The Minister of Industrialisation and Trade, Lucia Iipumbu, is concerned about the interference by some political parties and pressure groups in labour disputes.

Iipumbu emphasises the importance of utilising established channels and advocates for a collabourative stance when dealing with labour issues.

She believes that adopting a cooperative approach is more likely to yield positive results than unilateral actions that may aggravate the situation and lead to job losses.

"We have been witnessing confrontations between various traders and some political parties, which I want to denounce. We have platforms with which we can engage, and if we see that there are developments that we are not appreciating and that are not beneficial to either the employees or the traders, let us take those concerns to relevant authorities."

Iipumbu says the business environment in the country is favourable and has attracted numerous investors over the years.

However, she strongly condemns employers who mistreat their employees, emphasising the need for fair treatment and respect in the workplace.

The minister highlighted the successful festive season, noting that supermarkets and other service providers were able to meet the demand for basic necessities.

"Trading has been smooth; I have not gone to a shop where they said they had run out of this and that. We did not run out of fuel as we have in the past, and it's my hope that as we move towards the end of the festive season, we will still do it in an orderly fashion."

The minister also urged businesses to engage with her ministry to explore various funding opportunities available for business advancement.