THE Zambia Institute for Human Resource Management (ZIHRM) and the labour movement have welcomed Government’s decision to ban foreigners from taking up Human Resource Management (HRM) jobs in all the institutions in Zambia.
ZIHRM president Winner Kanyemba said in an interview in Lusaka yesterday that Zambia had enough local professionals who were competent to execute the functions of human resource in any institution.
He said the local human resource personnel had a better understanding of the Zambian labour laws, the environment and the culture making them better placed for the job.
He said since the Zambianisation programme was introduced, the ZIHRM had trained a good number of human resource personnel to carry out the functions of HRM in both private and public institutions.
“For national economic development to be strengthened human resource officers who understand the environment in which the institution is operating in are desired,” he said.
He said the HRM had an important role to play in an institution of ensuring right attitudes were instilled in employees.
Mr Kanyemba said this had not been so with the influx of foreigners taking up HRM who did not understand the local culture thereby compromising performance of employees.
He said the institute was willing to work with the ministry of Labour to conduct inspections to ensure that all institutions engaged local human resource officers.
The ZIHRM Act number 11 of 1997 also demands that all human resource managers should be affiliated with the institution.
Federation of Free Trade Unions of Zambia (FFTUZ) president Joyce Nonde-Simukoko said the move would make it easier for the labour movement to negotiate for conditions of service for the workers.
Ms Simukoko said the benefit of the local HRM was that they understood the needs of workers in terms of their environment culture, practices and attitude.
And the Zambia Congress of Trade Union (ZCTU) president Leonard Hikaumba said the move would bring sanity in the labour industry which had been marred with intolerance and abusive language.
He said it was sad that in some institutions, foreign HRMs were even denying their employers to attend funerals for close relatives for failure of understanding the cultural system in Zambia.
“It’s unfortunate that some HRM in some of these companies are disregarding the cultural heritage of the country such as denying employees to attend funerals for close family members,” he said.
Thanks for welcoming discrimination.Whatever happened to employing people on merit.
Yeah, what is meritorious about bringing in your relatives and close colleagues from Bombay to come and harass Zambian employees? Wake up bwana; this is a very positive move by the govt!
This is positive discrimination! Cheers! Ever seen a Zambian HRM in Mumbai?
yes indeed even an extent of bring casual works from aboard, it was sad.
This ban was effected in the early 2000. It was only that the Ministry of Labour, the immigration dept and ZIHRM were asleep. I ask Winner Kanyembo, Joyce Nonde and Leonard Hikaumba not only to welcome the ban but to ensure that it is enforced to the letter.
This is insanity absurd and wrong
What happens with my children who will be half Zambian half white would they be discriminated like this?
I am stick to the stomach at such proposals and some of us need answers. Next they will say no whites and ban my children who will be half white half black, but more on the white side considering I am living in the UK
Thanks
swallow your own mistakes!! did we tell u to get married to a foreiner?? Zambia is for Zambians
Those are coloureds. They can come and blend in with Thorn Park coloureds and be serious mechanics, drug pushers et al. Wisakamana. By then their 95yr old father will be chilling in an old people’s home in Essex. Abasungu tabafwaya ama kaladi so you will win full custody without a battle:)
what do you mean half white and half Zambian? Do you birth Zombies? B=astar=d.
With a “stick to the stomach”, no wonder you are upset!
The problem with you Mushota is that you are too much to shake shake and chibuku. You abondon your home and children every morning to go round taverns in patapatas looking for chibuku. I remember you as a nice looking young woman with prominent hips and tender breasts. Today, you look a sorry sight and your husband Nick walks the streets with a downcast face because you have turned yourself into an easy prey for men in taverns and shebeens. If I had a way, I would have stopped national breweries from making the stuff that has turned you into a wreck but alas, I can’t do anytinhg about it.
Of course you know she meant sick to the stomach, RETARD. Ulimwana wamusungu iwe? Ulemekela muchisungu, ni language yaba wiso?
