Lusaka | May 26, 2026 – Behind Zambia’s fight against financial crime and illicit financial flows lies an extensive system of institutional coordination that rarely attracts public attention.
At the centre of that effort is Inter-Agency Coordination and Cooperation Framework, which brings together institutions involved in financial intelligence, investigations, prosecution, regulation, law enforcement and asset recovery, making it one of Zambia’s most important collaborative platforms in the fight against financial and transnational crime.
That coordination was on full display this morning as the Technical Committee of the Inter-Agency Coordination and Cooperation Framework convened its second in-person meeting of 2026 at the Bank of Zambia.
The Technical Committee, which meets monthly, serves as the operational engine of the Framework, coordinating inter-agency collaboration, reviewing ongoing initiatives and addressing emerging enforcement and financial integrity issues. Under the committee’s hybrid arrangement introduced this year, physical meetings are held every other month, with virtual meetings conducted in between.
This Committee supports the Framework’s Steering Committee which is made up of heads of member institutions. The Sterring Coming meets quarterly to provide strategic direction, strengthen institutional coordination and guide national responses to financial and organised crime threats.
Beyond this morning’s operational discussions, the Technical Committee meeting also marked an important institutional transition within the Framework, following recent organisational changes within the National Prosecution Authority triggered by the elevation of senior NPA officials to the Judiciary as High Court Judges.
Among them is Ms. Nkumbiza Thelma Mumba, who until recently served as Chief State Advocate at the NPA and Chairperson of this Technical Committee, a role she had held since the Framework’s establishment. Her appointment to the High Court Bench has since been ratified by Parliament, with her swearing-in scheduled for tomorrow at State House.
Members formally welcomed Mrs. Chali Rachel Mbewe-Hambayi, the newly appointed Chief State Advocate, who attended the meeting in her new capacity and now assumes the role of Chairperson of the Technical Committee.
The meeting also marked a key handover within the Framework Secretariat, housed under the NPA’s Asset Forfeiture Department.
Since the Framework’s creation, the Secretariat and coordination functions of both the Technical and Steering Committees had been overseen by Mrs. Margaret Kapambwe-Chitundu. Following her recent transfer to head the Gender-Based Crimes and Child Protection Department, Mrs. Kapambwe-Chitundu formally handed over the convenorship role to her successor in the Asset Forfeiture Department, Mrs. Mutinta Chilufya.
Mrs. Chilufya will now serve as Convenor of both the Technical and Steering Committee meetings going forward.
While much of the Framework’s work happens away from public view, its role remains central to Zambia’s efforts to strengthen financial integrity systems, improve intelligence sharing and reinforce national responses to economic and organised crime.
Today’s meeting ultimately highlighted an important reality that leadership may change, but the institutional work of protecting national systems continues uninterrupted.