Government has disclosed that it will soon enact a law that will give Zambian nationals a chance to hold high positions in companies owned by foreign investors.
Labour Deputy Minister Simon Kachimba says Zambia has highly qualified nationals who have the capability to effectively run most of the big companies in the country hence the need to for them to be given a chance to hold key positions in these companies.
Mr Kachimba said though investors can bring in a few expatiates in key positions like finance, the majority of top portfolios should be held by local people, adding that Government will ensure that this happens in its bid to empower local people.
The Deputy Minister was speaking in Lusaka today when he addressed the Zambianisation committee that has been tasked to implement measures aimed at curtailing the recruitment of cheap expatriate labour.
Mr Kachimba said Government is committed to providing decent employment for its people and will do everything possible to ensure that it safeguards employment for its nationals.
He stressed that Government is also committed to preparing Zambian nationals so that they take over jobs from expatriates as a way of empowering them.
Mr Kachimba however said for this to happen it is vital to come up with a succession plan aimed at identifying and developing internal personnel with the potential to fill key or critical organisational positions.
He urged the Zambianisation committee to follow up each company’s succession plan so that the country has fully backed nationals who will run companies effectively once they take over.
[ZANIS]
Longover due propaganda Mr minister. What about government to start paying decent salaries to civil servants?
This is a good idea, if well implemented. South Africa is working on similar principles. This needs to be thought through thoroughly. Issues of time lines when companies should have implemented; issues of what happens in terms on none compliance; Which companies we are looking at to start the process and monitor progress; Mines with all the top employees Chinese should be addressed. etc
:-w
Kachimba, we have been Independent for 45+ years but we still worship “expatriates” with inferior qualification and experience. OK well said ba MMD. Though too little too late for 2011. You should have said this 2001 and implemented it. Right now we seat back and watch, we want to see ACTION not your rhetoric. Revok the work permits U have given Indians and Chinese in the Mines immediately. Most that have been brought in trucks towork in Zambia are irrelevant.No wonder they cry if told going.
Long overdue. Alot of multinationals have a completely expat top brass except for the occasional token blackie heading HR or ‘Marketing’. However, let’s meet halfway with these foreigners coz in a free market, we can’t be seen to be too rigid. Pragmatism over ‘Idealism’ should be our guiding principle. We need to remain investor friendly while building local talent capacity.
:-?
AND THE OTHER THINK THAT GOVT SHUD IS TO LIMIT THE NUMBER OF FOREIGNERS IN THIS NGO’s. ITS JUST TOO MUCH. ALMOST 3/4 YOU WIL FIND ARE FOREIGNERS. LETS LINK TO HO MUCH EACH NGO GETS AND SET SOME STARDARDS AS TO HOW MANY FOREIGNERS SHUD BE ALLOWED. ITS JUST TOO MUCH. ALL THIS MONEY IS JUST GOINGNBACK THRU THIR HUGE SALARYIES EN TRAVEL ALLOWANCES.
This is how it will work: New company comes in on a 5 year window to allow them employ Zambians on a higher level. By the fifth year, the company will close, or change names or sell to the blulu just so that they keep the Zambians away. Am quite skeptical of MMD plans especially such when they feed off the so called investors. I guess this will not apply to Chinese companies. Will this be an end of Chinese wheel barrow pushers? I don’t think so.
EVERYONE, KINDLY REFER TO #4 ABOVE. YES IT’S TRUE, THOUGH NOT ONLY IN THE MINES BUT WE HAVE SEEN IN MOST CHINESE COMPANIES i.e. construction
This is a welcome move and very long overdue. We are seeing quack expatriates holding key positions in the privatized mines. Let such a statement be backed with action not the usual “bark with no bite” we are used to hearing from politicians.
It really does not matter who is in charge if most the profits are repatriated or the tax breaks afforded to these companies are so generous as to render their contribution to GDP insignificant. It is this aspect that should be addressed as a matter of urgency. Zambians should be able to compete for jobs under a fair and transparent process. Insisting on a predefined allocation of jobs to Zambians would be a step backwards. Firms should simply be able to prove that there is no Zambian qualified, experienced and willing to apply for the job before a work permit is granted. That is where the control ought to be.