MUSHOTA, DO NOT OPEN YOUR MOUTH JUST UPON READING ONE ARTICLE IN THE NEWSPAPER. THIS EXPOSES HOW IGNORANT YOU ARE ABOUT THE ZAMBIA YOU PRETEND TO HATE, BUT THE ZAMBIA YOU PRACTICALLY LOVE AND IT SHOWS BY YOU ALWAYS BEING ON THE ZAMBIAN BLOG SITE(S). WHY ARE WORRIED IF YOU DESPISE ZAMBIA TO THE LEVEL YOU PRETEND. I NORMALLY DO NOT RESPOND TO YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS. I HAVE JUST DONE IT (NOW) TO ADVISE TO READ THE NEW DRAFT CONSTITUTION WHICH HAS COVERED EXTENSIVELY AND WITHOUT LEAVING ANY STONE UNTURNED. ANYWAY, YOU ARE NOT THE ONLY ONE. MOST BLOGGERS JUST READ ONE ARTICLE AND RUSH INTO COMMENTING IN ISOLATION FROM OTHER ALREADY SAID THINGS. MEANING THEY UNDERSTAND VERY LITTLE OF WHATS GOING ON IN ZAMBIA. MY SISTER READ THE DRAFT CONSTITUTION IN FULL.
Thanks bwana peter 4 schooling tha little ignorant girl !!!!
Iwe Peter, save your rantings for a lecture room. You don’t impress us with your self chest drumming, atase!
Eish, Peter **YOU ARE REALLY LOUD**, EISH!
Even if foreigners are doing the human resources functions they are fair. if you have a zambian then there is bound to bias which results in the company not doing well and ultimately leading to loss of jobs. not all zambians can be good managers.
Come on man, this is 2013 not 1950’s ideas.your thinking is very shallow & racist.Most racist thought Zambia will have a qualified Manager after 30 years of her inpendence.Guess what,they were shamed.No wander there so much discrimination & tax avoidance.You chaps just want to loot our economy & leave big burrows in the mining towns.
Still haunted by colonialism. Tribalism will set in this country. Bemba dominion is seen we are in trouble.
I see some companies closing unqualified people will be employed. See the scenario for DCs, merely cadres. I am not politicking by just speculating on the weakness of this action
I HONESTLY DONT SUPPOR THIS REASON BEING ZAMBIAN HR IS CORRUPT AND THERE IS TOO MUCH NEPOTISM JUST LOOK AT ZESCO AND IN THE MINING SECTOR ITS EITHER YOU HAVE MONEY OR A RELATIVE THATS WHEN YOU WILL GET A JOB ITS NONSE THE GRZ AND THE HR BODY SHOULD LOOK AT THIS SIDE AS WELL.
it is not gonna help. whether you have a zambian HR or a foreigner if you dont have the right contacts you dont move, if you have u move period.
What of other professionals such as accountants? To stop falsified balance sheets to evade tax, this must be treated with atmost priority.
What if I becoming a Zambian by getting a Zam passport?
Mushota the troll,never ever refer to colored people half white half black,you will be sucker punched.Obama is black,Clarence Thomas is black,Harry balafonte is black, e.t.c This mixed race of mine never refere to themselves as half white half black because basically racism prevented them to identify themselves as white.Who is the first black president of USA? As for the HR issue,it is debatable because mostly of the HRs I know do not care about the labour laws,they would rather work,get paid and go home.In cooperate companies recruiting of expatriates is done by the mother company from head quarters as for local recruitment it is done by local HRs,so the difference is the same!
so the answer to racism is more racism? how can mixed race people deny half their heritage if they have white blood? that is racist. and dont talk of obama who was raised by his white family that is why he is is president.
i think it is a good move
Good move wish our SA government would also ban all these foreign africans working in SA send them all home
Yes , let the HR managers have respect for Zambians. They like insulting at will . Its a good move albeit.
Peace and Prosperity to mother Zambia.
We are living in a world were HR managers must be well exposed in the industries globally and exhibit high levels of job ethics. it will be wise to work on the labour laws and immigration issues. Sory to say this but HR managers have failed us lamentably in this country, i dont know if it is the association which is weak and is sopposed to give norms and values of its members….in most cases they are reduced to rubberstamps.
I think problem is exagerated.
I am sick of these shona kaponyas from Zimbabwe stealing jobs!
This is a positive move and it is not discrimination in anyway. A zambian of indian or zabian of British origin can fill these positions keyword being zambian. ZAMBIAN is not a blackman it is anyone that holds an NRC or was born in the country. Ask any country there citizens come first