Thursday, March 28, 2024

ZESCO staff report early for work after Lusambo visit

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Why are you reporting at this time? Mr Lusambo seems to asking a named IT Director at ZESCO on Thursday.

Majority of workers at ZESCO Head Office in Lusaka this morning arrived early for work a day after Lusaka Province Minister Bowman Lusambo visited the institution.

On Thursday, Mr Lusambo stormed ZESCO HQ before 08 Hours and cautioned the workers against reporting late for work.

And a check on Friday morning at ZESCO HQ revealed that a large number of workers had arrived way before 07:30 Hours.

Records from the Human Resources Department confirmed the impressive early turn out of staff.

It is believed that some workers feared being locked out of the gate if they arrived after 08 Hours.

This was after word went round that management had resolved to start turning away late comers.

During his impromptu tour of ZESCO, Mr Lusambo who was stationed at the main gate demanded that the workers change their attitude towards work if the institution is to provide quality service to the people.

He said ZESCO is an important national installation and it is critical that workers put in more than 100 percent in their work.

Mr Lusambo said the culture of poor time keeping is one that has contributed to the under development in Zambia.

“It’s unacceptable that you have to report for work after 08 Hours. We pay you a salary and you stealing from us by coming late. This should not be allowed to continue,” Mr Lusambo told an identified man from the IT Department at the gate who reported late for work.

Mr Lusambo who was later briefed by the ZESCO management said his office had been receiving numerous complaints from members of the public on the poor attitude of ZESCO workers.

He also told ZESCO management to start limiting the amount of staff loans that workers are acquiring.

Mr Lusambo said the issue of over borrowing is causing a lot of financial stress among ZESCO workers further urging the Finance and HR Departments to intervene by setting a reasonable threshold staff loans.

He observed that financial stress is causing low morale among workers and creating a breeding ground for corruption.

Mr Lusambo inspecting ZESCO workers at the Headquarters who reported late for work on Thursday.
Mr Lusambo inspecting ZESCO workers at the Headquarters who reported late for work on Thursday.
Mr Lusambo arriving at ZESCO HQ on Thursday
Mr Lusambo been briefed by senior ZESCO management when he toured the Headquarters on Thursday.

 

37 COMMENTS

  1. Does it really have to take a minister for us to own up to our responsibilities? Government doesn’t mean only Lungu is government. …we’re all government and one slip no matter the size the whole nation is adversely affected. At one place last week a barman boasted that he’s still selling the banned utujilijili because whenever the council plans to inspect bars he’s always told in advance and he has time to hide the banned stuff.

    • I absolutely agree with him regarding loans. People should learn to live within their means. Most workers don’t even look forward to month ends anymore because they draw a blank. In the end it’s work that suffers because they feel as if they are working for free due to the financial indiscipline.

    • Hon Lusambo is doing a very good job. He is performing far much better than some leaders both in PF and UPND. I hope some Councillors, some Mayors, some MPs and some Ministers are learning something from him. Lusambo`s presence is being felt in the country.

    • If this minister is serious about promptness let him visit Airtel or MTN and ask how they come in early as Zesco staff have no excuses they get discounted electricity to start with…

    • Hahaha….If Bowman is at Zesco early morning, what time does he report for work at he’s office? He is a minister not a class monitor or prefect. He can remotely monitor staff attendance and performance. Edgar should do the same move on him, turn up at Bowman’s office early bells.

  2. I just wonder whether this is part of Lusambo’s key result area. Does he consider himself on duty and being productive when he goes around blocking workers from reporting? My take is that if he has been briefed that workers in Lusaka report late for duty, he should have invited all supervisors to a round table consultative meeting. Otherwise Mr. Lusambo is not being productive at all by assuming roles which do not fall under his office. The P.S. was the right authority in this matter.
    PF kuwayawaya feela.

    • If the people assigned to supervise can’t supervise then drastic action must be taken such the impromptu visits by Bowman. What have the management waiting for? Most managers are compromised because of their familiarity with employees such as intimacy and using the subordinates to steal money from the corporation using sophisticated systems.

  3. This is the main problem we face as a country…..lusambo scoring cheap points for photo opportunities ……why do you have management if they can not controll time keeping ?

    Next month it is back to normal and lusambo will be somewhere else scoring cheap points…..fire the management. Let’s have accountability..

  4. Does it have to take a whole minister for you to own up to your responsibility. One barman was boasting that he would continue selling the banned Utujilijili because each time a raid was planned, someone from the local council would warn him of the impending raid. This gives him time to hide the stuff.

  5. @ Ndanje Khakis. No it shouldn’t take the whole minister! something(s) are seriously wrong with us Zambians beginning with ‘attitude’. We are going nowhere people. How many places is he going to visit? Sata used to do the same thing decades ago as health minister! we still have the same problem. cry the beloved country.

    @ The Real Olivia Pope. same problem of loans with govt. teachers as well. Nothing wrong with borrowing for investment but most of these folks for consumption. How does one borrow to finance a wedding? seriously?

  6. Nothing but cheap window dressing and cheap points scoring….it is management you need to task…..ask them why their staff report late and penalise the managers , don’t blame the workers.

    Every body seems to be missing the point, praising lusambo for cheap points scoring or blaming the workers , maybe they see management always late, so monkey see monkey do.

    • How do you take Management to task on hearsay? Lusambo needed to have facts about the reports he gets.Incidentally Lusambo is on a firm ground in what he is doing.He wants high productivity among workers under his supervision.He has no specific Ministry other than that of the Province.He therefore is not scoring cheap points as some arm chair critics claim.Keep it up Hon Lusambo.

