Parliament adds K300 million to contingencies fund as El Niño threat looms

The National Assembly on Wednesday approved K300 million for the government's contingencies vote, with Finance and National Planning Minister Situmbeko Musokotwane saying it was needed because of the expected effects of El Niño. The money was approved under Head 21, Loans and Investments, as part of Supplementary Estimates No. 2 of 2026. An MP from Shiwang'andu asked what had made the increase necessary, noting that the K300 million comes on top of the K510 million he said had already been appropriated and that the financial year ends in about two months. Mr Musokotwane said the provision was required "in view of the anticipated adverse effects of the El Nino" this year. "There is November, there is December. You can't tell what is going to happen," he told the House. No one else debated the vote and it was approved on a voice vote. ## Background On 11 September, Secretary to the Cabinet Patrick Kangwa presented the 2026/27 seasonal rainfall outlook. It said southern Zambia was expected to receive below-normal rain because of El Niño, while the north was expected to get normal to above-normal rain from October to December. About 1.2 million people, or 7 percent of the population analysed in 93 districts, could face acute food insecurity between October 2026 and March 2027. Mr Kangwa told all provincial administrations to put multisectoral contingency plans into effect immediately. The 2023/24 drought, also linked to El Niño, hit crop production in 84 of the country's 116 districts and left about 1.6 million people needing food assistance. ## Why it matters The vote gives the government cash it can spend without a specific budget line if drought or related shocks strike before the year closes. The Minister did not say how the K300 million would be used or what would trigger its release. ## What happens next The House sits again on Thursday, and Mr Musokotwane presents the 2027 Budget on Friday.