The government has resurrected Dr Kenneth Kaunda’s 1971 Zambianisation program that aims to put locals in management positions.
The Zambianisation Committee is lead by Deputy Minister of Labour Rayford Mbulu, who this morning visited Airtel, the biggest telecommunications company in the country, to inquire on the number of expatriates it has employed.
Mr Mbulu told the Airtel Managing Director Fayaz King that the Patriotic Front Government wanted to see Zambians in “decent employment” adding that it was going to focus on citizen’s empowerment and was not going to accept cheap expatriate labour.
“We are only going to accept expatriates with very rare skills that cannot be locally obtained,” Mr. Mbulu said. “Even then, they should be understudies to transfer those rare skills to locals so that those people can quickly handover to locals. That skills transfer will build capacity and will make Zambians excel.”
He then asked Airtel to submit how many employees it had, what skills existed at the company that were not locally possessed, the number of expatriates and the expected length of stay and at what point they were going to hand over their positions to Zambians.
In response, King disclosed that Airtel currently employed 393 locals with just four expatriate managers.
Mr King said Zambia was among the top four important investments in Africa which called for the best skills locally and across the continent.
He said it was the policy of Airtel to let its African operations run by Africans but not necessarily Zambians.
Mr King disclosed that a couple of Zambians were working in other parts of Africa and that it was important that the country also accepted staff from those countries.
He also disclosed that the biggest challenge the telecom had was staff retention as rival companies tended to poach skilled labour after the company trained them and sent them abroad for work experience.
“When our staff comes back from training or from working in our international operations, they attract a premium and the opposition gets them,” he said. “We are trying to fill all available positions with locals, that is in line with our policies. Our brand is unique and requires a lot of training, they are no short cuts. Unfortunately, after that training, we begin to compete with the international job market. In some instances, where you pay an engineer US$3000, they are offered US$12, 000 which makes it difficult to retain them.”
WONDERFUL
Can someone pliz remind the new national labour officer that there is still a vacancy for Governor aat Bank of Zambia! Has the family tree run dry?
Yoy must trade very carefully guys. If you have no Zambian capable you must be open to employ a foreigners for the same job. Even us in the diaspora we have senior engineering positions which the nationals here are not able to perform so they had no choice but to pick us. It must be Zambianisation where necessary and not everytime. Fix the foreigners and go back to the Kaunda era of 1990 or even the current Zimbabwe. Performance and competence must be the driving factor.
Now why are you cleaning those toilets despite your ka CBU Degree?
This is the way to go.Its happening in every country on this planet, except in our country. I work here in SA and i have been told that certain positions are for previously diasadvantaged south africans.
And am thinking of coming to SA
Backward thinking again, we are really in total trouble.Shame on you guys.
Tawatandala iwe. Chifukushi chilelanda.
You are very dull! What this guy is proposing is not different from what David Cameron has been doing in England!
Rayford Mbulo wake up man. King was not telling the truth where on earth can you pay a highly qualified and experienced telecoms engineer US$3,000 and expect him to stay indwi at Airtel.
KK had a vision…..Also change the currency inorder to catch those money laundering and those keeping 2.1 billions in there homes including farms . Time to ACT is Now, follow tthe KK WAY
KK is busy avising. he back in power eeeeeh
Absolute ignorance Musonda, KK has nothing to do with it give MCS the credit due. We need to get our technocrats up to speed. KK had the vision and Zambia produced the very people leading the many institutions overseas today. Where do you think they came from?
Kaunda at work. sata cant think on his own
How much resources has this govt put forward to train Zambians? Instead of harassing foreign companies, the govt should seek partnerships with these companies on how to improve skills. These politicians are the same ones that hurry to sale companies (ZAMTEL) which can employ Zambians and then start demanding that the new owners employ the same people they retrench. Instead of chasing these foreign companies to employ our people, we need to be in the forefront in creating employment eg Major infrastructure works can employ thousands of Zambians and bring in skills in the country.
du talar från din röv. No one is chasing foreign companies. secondly, many diasporans and Zambians at home have been educated by bursaries. of course if done the wrong way it can backfire, but i dont see what has been said above which suggests disaster. even the airtel management agrees that it is their policy, so which investors will run away?
Back to UNIP. Mcs has no new ideas.
twalilandile ati ba pf tabakwata constitution iyabo,they are using the unip constitution!yangu eh kaunda abwela,zambianisation ifinshi,,were necessary yes noti u js wake up and say zambianisation…yaba ichalo chaya kunuma
So what would you have US do, continue with the MMD constitution?? Atleast the UNIP constitution speaks out for the likes of you even though you do not appreciate it, you will have equality at the work place and when you do business local suppliers will be considered. YEP some people are natural born INGRATES.
good move Mr. Minister
Zambianization is the way to go.The only thing which messes up the whole thing is when some of our Zambian guys are appointed to big positions with big moneys.They all tend to die early coz more money to them brings more women,men,sex,alcohol,hiv and eventual early death.I would rather Pf concentrate on low skilled jobs like those those done by the chinese guys in Luanshya and chililabombwe.
good news to hear. atleast the new government has done one thing good since coming into power. we need to kick cockroaches out of offices
this is crazy. zambianisation or nationalisation of private assets. the policy is everywhere in africa, but i am not sure if it is zambianisation. in zim, tz, ghana a few countries where i head about it. i think as far as i know, the policy is already at work in zambia. increasing local content and indigenousation.
