"The GOAT Media Centre"

Muntengwa cites gaps in employment contracts, workplace policies, worker safety and employee management By Francis Maingaila ♥️ Lusaka, Zambia24 — 24-09-2026 — Two businesses have been hit with K160,000 in fines after labour inspectors uncovered gaps in the way workers were being employed and managed, bringing fresh attention to the need for employers to get the basics of decent work right. ZAMS Milling Company was fined K100,000, while Food Bee Indian Restaurant and Bar was fined K60,000 following labour inspections led by Labour Commissioner Givens Muntengwa . But for Muntengwa, the issue goes beyond the fines. He said employers must make sure workers know where they stand — from the type of contract they have, to how they are paid, the rules they are expected to follow and the safety measures that should protect them at work. ZAMS WORKERS MUST HAVE CLEAR CONTRACTS At ZAMS, Muntengwa said the company had been directed to regularise the employment of workers who had stayed on...

Workers blame delayed Government funding and student fee payments for salary delays, demand urgent action to stabilise UNZA finances By Francis Maingaila Lusaka, Zambia24 — 23-09-2026 — Three University of Zambia workers’ unions have warned that persistent delays in paying salaries are becoming increasingly difficult for employees to endure, as they demand urgent action to address what they describe as deeper funding and liquidity problems at the institution. Speaking on behalf of the University of Zambia Lecturers and Researchers’ Union (UNZALARU), University of Zambia Professional Staff Union (UNZAPROSU) and University of Zambia and Allied Workers’ Union (UNZAAWU), Dr. Likezo Pumulo told journalists at a media briefing that salary delays had become a recurring problem since January 2026. Dr. Pumulo said employees had in many instances received their salaries after the last day of the month, with the August 2026 salaries only paid on September 9. He said such delays were not ac...

Luhanga says new safety rules must protect workers and keep Zambia’s economy moving By Francis Maingaila ♥️ Lusaka, Zambia24 — 22-09-2026 — Government says Zambia’s economic ambitions will mean little if the people driving production are getting injured, falling sick or losing their lives at work. Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Labour and Social Security Zechariah Luhanga said new occupational health and safety regulations must protect workers in every sector while remaining practical enough to be followed by employers. Mr. Luhanga said workers, employers and other stakeholders must be brought into the process from the start because those who live with workplace realities are best placed to point out what can work and what cannot. He was speaking in Lusaka during a stakeholder engagement on the proposed Occupational Health and Safety Regulations. Mr. Luhanga said the consultations were important following the enactment of the Occupational Health and Safety Act No. 16 of 2025, w...

Health Ministry says hospital-based interventions alone cannot stop rising infections as Zambia launches Stop Syphilis Campaign By Francis Maingaila ♥️ Lusaka, Zambia24 — 22-09-2026 — Government, in partnership with the AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), has launched a campaign to step up the fight against syphilis and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs), with the Ministry of Health calling for stronger community-based action to curb the rising infections. Director of Clinical Care and Diagnostics Dr. Lisulo Walubuta, representing Permanent Secretary for Technical Services Kennedy Lishimpi, said Zambia must take syphilis prevention, testing and treatment services closer to communities if the country is to make meaningful progress in controlling the infection. Dr. Walubuta was speaking in Lusaka yesterday during the launch of the Stop Syphilis Campaign, an initiative aimed at increasing awareness, testing and treatment while strengthening prevention of sexually transmitted infec...

FAO and Government call for stronger food safety, nutrition, climate resilience and traceability to unlock markets By Francis Maingaila ♥️ Lusaka, Zambia24 — 22-09-2026 — Zambia has launched a two-year, US$500,000 project to transform the country’s food systems, with Government stressing the need for better coordination, safer food, improved nutrition, climate resilience and stronger traceability if farmers are to access bigger markets. The project, known as the Catalyzing Transformative and Sustainable Food Systems in Zambia (CATRAS-FS) , was launched in Lusaka yesterday with Government saying the initiative must go beyond meetings and reports and deliver changes that ordinary families and farmers can see. Permanent Secretary for Administration in the Office of the Vice President, Mrs Lillian M. Kapusana , said the project comes at a time when Zambia is still grappling with poor dietary diversity, climate shocks, food safety risks and limited market access. Mrs Kapusana said Za...

Fr. Mapulanga calls for inclusive talks as civil society proposes 45-day roadmap to address concerns over governance and constitutional order Lusaka, Zambia24 — 21-09-2026 — A coalition of civil society organisations has challenged Government to move beyond public exchanges and urgently convene an inclusive dialogue to address what it describes as growing concerns over the rule of law and constitutional governance in Zambia. Caritas Zambia Executive Director Fr. Gabriel Mapulanga says the country needs a structured dialogue involving Government, political parties, civil society, faith-based organisations, professional bodies and other key institutions. Fr. Mapulanga, speaking on behalf of the Joint Civil Society Organisations, says the proposed engagement should provide a genuine opportunity for stakeholders to discuss the concerns affecting the country and agree on practical steps forward. He says the CSOs are responding to the statement issued by the Office of the Attorney-Gene...