BongoHive, Lusaka’s technology and innovation hub has engaged Musa Dudhia & Co, to make legal services accessible to BongoHive start-ups. BongoHive programs guide startups through the entrepreneurial journey; from idea right through to getting investment.

Speaking during the official announcement of the development in Lusaka this morning, BongoHive Co-founder and Head of Entrepreneurship, Simunza Muyangana spoke of how legal guidance for startups is often overlooked but a very vital aspect to building a scalable business. “As an SME starts to grow, it is important to have appropriate documentation in place to protect the business and it’s assets. Having an experienced corporate and commercial team of lawyers to discuss a start-up’s options upfront may help avoid unwanted results down the road, like paying more in taxes or exposing yourself to unnecessary liability,’’ said Simunza Muyangana.

Musa Dudhia & Co was our preferred choice of law firm as a result of its extensive Zambian expertise, commercial transactions and dispute resolution. Chambers and Partners Guide to the World’s Leading Lawyers (recognised as an independent benchmark for law firms around the world) has ranked MDC as number one in Zambia for the last 14 years, with four of its senior lawyers ranked for special mention. In addition, it is a member of ALN which is a Pan African alliance of independent top tier African firms in Zambia, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Madagascar, Mozambique, Botswana, Mauritius, Malawi, Nigeria, Sudan, Ethiopia, Algeria, Morocco and Guinea, with an associated South African and Dubai firm.

Also speaking during the official announcement, BongoHive Executive Director and co-founder, Lukonga Lindunda added that, “the local entrepreneurship ecosystem needs more private and public sector partnerships in order to drive growth of SMEs. BongoHive is constantly looking for opportunities that will provide local SMEs with the support necessary to become global companies,” said Lukonga Lindunda.

Mr. Abdulla Dudhia, the Senior Partner at Musa Dudhia and Co, stated that “Musa Dudhia was founded in 1958 which makes it older than Zambia. While Musa Dudhia has played an important role in shaping Zambia’s legal past, we always keep our eyes firmly fixed on the future. The future of Zambia is in the hands of young, creative entrepreneurs and it’s for this reason that we are part of ALN, which is comprised of African home grown law firms, like us, who are committed to building Africa for Africans. We hope that by assisting Zambian start-ups through BongoHive, our country can grow into an African power house.”