Add South Africa to the list bwana, yeah add the UK to the list as well, Even Australia. You will not get a work permit in these countries without proving that the job was advertised for a considerable amount of time and that no local was found to take up the offer. But because it’s in Zambia we are crying shame on you guys where is your sense of national pride??
guys you must be honest with yourselves how can you be thinking so low like that.
You are the dull one here! Why do you think they elected the conservatives in England?
Hope the you dont’ fill up the positions with kaponya’s just to please them.
A few blogs ago, people moaned about huge numbers of expatriates especially in the mines – Chinese and Indians.
Today, they are compalining again.
Do we just argue against anything. May be we have a spirit of complaining.
This Zambianisation will ensure Zambians have as many jobs as posibble. Yes there should be fairness to foreigners but the message is, we do not want Zambians to be exploited or disadvantaged by foreign owned companies operating in Zambia. Where zambians dont have skills, then import labour to fill the gap.
Foreigners who have a right to live and work in Zambia should have same rights as local Zambians. But expatriates must have a limited stay as per work permit conditions.
Looking at that flag you are sporting I guess you are living abroad. So Mr Ice Road Trucker do you have a limited stay where you are or does limited stay only apply to foreigners living in Zambia. In the UK you have countless small business’s owned by Turks, Indians and Chinese who only employ fellow Turks, Indians and Chinese. I know of many Zambians who work as expatriates so I believe this policy will help to end contracts which many Zambians have abroad.
@ Edward at one time the UK imported a lot of nurses for ONE simple reason only. there was a shortage of qualified nurses with an aging population. Do you want Zambia to import Chinese or Indian labourers to come ann push willburrows??? But again in every legal system there are loopholes including immigration. But the difference is you have a Bangladeshi operating a small kantemba in London and employing his brother, and his cousin and his nephew, on the other hand you have a Multinational company in Zambia in the form of Videnta bringing in Engineers from India. KCM was there long before the indians came, it was built by Zambian engineers, they can bring 5 or 6 even 10 expatriates to do their Strategy, CAPEX and Policy development but NOT at operational leve.. COME ON!!!
South Africa there is Black Empowerment, Zimbabwe there is indigenisation, Botswana and Nambia they first exhaust the local market before going outside. Can you imagine yourself getting a work permit in Zimbabwe? Impossible! Jobs are for their locals. Let us protect ours as well without being extremely stiff. We still need expatriates in some areas. We have trained a good number of accountants now, we still need doctors in specialised areas, we have good teachers and good engineers etc.
Spot on baba, I know of a young graduate from ZCAS who stayed for a year without getting a Job. Let alone the countless university graduates in engineering and metallurgy. From the Sound of things most of the bloggers complaining have probably never seen the inside of a college or Varisity hence the feeling of I have nothing to lose.
we economic justice and not that nonsense.
its zambianisation of senior management position and not assets bambuli imwe. otherwise its the best policy if implemented to the letter. South africa is implementing it full force. my friend good zambian friend was forced to acquire south african passport after he was told the position they were emplying him for was reserved for black southa fricans. they only got him coz he was a zambian with some special skill and also being black and holder of permanent residency. we need to do and please ba deputy ministers visit the mines quickly where we are abused and made to work for these so called expatriates who know nothing most of them. these job evaluations for expatraites must be carried out in all private run companies.
Thats a good idea! The Zambian Government can give Zambian passports to all expatriates if it were not for the fact that only some of the expatriates are black. Is this what we call racism?. shame!.
Put regulations in place for long-term viability of such ideals otherwise we’ll keep on swinging back to 1971 (or whatever year in the past). Take holistic approach to solving national issues otherwise it can be abused and used to settle scores – like why he targetted Airtel who only has 4 expartriates!?!
Humanism too. Teach youth empathy
Great move. The best news for Zambia since 1991!!
Please read and comprehend before you comment.“We are only going to accept expatriates with very rare skills that cannot be locally obtained,” Mr. Mbulu said. “Even then, they should be understudies to transfer those rare skills to locals so that those people can quickly handover to locals. That skills transfer will build capacity and will make Zambians excel.” Even my son who is in Grade 5 would have commented far better than #3,5,10,14 and 15. Honestly how can a company employ someone from India as a Cashier? That chap can even speak good english
KK once said Sata is not a person you can entrust with leadership……he will, however, perform well under supervision. I can now see KK is supervising HE MCS.
Good development guys. Keep it up!
Tiyende Pamodzi ndi mtima umo…well done!!
Good move…but government should also go a step further and encourage these foreign firms via tax breaks to invest in extensive “globally competitive” training of their native workforce instead of just filling positions with empty suits and “yes” men.
My Government I SALUTE You!!
THERE!!!
That is my Government!!!
#10: Jacob: Did you know that there about 330 000 graduates annually in Zambia while the market only absorbs 5000? If you didn’t know this, read the PF manifesto; or get data from CSO. There is this tendency we have as Zambians to think an immigrant will do a better job than ourselves. Yet in foreign lands, an immigrant is an immigrant, they will never call you “expatriate”, no matter how qualified you may be. To them you are just that, an immigrant. In the UK they said at some point “British jobs for British workers”; yet the Brits are all over the world as “expatriates”. The principle is fine by me, but the implementation needs stakeholder involvement; these include, among others, company owners. KCM – check for yourself the mess!!
Tell it as it is :)
What are you talking about? the UK is full of foreigners from all over the world doing every type of job from professional to unskilled. The problem with Zambians they do not understand the meaning of expatriate they think an immigrant is an expatriatre.
Expatriate bricklayers? Unfortunately we need them? Eg, how many trade schools offer bricklaying in Zambia? and the guys who claim to be bricklayers just learnt it from their grand fathers and think they know.