Hon Minister,stop allowing KCM to bring in expatriates to come and work as Commercial Controllers and Human Resources.Its a blunder that after 46 years you are allowing KCM to bring in expatriates who dont even add value.We support MUZ for its stance on KCM .The arrogance of a CEO who disrespects Zambians by overlooking them just because they are Zambians.You as government have a weapon of work permits,why do you continue giving them.There is no job on the mine that a zambian cannot do.In other countries this cannot be allowed to happen,but here money talks.even that law will not work.so please stop giving out permits to these indians and chinese who dont know the job and learn from zambians.
Sata said he was going to chase ill-qualified Indians and Chinese and give jobs to Zambians, you said he was a savage. Show me the difference now. Every day am being convinced that this PF leader has fore sight. And coupled with his attitude towards work, I think am begining to like him. Too late ba MMD. I personally would rather stick with the originator of the idea. For the information of the bloggers, the same Indians last year passed a law to grab jobs form people holding work permits (esp Chinese) and give them to Indians. Even Zambians from KCM who were there on a 1 year program were almost deported. Zambian govt only intervened on their way to the airport- the same policy which earned Sata the ‘savage’ tag!!! Zambians lets be careful what we beliv frm MMD crooks!
What is important is the ‘equal work equal pay policy.’ It is pointless holding a senior position when being paid peanuts!!!
WTF is that !!!! Can people talk like that in a free market economy ? This is dangerous.Kaunda did that with his Zambianisation of the mines and other industries and what is the result ? Quite as it might be well intended, it is a bad idea.
Sata said he was going to chase ill-qualified Indians and Chinese and give jobs to Zambians, you said he was a savage. Show me the difference now. Every day am being convincd that this PF leader has foresight and a hat 4 Zmbia. And coupled with his attitude towards work, I think am begining to like him. Too late ba MMD. I personally would rather stick with the originator of the idea. For the information of the bloggers, the same Indians last year passed a law to grab jobs form people holding work permits (esp Chinese) and give them to Indians. Even Zambians from KCM who were there on a 1 year program were almost deported. Zambian govt only intervened on their way to the airport- the same policy which earned Sata the ‘savage’ tag!!! Zambians lets be careful what we beliv frm MMD crooks!
just revoke all permits where you have capable zambians.you have data on skills that are available,why even wait for another law that is going to take long.what job does your district labour officers do.in kcm even workmen are now expatriates,who issues them with permits,your government.too much rhetoic,we demand for action now.come to kcm in the morning and see unemployed zambians outside the gate watching indians in overalls walking to go and work,it is as though you are in india.poor zambians have no government to look after their interests,they are suffering so much in their own country.this country is for foreigners..can your ministry please do something before zambians lose their patience and begin to beat up these indians who have turned this place into bombay.
“..can your ministry please do something before zambians lose their patience and begin to beat up these indians who have turned this place into bombay.”
mpudzo – let us refrain from such statements. In any case, Zambians are not keen to resort to such lawless behavior to prove a point. It is also not right to tar any race with one brush. I certainly would not wish such statements to be made about Africans in a European country and certainly do wish to see Zambians making such broad brush statements about other races in our country. There are many people of Indian origin who are Zambians too.
Ba minister if you mean what you said,introduce “windfall tax” on mines ,reduce PAYEE on employees and urge Zambians to start farming. Simple logic!!!!VIVA PACT VIVA SATA
thanks Jaro,for correcting me.But i hope you agree that we cannot continue to allow foreigners to do jobs that zambians can do.
And i repeat please don not give permits to foreigners for jobs that zambians can do,there are so many of them unemployed
You Zambians!!! WTF is wrong with you?you wait for someone to open a company then you saddle them with your ineptitude!!! what crass these politicians are feeding you and you are swallowing it like a prostitute….
Why the Ef don’t you Zambians make your own frikkin companies rather wait for an”expatriate” to open a company..If i was looking to open a company in Zambia i think it would be the last place to look for Investments….WAKE the EF up!!!! VIMA ZAMBIANS>>MULI BA TULO SANA MWE MA ZAMBIANS!!!!!!
l beg to differ with the majority of the contributors here- We need to get the best people running our companies regardless of where they are from.We live in a global economy competing for global talent if they dont come to zambia they will go else where
It funny to read the comments of people living out of the country who complain of about the racist tendencies in the countries theu are working supporting the minister and failing to see the racism in themselves
no 21,you are missing the point-Most of these foreigners come to learn jobs from zambians,so they are not the best.In KCM ,this is very common.You have well qualified zambians who are frustrated because these so called expatriates are not able to perfom and they have to be shown what to do.Zambians are not empowered ,they cannot make any decisions.
