Gabriel Pollen, PhD.

Good morning, Zambia 🇿🇲

Firstly, HAPPY NEW MONTH! We thank God for yet another new moon to “go ye therefore” and do what is right and good.

This morning I featured on the Morning Live show discussing Lusaka City Council’s exciting new e-Council cashless digital payment system; a major milestone in our city’s digital transformation. The platform (ecouncils.gov.org.zm) allows residents, property owners, and businesses to pay for council services online without cash. It was introduced to boost transparency, eliminate revenue leakages and fraud, reduce long queues, and improve service delivery, among others.

By creating a full digital audit trail, the system strengthens accountability while supporting the Government’s broader e-Government and cashless economy agenda under ZamPortal.

The platform is simple and convenient: users register or log in, select a service, receive an instant invoice, and pay using Airtel mobile money (MTN & Zamtel coming soon), cards, bank transfers, or USSD. Services now available include property rates, business levies, fire certificates, health permits, market levies, bus station fees, billboards, personal levy, and other licenses. Once paid, you get an immediate electronic receipt, and council officers can verify it in real-time for faster processing. No more endless queues or lost paper receipts — 24/7 access from anywhere!

This initiative brings greater security through encryption, OTP authentication, and audit trails, while ensuring inclusivity via help desks, sensitization campaigns, and assisted services for the elderly and less digitally-savvy citizens. As one of the pilot councils, Lusaka is leading the way, with national rollout planned soon. I encourage every resident and business to embrace this change — it means faster services, reduced costs, no middlemen, and a more efficient, transparent Lusaka.

Have you tried the new system yet? Share your experience below 👇

TUNE IN

FULL DISCLOSURE: MY WEIGHT LOSS

I’ve had a lot of friends, colleagues, acquaintances and strangers message me lately worried about my weight loss. The gossip mill has been moving. Some asked if I’m ill or going through a tough time. Some mocked me and some made all sorts of disparaging remarks, including some very unsound claims. I get it. We are all different. We are all driven by different values, perspectives and interests.

However, we live in a world where “normal” has shifted. Over the last 2-3 decades, average body fat has climbed everywhere. In the US, adult obesity went from ∼23% in 1994 to ∼42% today. In the UK, it’s gone from ∼15% in 1993 to ∼28% today. Zambia is following the same curve.

I was reminded of this by a ZNBC report from Levy Mwanawasa University Teaching Hospital: 40 out of every 60 patients they see present with elevated blood pressure. Hypertension is now a major public health concern, and doctors point to high salt intake, excess weight, lack of exercise, and smoking as key risk factors.

That’s part of why I chose this route. Holistic wellness, fitness, and health. Not frailty. Strength.

At my age, I’m the lightest I’ve been in over 25 years, and honestly the strongest and healthiest I’ve ever been. Lifting heavier than I ever have. BMI well within the healthy range. And yes, after 30 years of trying, I’m finally a member of the “six pack abs club”. I would have happily shown you proof if that privilege wasn’t reserved for my wife only. For now, you will have to do with the attached studio pictures taken today as evidence of my claims.

Fitness is my passion and has correspondingly become my stress valve. With an increasingly demanding job, I run a strict schedule: up at 4am to train, 5-10km walk afterwards, all before work starts. By end of day I’m hitting 15-20,000 steps while balancing work + family.

I could argue decision to get leaner was just my competitive nature. I read that statistically, you’re more likely to be a millionaire than have visible abs. Since I’m not a millionaire yet, I figured a ripped physique at 44 was a worthy challenge. The journey’s been humbling. I’ve learned how much body fat most of us carry, and how much we overestimate muscle mass underneath it. I know it’s not everyone. To each their own. It’s a personal journey for me. We are all motivated differently. I choose to be lean and strong. It may not be your cup of tea and that’s ok.

So no, I’m not ill. I’m healthy. Strong. Focused. And the photos you’ll see here were shot at Pollen Studio - Lusaka (Pollen Studio at Woodlands Mall) - they did an incredible job capturing this milestone. I hesitated to post the pictures because, well, there will always be mixed reactions, but if this serves as inspiration for at least one person, then it’s worth it. More fitness related content coming, buckle up!

PS: I occasionally use this personal page to promote my private businesses too. Thanks for supporting both sides of me.

To everyone genuinely worried: I appreciate you.
And to everyone inspired: start small, move daily, eat for health, not just taste. Your future self will thank you.
And to those who mocked me, take a good look at yourself in the mirror. Be honest. Be kind.