Before we stifle growth, let us invest in training. The world is too competitive to be run on primitive protective instruments. Let us make our labourforce competitive and it will be difficult for Congolize, Zimbabwean, Nigerians, kenyans, Ugandans to just come and grab jobs in Zambia.
#26: Uncle Phiri, good point. Had I read yours, I would not even have wasted minutes to write my comments. Thanks
@ ba Kibanda, I dont know what you mean by graduate, but you may learn that from independence, Zambia has not cumulatively produced more than 500,000 graduates. I will categorize graduates as those with atleast a three college Diploma and above. Zambia’s two Unversities (there are many now) have together not produced 100,000 degree graduates. Truth is we are an uneducated country and will need expatriate staff.
a graduate is “a person who has completed their school studies” Cambridge Advanced Learners Dictionary online; so a degree holder can be a graduate, so can be a diploma holder, a high school leaver, and so on. These can take up apprentiships as was the case in Zesco and Zamtel. So bwana check your own data
Where are those spineless insects: MMD Bootlicker , The Engineer, Senior Citroen and other corny sounding chaps!!
My Government I SALUTE You!!THERE!!!That is my Government!!!
Put Kaunda’s head back on currency too. He is the founding father of our nation. Show respect morons!
Don’t Zambianise what other people have created. Create your own company and Zambianise it. This is dull Zambians failing to create their own industries like Asian countries have done. With this nonsense legislation, foreign direct investment will stop flowing to Zambia..the little that is there now will start shrinking. How can you even say we are reviving Kaunda’s Zambianisation??? It is Kaunda’s Zambianisation that ground the economy to a halt. By 1991 when MMD kicked out Kaunda and came into power, none of the Zambianised companies was producing anything. Workers used to report but producing nothing. Zambians can’t think, full stop. We are going back to a falling economy – which is annoying given all the hard work that has brought the current visible development in the country.
Speak for yourself sir. If you are dull and can’t think, then don’t think all Zambians are like you. You are a disgrace.
Dongo, I am in total agreement with you. Ignorance has no defence. Who do you think built all of what you see around you in Zambia today? Where do you think all the money came from? UNIP leadership did not bury money did not pilfer public funds hence all the ex-UNIP party leaders died poor after all they had done pre-independence and during their tenure. What do you know about an economy apart fro what you read? Get some brains and show some gumption before making sweeping statements that even you don’t quite understand. Compare apples with apples. You forget all the companies that were in existence were at least employing poor Zamban’s. Today, we are employing brick layers from the neighbouring states to build your fancy shopping malls simply because there has been no capacity building!
Well said Gokigo Milazhe. As for you Mr Dongo why dont you go back to Zambia since by the flag you sport beside your name indicates that you dont live in Zambia. Did I hear the British say immigrant go home or have they given you British Citizenship.
You must be the most dull person on earth, speaking of Asia, do you think the General Motors Factory in China employs Americans. you are quite *****ic in your thinking. GM China employes Chines. Americans are busy crying about creating Jobs in China at the expense of closing down American factories. Do you think you will get a work permit to go and work as a labourer in a Chinese factory on mainland China?? I will say it again you are *****ic in your thinking. As for new comapnies apart from Lumwana and Kansanshi which new mine has been opened up?? Change your attitude for the sake of your children, let them inherit a good and prosperous Zambia.
I am a Zambia Chartered Accountant working in SA because I could not get a job in Zambia, they guys I worked for preferred to employ an India as financial Control even though I was more qualified than him!! I was forced to get SA permanent residency because of Black Economic Empowerment and Affirmative Action, but now it looks like i may need to get full SA citizenship as I move on the ladder most positions are reserved for SA citizens only!!!
Primitive economic approach will not take us anywhere. Cadres in control of parastals, malabishi!!!
#37 You know NATHING, just sit yourself down and keep your inferiority complexes in your pants FULL STOP!! You think those foreign companies built those companies from scratch??
#34 Kibakimani: “Truth is we are an uneducated country and will need expatriate staff.”
Are you really sure about that?
Zambia has educated so many people that a lot of them work outside Zambia. Zambians are some of the most highly educated people in this world.
#37 Gokigo. You are wrong there. Zambianisation here is not nationalisation.
FTJ did not privatise companies because they were run by Zambians. 80% of companies in Zambia were parastatals. What do you understand by privatisation?
@DONCHI KUDABWA- Clearly you are a disgruntled Tonga. Good luck with vague accusations, you are a citizen and that’s all you’ll be.
I like the idea.Some comments makes very interesting reading too with some even becoming emotional.Bola panshi bane zambia chalo chesu mukafwapofye na B.P.
Airtel should be the last to complain about loosing workers to other companies.
I remember during my days att ZAMTEL some years back,ZAMCELL (then) came in and poachec a whole section of 7 guys from ZAMTEL, including the head of section, all engineers and technicians. these guys gave a 24-hour resignation notice. It was drama but we were happy at that time that our company had been taught a lesson.
Now other bigger players have emerged on the scene and Airtel is feeling the competition!!
@ Ice road, which data are using? You may be educated yourself, how many others are? Eg, how many Doctors, including those abroad has Zambia produced, why do we need Cuban and Congolize doctors? From my side of Training, 60% go out, but looking at the needs, even if those 60% were arround, we would still nneed 5 times more
That is good .
Foreign pilots in Zambia have to make way for Zambian pilots .