    • Ba Dominic….

      Same results in 1 months time ….how many institutions is he going to visit ? ……you are just going in circles scoring cheap points.

      He needs to issue a warning to all parastatals and informe their management to concentrate on lateness , then he can go around and see if management are serious…..what we is is just cheap politicking and point scoring,

      Typical of empty tins who dance to anything. No accountability what so ever…

    • You mean they are no fobs ..for everyone including CEO; this outdated show by this boy is merely for the gallery but who can blame when his boss only gets excited when he is on a flight and abroad.

  7. Mind set, please zambians let us change for the development of our country reporting for work late or any event is bad. Well done Mr Lusambo

  8. So Dominic, how will Lusambo now measure the increase in productivity? and can he not task other people to do checks for him to know what’s happening on the ground. What happened to delegating. Surely as minister there must be some very pressing policy issues he can spend his time on. Remember FTJ employed this tactic before. Did it work?

  9. He rocks up without an appointment, demands an unscheduled meeting with the management, and he is late for his actual work as a result of the Zesco visit which ended up disruptive and pointless. Workers are not school children and people do generally have a good reason for turning up late for work. Sort at the traffic congestion in the City Bowman – that would be a good way to attain punctchuality

  10. As much as I disagree with his politics I will be the first to give my ups to Lusambo. I acknowledge that you and many of us have opposing views yet I will unreservedly rise to clap for the way you are trying to instill an ethic of work and progressiveness in your public service. That is the extent of my appreciation, with that said I wish you good luck and keep it up.
    Over and out!!

  11. Lusambo needs to inform all parastatals warning management to get their time keeping sorted , or dispinary action will be taken…..then go round checking and have them held accountable if their staff are late …..lusambo is just scoring cheap points.

    Anyone can wake up at 6.00 and get cameras to follow them and wait at the gates …..he will be doing this every week , same result……

    • Cheap points or not my fellow blogger when it comes to government optics are very important. You don’t even have to believe in what you are doing but the appearance makes a lot of difference instilling a disciplined culture.

    • Illussional optics indeed….they only work for a month or 2 at most then back to square one……in developed countries all sections have a head who is incharge of time keeping of those under him or her…..it’s called accountability not this illussional optics of yours…

    • Why are you people so obsessed and excited by one man shows and photo opportunities, instead of systems that work ?

      This lusambo is just like lungu who will soon be comming out cleaning for the press when cholera comes again , and it will come again because no permenant systems have been put in place to stop it..

    • Spaka! You are Spaka! Much as you are right at least Lusambo is showing some initiative. The job of ministers in Zambia is largely symbolic and perhaps a little administrative. They have no real power in enacting or creating policy. We have a unitary government where all the power is vested in the president. Lusambo is making himself useful in some way. He may not be there all the time but exposing the idleness and tardiness in public service will bring attention to the problem. Maybe after Lungu has seen enough he will direct his other administrative officers to start demanding better work ethic within their rank and file.

  12. These are grown men and women who have to be reminded of the importance of professional conduct. Is it that we blame our political system needlessly when it is the entire system that is just broken? I despair.

  13. It’s not time management that’s only critical for mother Zambia, it’s capital/money management by top officials which is even more critical….let’s account for that as well…..imagine how great it can be when us as citizens can walk up to ministers and all top officials to ask how our taxes are helping to develop this country…..many a times zambians ask but they don’t get answers….how unfair this world can be….a simple question…where all those prompt visits budgeted for , the crew and and all the perks involved….kaya??

  14. I like this guy, although he is gaining cheap points, what can you expect in the country where 98% of the population exhibit docility?.
    I want him to start a “Zambians Wakeup” campaign to shake off the hard-coded Zambians.
    Lungu is using directives to kick-a.s.s some of his failed ministers. And at least we have someone who doesn’t take directives but pulling the strings through these cheap acts.
    If it’s becoming effective, then its great and I support that!!! It’s the Zambians to blame.
    Go Lusambo, Go.

  15. #1.5 tribal Lazy Jay Gay, so what have you said? Nothing really, trib.al clouded your thinking. And this is becoming a trend, you used to offer what I I used to think were constructive comments. Now after I, upnd cadre, exposed you as a trib.al brother of tribal god Hacks, you simply are pathetic!

  16. Zesco Staff should not be reminded about time keeping only but also on timely delivery of services to the community they serve.There is stinking corruption there.It is now 2 years since I paid the connection fee to bring the cables to my new house in meanwood.Zesco just erected an electric pole at the road side 2years now and have failed to come and connect cables to my new house despite paying for the connection fee. Maybe waiting to be oiled before proceeding with the work.Now do we need to pay twice before the work could be done?Ala twachula bwana minister

  17. A stretch from Libala water works through state house to Olympia, Roma or so, most of these towns east of Cairo Road don’t experience water shortages. People who work and are expected to be at work places early have no water in their households. They have to hunt for this precious commodity night and and day. Bowman ensure there is water in the rest if Lusaka, then you will see an improvement to early reporting for work.
    It hurts seeing sprinklers around those areas of Woodlands, Kabulonga crossing Cairo road to the townships west of Lusaka its a desert. Chorella is around the corner. Water is equally a contributing factor not only to workers reporting late but also leaving early from work. Believe it or not Mr Lusambo, the trend will end but temporary unless you sort out the water…

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