Yes it is a global village,and i agree get the best,but you are forgetting that zambians in most cases are the best.most that have resigned from the mines have joined other companies and given higher responsibilities.And by the way are you saying that you have to bring in welders,artisans,clerks to come and be paid colossal sums of money when these skills are available.!.No 21 please wake up !from your sleep.
Brother Kachimba, when parliament disolves in 2011 you will have to switch to PF others it will be bye bye to National Assembly for you as Luanshya MP. Twakusoka fwebene ba ma vote.
The proposed law is nothing but retrogressive! Just like when we got independent and KK screamed zambianisation, which tramendously failed, so will the propopsed law! How many Zambians in high postions, and whats their performance like?
Jobs should be poorly on merit!
Zamtel, and many other companies where and have been managed by zambians yet they failed lamentably hence the privatisation!
#20 mpudzo… no need to apologise mate. you are just telling it the way it is. I agree 100%. Say what may, but that what the pipo in the mining townships with tremendous skills and experience are thinking and feelin. l concur with what you say. there’s no need to new laws but use existing laws. like you correctly put say.. Who issued those work permits? Jaro.. mpudzo is right. our current laws have restictions on the number os permits that can be issued per company and clauses that allow permits to be issued only in cases where it can be proven that no local skills exist.. Thats why all these companies bringing these foreigners usually say “training”.. The immigration office & labour office need get serious.
No. 20, mpudzo – I agree with your point and said as much in my submission at No. 11. The problem does indeed lie with the irresponsible gate keeping for work permits and, furthermore, the lack of monitoring once the permits are issued. That is entirely the Government’s failure and does not require a new law to redress it.
#27 jaro.. just seen you latest post.. You are 100% correct.. thats where the problem is..
no. 26, Digga, mpudzo was not retracting the thrust of his argument, which was correct, only a specific sentence within the body of is comment, which was wrong. We are all in agreement over the work permits.
…Ships in the night…
Thanks Digga. Let’s hope they sort that out.
Unless Zambians change their working culture of LAZINESS! they will definitely be ineffective and wont fit in these foreign companies. I was head of finance in three big companies in Zambia and i found it very difficult to find well balanced subordinates so are all my friends in other companies in similar positions.
Zambians are generally LAZY, and they put money first before work (you cant develop with this attitude).
Zambians like the following most; talk too much with less action, show off in dressing, drinking and skirts, absconding and a very big pay….SHAME!!!!!!
i DONT SUPPORT THAT LAW OF EMPOWERING ZAMBIANS.. BUT LET ZAMBIANS PROVE THEIR BRILLIANCE BY SETTING UP THEIR COMPANIES AND EMPLOY THESE FORIEGNERS WITHOUT CURRUPTION LIKE WHAT I HAVE DONE.
Very useful arguments you have put up people.This is as it should be,no insults just putting across views and I hope the powers that be are reading and not taking offence
Totally disagree with no 31.I have worked with Zambians and when they are well managed ,they work with a lot of enthusiasm.Its an insult to suggest that zambians are lazy.Yes when they are looked upo,they withdraw.I have found zambians very hard working when the leadership is focussed and not practising favouritsm.
I work with most zambians and they are stars.no 31,you must be on another planet.What a shame to have people holding on to such views.
The small company I operate,they are all zambians and they are extremely hard working and proud of what they do.I give them bonuses when they outperform,and we have family outings.the result,they give their best
Yah,
” Every day am being convinced that this PF leader has fore sight. ”
Absolutely. The MMD have been in power for 19 years, and they only come with these good ideas before the election?
The MMD for the last 19 years have done everything they could to ensure Zambians would not threaten the profits made by foreign investors.
Now it’s election time.
Iwe real issues,what nonsense are you talking.This country does not need amafontini like you .You are the same characters who give wrong information about your fellow zambians.Select proper well qualified zambians with a passion to excel and they will do just that.