I am coming home
Not so fast Mr Mbulu.Zambianisation on paper looks good but even with the skills zambians already have tell me which company they’ve natured to great success?Zamtel,Zambia Airways and others were sooo zambian yet they failed.What ails zambians most is their work ethic or lack thereof not their skills.Walk into banks,GRZ offices or supermarkets and you’ll see folks act as if they’re forced to be at work.A culture of hard work & commitment to excellence is something that GRZ can not legislate into reality
hey can make it a misdemeanor for a sales person who sales you something without a smile!!! My first job was in retail when immigrated. it taught me the value of excellence in everything i do!! but at the end of the day it’s all about how management communicates these to their employees, it is really not rocket science. South Africans are notoriously lazzy but the giant retail shops have managed to make them work 8 hrs a day standing with a smile!! it’s not rocket science it’s how management communicats their policy thats all.
#44 Kibakimani. I hear you on doctors. We dont have enough. However, even developed USA, UK, Canada, Australia dont have enough doctors, hence the brain drain to those countries.
But in many other fields, Zambia has more than enough educated workforce. In fact we do have some unemployed educated Zambians because there are not enough jobs in Zambia.
And currently unemployment is at 70%-80%.. even the Kaponya can be employed to push a willburrow or he can be supervised to drive a lorry filled with Tar for road resurfacing. do we need a Chinese for that?? How many ZICA graduates do we have in Zambia with out a job, do you need someone from India to come and work as a petty cash officer?
KK had good plans. The problem with socialist economic policies is that with them, it takes a long time to see the benefits. Government has to amass sufficient wealth to trickle down the benefits of such a regime and in our case, government lacked technocrats to manage the resources. Privatisation on the other hand has got its immediate benefits but the fact that government cannot regulate entities to a great degree, the economy is very fragile and public figures are elected to suit private entities as these are the main campaign contributors.
Hope it works out, especially in the mines. . .
#46 Enka, you should see the work culture of South Africans, Swanas in Bots, even Black britons.
I wouldn’t blame work culture so much as political interference for the failure of State owned companies you have mentioned.
Zambians in the diaspora work just as hard as locals. This means Zambians can run private companies with business efficiency, when you take away interference from politicians. What killed parastatals was political interference.
Dear Mr King, what are you competitors doing that you are not? Why are they able to offer your engineers USD12,000 yet you can only afford USD3,000. Pay them what they are worth!! This concept of cheap labour is outdated. Pay for the skills, not for the skin colour. If an engineer is worth USD12,000 to the industry, pay up or end up with non-performers. Zambians are able and capable of competing anywhere in the world!
good idea yes…but also keep in mind the big investors do need one or two of their own there…otherwise US $ ….its not getting any better by the day …we need investor confidence whilst we also zambianize the work force.
I think this minister is wrong on this one. He expects foreign capital to flow in and these resources to be controlled by Zambians? That is theft to put it blunt. No one will bring their money here and allow it to be controlled by unethical bunch of people, that do not have a work culture. The fact is skills will follow the capital. To try to separate the two will ultimately lead to stopping the inflow of the investments that we want. As Zambians we should develop our own institutions that will employ our people. Also we actually need more foreign expertise and we should compete with other countries to attract skilled people. This minister should apply his Zambianisation in local institutions and within GRZ.
Jacob (51), that is an excellent view. I wholly second it.
Where did Zambianisation take us in 27 years under UNIP? It should be about buying the best brians wherever they may come from. Zambianisation is just an execuse for employing people from your tribe. Yes Zimbambwe has got it in some form, but are your really seriously comparing yourself with a dead economy? Dont just get excited for nothing.
How old are you iwe kubbudo?? What do you know about UNIP or the era just after independence?
What is wrong with PF? KK tried it and the mines went to the dogs.Bring in FDI and let the likes of Kapoko, Liato, Siliya, RB be in charge of these resources.Can anyone point out a profitable Parastatal in Zambia run by a qualified Zambian Manager? What kind of stupidity is this? Among the problems the country has is lack of skills.In the UK a degree from UNZA is treated like a trades school certificate because the standards of education are extremely low esp under the “new deal” Who will invest his cash where you have such laws? Look at SA or Zimbabwe and see how they are struggling to attract FDI because of such stupidity.It has become very competitive to attract FDI everywhere.Let common sense prevail within the PF, I thought they have some interlectuals within the PF
Well said Jimbo! its good to know that some Zambians have common sense.
#51 Jacob . You go to the UK and create a company there, then try to get a work permit for your Accountant lets see how far it will get you with the Her Majesty’s Border Agency. All the government is saying to the foreign firms is to prove that the position can not be filled by local expertise after advertising it in the press.
Authentic Curry Restaurants find it easy to hire Chefs from India and Pakistan in the UK as there is a shortage of Curry Chefs in the UK.
Maxwell, what is your excuse for all those Turkish supermarkets that only seem to employ Turks or Indian run post offices that only employing Indians.
Those guys may look Turkish or Indian to you but they either have British passports or right to be in the country…mind you UK Border Agency is just a phone call away and trust me no employer wants to be fined £10,000 for employing someone without papers. These UK Border Chaps have some statical table to satisfy especially that they are under pressure by the Tory government hence are on point!!
#52, 53
Oh dear me, its very very very disheartening to read such lame comments displayed by ignorant numb heads like these characters, who have no pride whatsoever, worthless cabbages!!
If you two shared a brain you would be called HALFWITS!!
Sir, where is your brain? would it be in a place where you cant reach. If the discussed Zambianisation is such a good idea then why dont you give up your job in the UK and get the vacant position left by that foreigner who is now suffering from zambianisation. and by doing so you would leave a vacant position for a indigenous British person.
