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Regulating Social Enterprises in Zambia: A Comparative Analysis of the Societies Act of Zambia and the Public Benefits Organisation Act of Kenya

Identification

Clé publique

doi:10.67317/ijmsrt26sep067

Auteurs

Chisopa Banda · Mildred Muhyila

Année déclarée

2026

Langue déclarée

en

Type source

article

Première détection

2026-11-09T19:04:47.929175+00:00

Dernière observation des métadonnées

2026-11-09T19:04:47.929175+00:00

Dernière vérification HTTP

Non effectuée

Institutions déclarées par la source

Zambia Centre for Accountancy Studies

Pays d’affiliation déclarés

ZM

Résumé documentaire — langue originale

The study addresses the absence of a clear and enabling legal framework for social enterprises in Zambia, particularly under the Societies Act, which does not recognise social enterprises as a distinct legal category and therefore limits their legal status, governance structures, and operational effectiveness. It examines the adequacy of the Societies Act (Government of Zambia, 1957) in regulating social enterprises and compares it with Kenya‟s Public Benefits Organisations Act (Government of Kenya, 2013), which provides a more structured and facilitative legal framework for organisations operating for public benefit. This study employs a qualitative doctrinal legal research methodology, involving an analytical review of primary legal sources, including the Societies Act of Zambia (Government of Zambia, 1957) and the Kenyan Public Benefits Organisations Act (Government of Kenya, 2013), as well as secondary sources such as journal articles, policy papers, and scholarly works. The findings reveal that Zambia‟s legal framework is largely compliance-oriented, does not confer separate legal personality on social enterprises, lacks provisions on profit reinvestment, governance standards, and social impact reporting, and provides no dedicated regulatory institution, thereby constraining the growth and sustainability of social enterprises. In contrast, Kenya‟s framework provides clearer legal recognition, structured governance requirements, and accountability mechanisms that support operational autonomy and public benefit objectives. The study further finds that these differences reflect divergent policy approaches, with Zambia favouring administrative control while Kenya adopts an enabling and facilitative model. It is therefore recommended that Zambia introduces a dedicated legal framework for social enterprises, confers separate legal personality upon registration, establishes mandatory profit reinvestment and governance standards, introduces social impact reporting obligations, creates an independent regulatory authority, and develops a national social enterprise policy to foster a more enabling environment for social entrepreneurship and socio-economic development.

Identifiants

OPENALEX

W7213748527

DOI

10.67317/ijmsrt26sep067

Repères documentaires

Famille documentaire

Doctrine

Types déclarés par les sources

article

Juridictions étudiées — sources explicites

KE · ZM

Les mentions d’entités ne constituent pas une preuve de reconnaissance juridique. La juridiction étudiée est distincte du pays d’affiliation des auteurs.

Sources

OpenAlex · Document 1 · Document 2

• DOI · https://doi.org/10.67317/ijmsrt26sep067
• OpenAlex · https://openalex.org/W7213748527

Relations bibliographiques documentées

Références et liens déclarés par les sources ; ils ne constituent pas une preuve juridique ni une qualification UGLC. Affichage limité à 20 références sortantes.

• openalex:w2085524443 · CITES
• openalex:w2089229253 · CITES
• openalex:w2871618751 · CITES
• openalex:w3214576910 · CITES

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Statut documentaire

Pertinence à examiner

Bibliothèque

Cette identité n’est pas encore intégrée à la Bibliothèque juridique.