Iam proudly zambian and believe in zambians.they are damn good and you cannot comopare to some of these infestors.
MUKASUMINA – Slowly you’re beginning to admit that Mugabe is dead right. Our biggest and richest copper ore body is being mined out by Indians in KCM. They sell the copper to the LME in the UK and bank all their money there. Check the Zambia Export reports of 2007 to 2009 – they all average around US$5.0bn per annum, but just under US$0.3bn passes through BOZ, which is our pocket!!! Where on earth can you as a Zambian go and conduct business and repartirate 94% of your money to Zambia? Maybe this is the starting point. to start with, most Zambians employed by these foreign companies are too are too junior to understand what’s going on. But before you worry so much about the top, can you please first ensure that Shoprite, Game, Spar & Southern Sun stop employing our people as casuals?
This is this the kind of thing we want to hear as citizens of this country. More power to the people!
Next, enact law to ensure that women are given equal opportunity in firms. There is too much gender imbalance in the workplace. Best place to start is the government itself, of course.
This discussion should not even an issue, government know what they are suppose to do but have deliberately ignored to listen to the plight of the majority Zambians because they are corrupt and getting kick backs from the so called investors. This statement by the Deputy Minister is just a cheap political gimmick aiming @ getting votes from the C/B because MMD know that they are weak there!
Good idea but long overdue. The biggest problem in our country is we talk and think big but when it comes to the execution of the ideas our score lie in the negatives.
In some neighbouring countries these investors have been told in no uncertain terms that they must prove beyond doubt that no locals are available.Its either that or they can take their investments elsewhere.Look at KCM,all commercial officers are indians,all business controllers are indians,tell me how many zambians are qualified to do those jobs.These are the issues.For your information the Commercial dept is the worst run dept and it run by indians.production has been at its worst. When Jordan Soko led the compny as ceo,production iomproved even with financial difficulties.These chaps who are there have got no clue apart from bringing more and more indins.Come on Zambians this cannot continue,and pressure must be put on this govt to execute their laws.Ministers who are corrupt must be…
#25 you are 100% right. Zambianisation brought the economy on its knees . Zambians are thieves. no ideal on recapitalisation. we just want to eat and eat without sweating. Kaunda tried it but harvested nothing from it. OUR graduates are worse.OUR WORK CULTURE IS VERY POOR. WE TEACH THE HEAD TOO MUCH AND LEAVE THE HEART AND THE HANDS WITHOUT EDUCATION HENCE VERY POOR FINISHING.
No. 41 – you describe yourself very eloquently but is there a need to tar everyone else with the same brush? You do represent every Zambian, nor can you justify your extravagant claims.
“Zambians are thieves”, you say, all of them?
This is a good idea but I feel it is a passive strategy to wait for people to set up businesses and for government to tell them who to employ. Also there is enough legislation in place to ensure only the right skills are imported (work permits). Government must insist for all positions to be advertised so that Zambians can be given an opportunity to apply. No work permits must be given for jobs that have not been advertised. This is the way many countries manage this issue and protect their jobs. Transparency is what is required in the recruitment process. Of course specialists and experienced people need other arrangements but even these positions need to be advertised as a formality just in case there is a Zambian out there who fits the bill.
Boza are imbwa imwe ba politian
WANU NGWEE,
” MUKASUMINA – Slowly you’re beginning to admit that Mugabe is dead right. ”
Robert Mugabe is one of the few leaders in Africa who is still a nationalist. The rest have bought into this neoliberal economic ‘one world economy’ garbage. Because of that, the UK and US have tried to destroy them through economic sanctions, which are the actual cause of the damage done to the Zimbabwean economy in 2002 when they came into force, not 2000 or 1997 when land reform began. And yet the West wants the world to believe that their economic problems come from land reform, in order to scare people off land reform in South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Kenya, Tanzania, even Malawi and Zambia.
But if you look closely, land reform has reaped huge benefits on the ground, which are only being held back by economic sanctions and now the attempt to prevent Zimbabwe from selling it’s diamonds.
People must wake up.