This is the problem, look at this chap; he thinks every Zambian abroad is slaving for a cheque at the end of the month, there are empowered Zambians who own shops, run accounting firms and successful businesses. Open your eyes my friend and meet people outside your community to broaden your horizons!!
one shud go at varun beverages(pepsi) and check how many indians are there?
Thumbs up to the New govt. This is happening every where in the world except in our country. they are so many Zambians who are capable of running most of these companies efficiently and better than most of the so called expatriates. I am really happy this has finally come home. I am sure anyone that has worked out of Zambia will appreciate and support the govt with this move. Guys, lets be objective and be proud of our own. We need our people trained well in all sectors. Bravo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Pf
Start with the Vice President. Weldone PF.
It was so cheap for a minister to ask for such details from the MD. Such details are supposed to be asked for or verified by immigration officers. The minister should be thinking of policy formulation and implementation should be done by civil servants. No harm doing familiarisations tours.
Oh!!! I forgot it’s a PF government…. It’s ‘donchi kudabwa’, crazy stuff.
The best news in a long time!! It was about time we stemmed the neo colonialist attitude of promoting foreigners at the expense of indigenous Zambians. It breaks my heart to see jobs that can be performed by Zambians occupied by non nationals when the ample and competent local skills are available and in abundance. We shall loss both economic and political power if we leave it all to the so called investors. In this day and age we should be “running our show” and enacting laws and policies that favour Zambians in development are long overdue.as far as possible Zambia should be for Zambians. Every responsible government out there does the same for its citizens. The government should protect its own!!
If you want to run the show then find your own company.
If you want to run the show then find your own company. Many Zambians cannot send money home to relatives to have a house built without been crooked, so why do you think a foreigner would be so stupid to leave his company in the hands of a Zambian.
It was so cheap for a minister to ask for details from the MD. Such details are supposed to be asked for or verified by immigration officers. The minister should be thinking of policy formulation and implementation should be done by civil servants. No harm doing familiarisation tours.
Oh!!! I forgot it’s a PF government…. It’s ‘donchi kudabwa’, crazy stuff.
#40 Ice_Road_Trucker – I understand the point you are trying to make. But here is a researched truth: nationalisation and forced-indigenisation (Zambianisation) of corporate employment policy, have the same impact on corporate performance and are often difficult to tell apart in practice. Privatisation was from the realisation that government is terrible at running business. At the centre of the nationalisation in the 1960s/70s was Zambianisation. Infact nationalisation was implemented as a tool to achieve maximum Zambianisation. It failed miserably. PF can control labour importation without resorting to archaic philosophies that have failed. These careless pronouncements just reveal PF dullness and failure to analyse and understand history intelligently.
Ba Diaspora – Bafikaka, Ba Kolwe just go back to Zambia and create jobs # # INDEPENDENT OBSERVER, Mambala & Chi-Kala why don’t you take your money into the Zambian Economy? we know you and your employers and your where about in London. Okay you are one Lucky Mother-Fu** with a high flying job in the world earning millions of Dollars per year but do us a favor with all your crap and come back and pay tax in Zambia.
stupid minister. you just shipped doctors from china to steal jobs from unza graduates!
How about TRIBALIZATION, is that already complete?
#15, who are you calling cockroaches? Mind your tongue and have the dignity of respecting humanity.
#31.2: Edward: So are you called by the term “expatriate” or “immigrant”? The chaps you call expatriates in Zambia may not even be as qualified as you are; yet they are given more respect in Zambia than you are given in the UK. They are paid 5 times more than a Zambian yet you may be paid less than your colleagues in the same capacity. So what are you talking about?
Zambians, we need to practice what we preach. We expect an investor to hire inexperienced local people in senior positions. However, if you are given the same task, you will only hire people from your tribe, relatives or who you went to school with! Government should be making a good environment (policy) for people to do business in Zambia and not micromanaging. What is the government doing to support Zambians that want to set up their own businesses? In many countries, including SA and EU, there are funds to support start-up businesses etc. It is also shocking to hear a minister talking about 30 year old policies. Has he been living under a stone? Has he heard about globalization and is he aware that today skills do not recognize borders and will go where the money is?
Most bloggers present insuficiency of comprehension of articles on the blog. Read again, you may not write what you have written as some views lack sense of concept of necessity to align ourselves with the ever changing geo-political environment.The complexity of this emerging situation makes the so called Zambianisation irrelevant. We are in a world that is becoming more complex and we require complexity managemwnt of creativity and innovative way of managing national affairs. New ideas are a must and the agenda to go back to Zambianisation underpins the need for new blood in Zambian politics with forward looking vision and keep abreast with world trends.
ALA TWALABWELA NGAMWACITEIFYO! That’s what a government of the people must do. Please start with the mines. Zambians have been very well trained and expeosed in ost technical skills required in the mining sector, but go and see how Indian the KCM management team is. Then the South Africa retails chains Game Stores, Shoprite, Spar etc, honestly what skills are needed to run such businesses that Zambians do not have? These people are already benifiting from making huge profits, which they can still make by employing Zambians in senior positions rather than just temporal cashiers’ jobs. WELL DONE PF!
Have said it before that a country without a Governor of the central bank BOZ to date is unthinkable in the modern world of good governance let a lone not understanding the constitutional office of Bank of Zambia. Would like to propose 2 names for govt. to consider on this position. 1- Dr Stuart Yikona currently in Canada working with IMF/World bank was at one time attached to BOZ while in his current job. Before his move to Canada was lecturer at CBU.