A gratifying engagement, pushing Government’s digital transformation agenda …

𝐋𝐔𝐒𝐀𝐊𝐀 𝐂𝐈𝐓𝐘 𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐂𝐈𝐋 𝐔𝐍𝐕𝐄𝐈𝐋𝐒 𝐃𝐈𝐆𝐈𝐓𝐀𝐋 𝐏𝐀𝐘𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓 𝐒𝐘𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐌, 𝐍𝐎 𝐌𝐎𝐑𝐄 𝐂𝐀𝐒𝐇 𝐏𝐀𝐘𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐒

The Lusaka City Council (LCC) has launched a new digital payment system to make council services faster, more transparent and accessible to residents and businesses.

Appreciating the system at Civic Centre this afternoon, Permanent Secretary for Administration in the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, Dr. Gabriel Pollen,, said the introduction of the digital payment system by the council marks a key milestone in Zambia’s digital transformation journey.

He noted that the platform allows residents and business owners to pay for services such as property rates, business levies, fire certificates, health permits, market levies and bus station fees online, eliminating the need for manual processes.

“This initiative is not only a triumph for Lusaka but also a demonstration of how local authorities can modernize service delivery, strengthen accountability and enhance convenience for the public,”Dr. Pollen said.

He added that the system aligns with the government’s broader e-Council agenda, which will see all local authorities integrated onto the Government Service Bus by 1st July 2026, to ensure interoperability, efficiency and transparency across councils.

Dr. pollen urged other councils across the country to follow Lusaka’s example, saying digitisation reduces queues, cuts transport costs for citizens, and improves revenue mobilisation.

He called on Lusaka residents and the business community to take advantage of the system by self-registering online or seeking assistance at the LCC help desk.

Lusaka Town Clerk Eng. Liftery Ndaba said the council was committed to delivering citizen-centred services and thanked the ministry, Ministry of Finance and National Planning, Smart Zambia Institute and technical partners for their support.

He noted that the system would help reduce long queues, strengthen revenue collection, and build public trust as well as empower residents, especially women and youth, by providing easier access to services and creating a more responsive local government.

This unveiling positions Lusaka City Council as the first to practically demonstrate the e-Council model ahead of the national rollout.

Senior Public Service Management Meeting (SPSMM)
——————————————-

Today, Cabinet Office convened the monthly Senior Public Service Management Meeting, where Permanent Secretaries and senior government officials provide updates on key policy implementations and national priorities.

Under the leadership of the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development (MLGRD), one of the major highlights was the ongoing efforts to strengthen Local Authorities’ revenue collection systems. Our goal is clear: reduce Councils’ over-reliance on the national treasury and make own-source revenues the foundation for effective service delivery.

Key Highlights:
- All 116 Councils in Zambia are now designated as rating authorities.
- Progressive rollout of Revenue Enhancement Plans across Local Authorities.
- Strengthened collaboration through MoUs with ZRA, Lands, and ZESCO for better data sharing.
- Encouragement of remissions and poundage reductions on property rates to boost compliance.

Digitalization: The Game Changer in Revenue Mobilisation

A major anchor of this strategy is digital transformation. We are fast-tracking the onboarding of Local Authority services onto the Government Service Bus (Zamportal) - e-Council System.
Lusaka City Council (LCC) is leading the way — officially live on Zamportal since 26th May 2026!

LCC Goes Digital — no more queues, no more run-around. True empowerment through technology!

Residents and businesses can now:
- Pay business levies, market fees, billboards, bus station fees, health permits, fire certificates, and more
- Track payments and applications 24/7
- Enjoy faster, transparent, cashless services with no lost receipts

This is just the beginning. The remaining pilot councils (Ndola, Kitwe, Solwezi, Chingola, Kalulushi, Kalumbila & Chilanga) will go live by 30th June 2026.

We remain committed to modernising local governance and improving service delivery for all Zambians.

Dr. Gabriel Pollen, PhD
Permanent Secretary (Administration)
MLGRD

Proud to Serve Zambia 🇿🇲

As Permanent Secretary (Administration) at the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, I remain deeply committed to my duty and fully dedicated to advancing the Ministry’s mandate.

From effective policy implementation and robust supervision of local authorities, to the delivery of critical infrastructure projects — including township roads, feeder roads, bridges, crossing points, chiefs’ palaces, markets, and bus stations — we continue to work tirelessly to uplift our communities.

We will sustain our guidance and support to local authorities as they implement the transformative Constituency Development Fund (CDF) programme, ensuring it delivers meaningful development at the grassroots level.

Serving the people of Zambia under the visionary leadership of His Excellency Mr. Hakainde Hichilema, President of the Republic of Zambia, is both an honour and a privilege. His leadership has been central to the unprecedented developmental and economic gains our nation has witnessed in recent years.

We remain focused, accountable, and results-driven in building a better Zambia for all.

Dr. Gabriel Pollen, PhD
PS-A
MLGRD