The “zambian” disease is elsewhere too.There are “zamtels” in nigeria like N.EP.A – no electricity,nigeria airways,ethiopian cellular co,air tz co,kenya railways & air cameroon,air zim.Simply put work ethic & mgmt is lacking.It is nice to have your own kind working with you but let us not paint all asians.If you own a co the colour that moves you the most is green($) and you may have to be go against your own.I have seen a black amercan with his co who wont hire his own for poor work habits and likes latinos for work ethic.
Enka Rasha,
As you like to say in the USA, ‘whatever’.
Katherine, ” This is a good idea but I feel it is a passive strategy to wait for people to set up businesses and for government to tell them who to employ. ”
I agree. It is only now there are elections coming up, that the MMD thinks of empowering Zambians in the economy. They were going out of their way to make things easy for foreign corporations for 19 years, and they know this is unpopular.
#42 YES NOT ALL ZAMBIANS ARE THIEVES. BUT PROBABLY MOST OF US ARE NOT CARING TO PUBLIC RESOURCES. HOW DO YOU EXPLAIN HOW MOST STATE COMPANIES WENT UNDER WITH ZAMBIANS IN EVERY DEPARTMENT?
Wo! Nshakaku votele! Another desperate move.Mo talk less implementation.We know this will come to pass only in the year 2020.Disorganised chaps.Shut up and work on yo promises b4 u leave office
Let us be fair when we come up with some policy decisions. While this may be a welcome move, it would equally be important to look at why foreign companies prefer to come with their labour even if it is cheap. We should ask ourselves why of late a lot of local people building their houses would rather use a Zimbabwean bricklayer, plumber, tiler, carpenter or welder than a Zambian. After we have a fair response to that then we can go ahead and push around the so-called cheap foreign labour.
“Zambia has highly qualified nationals who have the capability to effectively run most of the big companies in the country” Where are they and which companies have they been running? Could they not be the ones who ran down most semi GRZ companies?
WHY DO YOU *****S SUPPORT STUPIDITY? ONE SIMPLE QUESTION…IF ZAMBIANS HAVE THE SKILLS TO DO A GOOD JOB, WHY DON’T THEY COME UP WITH THEIR OWN FIRMS? WHY WOULD YOU WANNA TAKE YOUR COMPANY TO A COUNTRY THAT ORDERS YOU ON WHOM YOU SHOULD HIRE TO RUN YOUR COMPANY? NON SENSE….
From The Post and the article ‘Stanchart Zambia records K224 billion H1 revenue’, by Mutale Kapekele:
” And Melu, who is Standard Chartered Bank managing director, has announced that the bank has continued to record profits year-on-year. “Our total revenue has grown 27 per cent year-on-year to K224 billion and our balance sheet has grown 30 per cent year-on-year to K495 billion,” she said. “Our deposits have grown 31 percent year-on-year to K2, 721 billion and our net profit has grown 34 per cent year-on-year to K69 billion.”
So who are they lending to? And why are they keeping lending rates so high? Are they buying government bonds instead of lending to consumers? What is going on?
#54. We need to correct the impression that Zambians are not skilled enough to open their own firms. There are many of us that have opened firms in other countries and are not really doing badly out there. So, the problem is who the Zambian business environment and the regulatory framework favours,is it locals or foreigners? It is common knwoledge for instance that as an individual ZRA will charge you higher import duties than they charge Game, Spar or Shoprite for an item that any of these retailers import from SA. Our Citizens Empowerment Act which is not used as the criteria for awarding government tenders to deliberately advantage Zambian bidders. Our Trade and Industry rules also that classify a Zambian registered company 100% owned by Chinese Nationals, same as Chanda’s or Phiri’s…
Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah…….It will never happen in Zambia because of the Bwana mentality! As long as our leaders believe people of a lighter complexion are brighter than the indigenous Zambian, this is not going to change. Zambian politics stink and they make me sick. MMD stinks and is full of crooks who will say and do anything to get elected, and we the electorate always fall for that garbage. And when is the draft constitution going to be adopted? I want to cash in my dual citizenship for crying out loud!!!
It’s never too late for such a law to be implemented. This will help boost the Zambian economy because having locals in high positions will help retain revenues generated in the country as foreign investors will find it hard to send all their profits back into their countries. Also encourage staff to own shares in those companies because that way, you will block them from being corrupt as they will consider the company as theirs, too.