Well grounded individual in monetary issues in particular monetary management in developing world. 2- Dr Dambiso Moyo. Watching her handle topical issues on BBC with former Chancellors of Exchequors of Britain recently was a mavel to note. So young yet mature and solid in her presentation. No doubt would make a capable BOZ Governor.
What makes you think Dambiso would enjoy being in such a politically sensitive national position tied on a short leash to State House permanently rooted at BOZ H/q? It would also be Political suicide to appoint such a personality for any leader especially if that president has plans for standing for a second term.
I think she is better off as an international best seller contributing to global economic issues than being reduced to a puppet for politicians at BOZ, not everyone aspires to political office.
At Jimbo, Dont lie that an UNZA degree is like a trade certificate my be the course you did, how come i and my friends we have worked in the UK
Jimbo, was right, if you Mr Kaponya, are an example of someone with an UNZA degree. Oh by the way you dont need a degree to work in the UK if you manage to get a visa.
Please people get a life….while this is a good thing to happen to our Zambian workers and graduates, one needs to view from a different perspective and that is to say; make sure that the people the company are qualified capable of doing the job well regardless of their country of origin. #2 print money bearing KK’s image like the United States with Lincoln and the like on their money. Consult with fellow Zambians and get their feel on this. I think it will do Zambia good internationally too. #3 arrest Liato, Siliya, Mpundu George, Shikapwasha,) and sons….then you can talk about developing Zambia. For now, it’s hurting to see politicians burying money…at their farms….I say Jail them….Jail them!!!
The government is struggling to find engineers to maintain a football stadium, what Zambianisation are they talking about? Loot the mines? most businesses belong to Zambia anyway with the exception of the current emerging private sector. Please learn to put standards in place first before you can think of looting where you did not sow
Is this not the same government that has left about 1000 students in Russia stranded? … I’m just thinking loudly.
KK, stay away from anything to do with the economy. That’s not your area of strength. Well, that could be the kind Zambianization you are talking about, I guess. Sata doesn’t need you in that area. Stick to diplomacy, that’s where you are strong and I really love you for that. But you are the last person Sata needs on his advisory board for the economy. There’s are cream of Zambians that can benefit the nation if only Sata could swallow his pride and consult widely.
@Chills, I totally agree with you, man. Well , the gov’t needs to consider me for Bank Governer. I really have no knowlege of banking and management but I tell you what, I’m Zambian. Haven’t we witnessed it all? KK tried this experement and it failed, in fact, it backfired. There’s just too much evidence of this failed experiment of economics all around zambia: companies and institutions rundown and closing down during KK’s erra. That’s the reason we got down to where we are today–deplorable situation indeed. That’s the main reason so many Zambians are suffering and others live as foreigners scattered all over the world. Invest in Zambians first.
What is the source of this article? It sounds funny for a deputy minister to be actioning such things
Mr Rayford Mbulu is a failed MUZ president, how can he manage a Zambianization programe which he has no clue about. Even KK when he introdused Zambianization he had no clue about what was to come out of it especially the devalueing of highly qualified Zambian labour. Ask all the old engineers,metallugists, doctors what have you…..you will get the full story. The underpayent for Zambian labour which was started by KK has continued to this day. Emanuel Mutati of Mopani is chairman by title only but gets less than his juniors who are called expatriates. If Mutati is honest he will admit this.
@Muna Dekhane
What makes you think Dambiso would enjoy being in such a politically sensitive national position tied on a short leash to State House permanently rooted at BOZ H/q? It would also be Political suicide to appoint such a personality for any leader especially if that president has plans for standing for a second term.I think she is better off as an international best seller contributing to global economic issues than being reduced to a puppet for politicians at BOZ, not everyone aspires to political office.
@78 Airtime Sakala, don’t be surprised that Mbulu is talking about reactivating Zambianization. That was the office KK had given the responsibility to. Mbulu is only trying to learn about his responsibities from the dusty files in his office which were left by his predecessors like late John Chafwa. Nothing original from Mr Mbulu who is a MUZ chairman failure.
The way to go!!! Two Thumbs Up!!!!
Resurrect what? May Failed Economic Manipulations RIP. Period. KK means well but economy is not his forte. KK is great at diplomacy NOT economy. Sata, please swallow your pride and consult Zambians with economic knowhow. We have people in Zambia that can help you uplift the plight of common Zambians, but you are too proud to admit it. Did you know why and how planes soar into the sky–knowledge, skills, competence, science, and patience–the value of knowledge cannot be underestimated. Don’t overlook that fact.
Focus on getting the BEST people to do the job, not necesarily Zambians. remember also that there Zambians having jobs outside the country. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
This is a very good idea. The policy in Western Europe is simple. The job MUST be advertised in the country for 6 months BEFORE consideration of foreigners to the short list. ONLY if there is no citizen available and suitably qualified for the job, is the job advertised to foreigners. The Minister of Labour should be the only person to recommend to Immigration for a work permit, when he is satisfied that no Zambian can do the job.
Secondly, EQUAL work, EQUAL PAY.
Careful Guys……
Ladies and Gentlemen this is a leadership with no plans and no direction,Going back to Zambianization is the begin of problems.Zambians have failed to create jobs leave the foreigners alone.
Zambians have failed to open credible companies even when they have abit of money.Stop politicizing the market place focus on coming up with better labor laws opening up yr markets for growth and job creating and incentives to the employers
These are cheap politics that we the current Zambian youths have paid dearly in form of UNEMPLOYMENT because of KK’s Zambianisation of companies, which brought INCOMPETENCE, NEPOTISM, TRIBALISM, INSOLVENCY OF PUBLIC COMPANIES, CORRUPTION AND DICTATORSHIP in the form of UNIP siphoning huge sums of money from PUBLIC COMPANIES.
