenge is that farmers are finding it hard to find a market for their products.

10. The African cannabis market has huge potential. Is it too early to invest in this market?

No, it is not too early, in fact it is too late to invest in the market. For so many years, Africa failed to take advantage of the crop. The cannabis market has huge potential and if Africa had started earlier, we would have benefited hugely. The increasing legalization of cannabis now across Africa has made it an attractive industry and the Africa’s cannabis industry is projected to grow beyond $7 billion by 2023 which is good for the continent of Africa.

11. Congratulations on your new book, “Enemies of Truth.” Tell us about this project?

Thank you! Enemies of Truth is a new book that talks about truth and its importance. As you know the world hates truths. When the world drifts away from the truth, it begins to hate those who tell the truth – the journalist.

This project has taken me three years to complete. The book details my life as a journalist, how I started my career, the challenges I faced and how I managed to ascend my journalism career becoming a prominent journalist reporting for international news brands, like Voice of America, France24 among others. It details threats I faced, my fears and what guided me most in difficult times. It is the first edition and will be on the market this year in March 2022. All I can say, is that it’s a page-turner and get a copy!

Thanks Daniel for taking the time to share your insights about cannabis in Zambia and Africa as a whole.