The Civil Servants and Allied Workers Union of Zambia (CSAWUZ) has threatened to call a strike if government fails to resolve persistent salary delays affecting thousands of public workers. The union says delays of up to two weeks have become common in recent months, leaving employees struggling to meet basic obligations such as rent and school fees.
Union president Davy Chiyobe said the problem has been worsening despite repeated assurances from the Ministry of Finance. “Our members are not begging; they are demanding what they have worked for. Salaries are a contractual right. Every delay is a breach of trust,” Chiyobe declared.
Civil servants across ministries reported borrowing heavily from informal lenders to survive, often at exorbitant interest rates. Teachers and health workers said morale was plummeting, with some threatening to abandon their posts if payments are not regularised.
The Ministry of Finance attributes the delays to “technical adjustments” in the payroll system linked to new reforms. Officials insist salaries are being paid within the month, though sometimes later than expected. But unions dismiss this as inadequate, arguing that consistency is essential for workers’ financial stability.
CSAWUZ has given government a two-week ultimatum, failing which it will mobilise members for industrial action. The union is also consulting with other public sector unions to mount a coordinated response.
Labour analysts warn that a strike by civil servants would cripple public services, especially in health and education. They argue that government must act quickly to restore trust, even if it requires short-term borrowing to stabilise the payroll.
With elections approaching in 2026, salary issues could become a flashpoint, as public sector workers represent a key voting bloc. For now, tensions remain high as unions prepare for possible confrontation.
Civil servants are the most important employees for any government. They must be qualified and well paid. Just look at the British civil servants. They work like a private business
Ala mwebantu ba HH has failed to run the country. Please replace him with anyone. Bena focus yabafye mukuiwinisha. If the government has failed, it is not because of anything, but corruption and filling up their pockets. Nomba chilifye kwati mufulo balechita to punish every Zambian for the 25 years UPND and HH stayed in opposition. You have tried them, and they have shown you who they.
How right you are Thank you
Be objective. You have told the reason for the delay by Ministry of Finance. So where is the issue?
Since 2021, how many times has this happened? How many pensioners are still owed by the government? How many Health workers, Teachers, Police officers or Soldiers have been employed?
You call this failure? This is typical of hatred, tribalism and ignorance.
BA Piranha. Memory just like that of a fish. Who told you that government employment is creation of employment? Amano ubuche. Do you know how many teachers are leaving teaching service for other lucrative jobs? Teaching in Zambia busha. How many volunteers are in hospitals today? 4 volunteers nurses to 1 paid nurse. Is that normal? 5 volunteers doctors to 1 paid doctor. Chalo chakwisa icho? Muleibwelamo ba Praise Singers.
A few days delay cannot warrant a strike. Just do your job delegently. Be grateful companies that depend on grz payments do not have the luxury that you have.
Yes it does. They have mouths to feed. They have a contract and government must fulfill their part by paying on the agreed day. Not when they feel like. Zambia has become a banana republic due to HH and you Praise Singers.
I guess this is only a small technical issue in this Government. Otherwise, under ECL, some of us saw serious lapses in terms of salary delays. When then I was working at CBU in 2019, we experienced a total of two months without pay and that was all salaries for Professors and Lecturers. When some of us that had previously worked in South Africa and China complained to Nkandu Luo as she came to address us, she point blank told us to get back where we were working if we wanted. Now, that was a Minister of higher Education in ECL’s Govnt telling us that. Of late, I have noticed that no such delays are prevalent, except may be for this complaint. So some of us have seen the worst under ECL rule.
When one lives on the borderline 1 day is too much and what about those who have signed stop orders will they understand ?
Sir. First of all, DON”T put Dr. in front of your name. It is like putting Mr. or Mrs. or Miss in front of your name when you introduce yourself. Bufontini. If you really want people know your education, please put PhD at the end of your name. But that too is very unnecessary on these forums. Eimwe mweba abakashi ati call me Dr. Sichilima. Ngamwaba ba MP you command your wife to call you ati Ba Honorable. Bupuba.
Coming to salaries, what has this delay got to do with ECL? Do you mean to say if ECL delayed, this must be okay? Yama having worked in South Africa or China has nothing to do with the matter at hand. All you wanted is for people to know that ba Dr. Alfred Sichilima worked in SA and China. For what?
How does the mention of Nkandu Luo and ECL put food on the people’s tables? Kuleni yama. Kwati you never went to school sure.
This is what happens when you sit down and wait for IMF to spoon feed you…..
Government has no money for salaries hence the delays. Government has no foreign exchange to give to OMC who need to exchange their kwacha into usd in order to import fuel thats why we are seeing fuel shortages and erratic supply for the last 3 months. The same reason of no foreign exchange to pay power suppliers hence the long hours of load shedding. It’s not easy to run a country.
It is solvable with the right leader