We the Zambian youths do not want these types of policies that has never worked nor bear FRUITS before in Zambia.
If government leave Private Companies to work independent and just make policies that promote good governance, Independent Anti Corruption Commission and Electoral Commission and free market Environment THEN we the Zambian youths will find more employment and more money in our pockets!
Mbulu and your PF govt you should stop your Zambianisation!
PF government is now taking us 40 years behind. We are living in 2011 and not 1971 please! If those policies worked back then, don`t expect them to work now. That Zambianinonsense will just take the country backwards. Where are all the best brains in Zambia? We left because the world has become a global village. The only job security one can ever possess this day and age are the skill sets. Instead of harassing the private enterprise, the government should create venture capitals to help locals set up their own businesses. Let the best brains get the jobs irrespective of where they are coming from India, China, Brazil or USA. We are working in foreign countries because we have the skills needed to do the jobs. PF wake up to reality!
Surely Sata and his PF government should have realized that we are not in the 1960 nor 70’s now? Zambiaisation does not apply now, ONLY true good Governance should be applied now!
This is the 20th Century time where only business and employment thrives in a good governance environment!
Is Sata having DEMENTIA and living in the 1960’s when hes was a brutal Northern Rhodesian COP clobbering and reporting innocent Zambian freedom Fighters who were fighting for Zambian independence?
What is wrong with this Sata ad his PF government?
Sata has relatives who are living outside Zambia and work freely with no restrictions and may be have obtained citizenship in the respective countries, But in Zambia FOREIGNERS have difficulties getting CITIZENSHIP. WHY Still afraid of South Africa?
o-+
Ancient ideas!
Can Lusaka Times or the Post Newspaper give us a record of relatives of the Current and former government’s Presidents and his Ministers CLOSER RELATIVES who are living and working in other countries and have changed their Citizenship.
At least this will give us Zambians to see the HYPOCRISY of these government leaders application of double standards when it comes to and employment and citizenship.
This will reveal how government leaders have been in the for front of facilitating the going abroad of their RELATIVES and changing of their Citizenship!
Come on board guys and clean up!
If you put Zambians in positions they will end up bringing LOW salaries has most Zambian Managers are jealousy of their fellow Zambians.
Most of the Private Companies paying low salaries in Zambia, have said that their Zambians in management have advised them to pay low SALARIES to Zambians!
Am sure Sata and Mbulu wants to put relatives in these private companies has they have done before like Mbulu when he used to work!
ABASH Zambianisation! To HELL with the PF government!
I like this move
I support this PF move.If Botswana did it why cant we did it according to HE Gray Zulu.
African governments fail to create employment because of following the US style capitalism. Why not adopt the economic principles of Hitler? They kind of worked to create jobs, but ready yourselves a little inflation.
LAFARGE ALSO MUST BE VISITED, TOO MANY FOREIGNERS.
Another way of advantaging the Bembas.
#96 ana shumba R4M,
I have never seen nor heard ICHIPUBA SANA as you MORON KOLWE with a low IQ!
For goodness sake, Zambians Managers at LAFARGE are the ones harassing and abusing their FELLOW Zambian employees! So how do you justify the firing of Foreigners at this company?
If foreigners are fired Sata and PF government ministers will be the first ones to influence the Human Resource Department at LAFARGE to employee their RELATIVES!
So how is this going to help us Zambians unemployed and looking for work or in Casual Work at LAFARGE you KOLOKOMBWA?
I don’t know what you do where you are but foreigners in Europe enjoy the same rights against Harassment, discrimination, oppression e.t.c as citizens of these countries.
In Zambia it takes a foreigner are used as SCAPEGOATS
#95 CHARACTER ASSASSIN 00,
You need psychological counseling and assessment urgently! No normal human being will adopt Hitler’s principles no matter what!
Hope the FBI can visit you and assess you connections may be you are connected to some violent groups, you KABWA!
That is why the USA government RECENTLY took away children away from a couple that gave names to their children of Hitler because Hitler was not normal but was INSANE and MAD!
Hitler hated Africans apart from his ARYAN race.
Please do not bring back UNIP style of appointing Distric Governors to be ruining companies,They will be ruin down soonest.Appoint on MERIT PLEASE.
WOW is this not the same practice that put us in the situation we are currently in and desperately trying to get out by sourcing for viable investors. Please accept it, that your Zambian university graduates are good in theory and not practical(the labs in most secondary schools speak for themselves). Backward thinking indeed! Zambia is not an island and so we all need to work together with foreigners so as to learn from each other. This is the 21st century so please think now and forward and not now and yesterday
TIME TO STUDY MORE PEOPLE MANAGEMENT POSITIONS YABALLBOKA.
Visit KCM, as per agreement KCM is suppose to employ only 50 expatriates but there are 2000 plus indians with very low qualifications but highily paid at the expense of us qualified Zambians. Please do something or we will sort them ourselves. We are running out of petience.
What does globerlisation mean? So Zambians working abroad should be sent back after working for a few years? We should be mindful of the fact that we are far too behind technologically and cannot rely on our own.
SHAKA 0Z
Ichipuba niwe. You are such a frustrated human being. Just accept the fact that PF is in power and they are working……………….and….Oh by the way, for your own information, PF will be in power for the next 20 years
WHAT? ZAMBIANIZATION!!! I cant believe this PF government. Bringing failed strategies from the KK era. The world has moved on and has become a huge global village where people compete based on skills. Zambians do not want to simply become HR managers and so forth, but rather want to become entrepreneurs and take charge of the country’s economy.We should be talking about Zambian per centage ownership of all companies operating in the country. We should be talking about playing a critical role in the main stream economy of the country and not merely being tools of production whether at management level or otherwise. Introduce Zambian/ employees ownership strategy in all foreign companies. Move away from school gives a job mentality to school empowers you to be an entrepreneur mentality.
Please please ,This is the best i have ever head from my the govt.I am an expatriate in SA ,IN Aeronautical aviation and telecommunication,my job is at risk because of wht they call her BEE bLACK Economic Empowerement ,i want come back.
Good intentions but do a thorough audit for all companies and organiations in conjunction with the Immigration dept, then wean out the unwanted chuff. Targetting only some companies will not resolve the issue, we need wholesome remedies and the list of the immigrant workers in Zambia should be published in the national papers.
#110@Tracy, face realities, PF will be a one termer govt coz Sata is not standing again. Yes I did vote PF but definately NOT next time and so are my many forward thinking friends. This muyaya attitude is the one giving politicians guts to take us for a ride, we are putting an end to this, the most we can allow is 2 terms only if they are VERY good.
Mbulu thinks this is truly Zambianisation. It’s not. This is Bembanisation. It is the glutton Bembas in senior positions and yet dull.
Why go to the companies? Immigration has this data. Follow up with Immigration. They are the worst culprits who issue work permits anyhow. You see why sometimes we get embarassed. Iam very sure when that committee went to Airtel some clown had told them there are too many expatriates at Airtel.
I am currently working in the Middle East and this their policy of ensuring that an expat will only be required if there is no local qualified person. All countries have this policy. I left Zambia 20 years ago and I would like to come back. I am highly educated and have massive experience. Home is home and I would to participate in economic development.
#110 Tracy,
Yes am frustrated because i voted PF and WAS the GREATEST critic of the MMD and its former Presidents excesses and THIS IS becoz PF has quickly FORGOTTEN us Zambians youths (Atheists, Pentecostals, Evangelicals) who voted HIM.
Sata and PF only thinks the EVIL Roman Catholic Organisation is the one that put him in the Presidency!And he is abusing his power by FAVORING this EVIL thing!
And i accept that PF is in power and they are NOT working
I remember the former Disgraced Vice President George Kunda BOASTING that MMD WAS 4 life and that Sata and PF will never be in power, but here we are Sata and PF are in power.
Just as the MMD was voted out SATA and PF WILL BE!
Politics of 20 years with ABUSE OF POWER are long gone!
No you didn’t.. you MMD or UPND through and through
I have always had this belief that SATA was ‘man of action’. Iam not seeing much of action especially actions that will benefit of Zambians. e.g certain business exclusively for Zambians etc. Shame on PF.
I am beginning to wonder if PF has its own ideas of the 21st century or Kaunda(UNIP) is indirectly the president “auto piloting” the 17th century ideas
Nobody invents policies, government always employ tried and test policies from past governments or from other countries, that’s how the world works!!
this airtel crap is messed up..they need to change their way of operation!!
Zambianisation policy is dipiction of aging Sata ideas not applicable to Zambia today.
A ball has no direction on the field.
The player kicks it in any direction and it will go.
It understands nothing about what is happening; such that even when a defender kicks it in his own goal it will go in.
This is how PF cadres are.
SATA can kick them in any direction he wants they will support.
He can tell them I will bring constitution in 90 days – they clap; I will not do that; they clap.
I will bring back the windfall tax; they clap. I will not bring it back; they clap.
I will scruitnise the Chinese investors; they clap. I will not do so; they clap.
SATA is seing the PF cadres as footballs and sees himself as footballer of the year. I think he will view himself as footballer of the year for the next five (5) years. His late brother (Chiluba)
called himself dribbler.
@123, Fine. I like your crativity. Yeah!!! Well said.
This will be good for Zambia. if other countries are doing so why not Zambia. In South Africa if you are not a South African you can not be given a managerial position of influence now. It was possible a few years ago but now its impossible. i have seen highly qualified and experienced Zambias in South African who can never be promoted to managerial positions because they are not South Africans; they are now being supervised by small boys/girls who just joined the industry with very minimal skills and experience. Zambia its the right way to go, Strictly speaking foreigners are not there to develop Zambia, they are there to make money and go to their homes when they have made enough. Zambians should be put in strategic positions to ensure that the operations of the organization continues.
Great move!! this is a progressive idea and put real control of the country back into the hands of Zambians. This should be extended procurement, tenders etc
Opening up for foreign investments means that you open up to foreign skills too. The two things can not be separated. It is foolish to think people will invest in Zambia and handover their resources to locals to manage. This govt should be careful not to sabotage the investment potential that exists. Of course, we should not give work permits to unskilled and inexperienced people. There is a serious shortage of skills globally. For instance, there are not enough qualified welders in SA for the infrastructure work that is going on there. It bothers me why this govt would want to apply failed policies on other peoples investments.
While this could be a solution to giving Zambian decent works….first things first…PF government needs to invest in skills and capacity building. The starting point is education, universities in particular. Our graduates learn in very poor conditions and cannot launch in a serious career path with the standards and condition they are trained at the moment aa haa. I shake my head yet again, like I did when Mchenga beacame High Court Judge….wrong direction
While this could be a solution to giving Zambian decent works….first things first…PF government needs to invest in skills and capacity building. The starting point is education, universities in particular. Our graduates learn in very poor conditions and cannot launch in a serious career path with the standards and condition they are trained at the moment aa haa. I shake my head yet again, like I did when Mchenga became High Court Judge….wrong direction