NO TRUCKS, NO ECONOMY
Government, employers and unions race to ease truck drivers' hardships before transport disruptions hit the country
By Francis Maingaila
Lusaka, Zambia24 -- 7-08-2026 -- The Government has called an urgent meeting with employers and trade unions to address truck drivers' long-standing complaints over subsistence allowances amid growing concern that frustrations among drivers could disrupt the movement of goods and affect businesses and households across Zambia.
The high-level meeting followed reports that some truck drivers had abandoned their trucks in protest, raising fears that any prolonged disruption would choke the supply of fuel, food, raw materials and other essential commodities that keep the country's economy running.
Addressing the Transport Sector Stakeholders Consultative Meeting in Lusaka, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Labour and Social Security Zachariah Luhanga described truck drivers as the lifeblood of Zambia's economy, saying every journey they made connected farmers to markets, factories to suppliers and businesses to consumers.
Mr Luhanga said the country depended on truck drivers every day to move goods across Zambia and the region, making it essential for all stakeholders to protect their welfare while ensuring transport services continued without interruption.
He said transport services had been declared an essential service because any disruption could quickly ripple through the economy, affecting industries, public services and ordinary families.
Mr Luhanga said the responsibility of keeping the transport sector running rested with both employers and employees, urging all parties to resolve labour disputes through dialogue rather than actions that could bring economic activity to a standstill.
He welcomed the recognition agreement signed between transport employers and trade unions in June, describing it as an important breakthrough that would allow wages and conditions of service to be negotiated through collective bargaining instead of emergency government intervention.
Mr Luhanga reaffirmed Government's commitment to protecting workers while creating a fair environment where businesses could continue to grow.
Mr Mapizya said truck drivers sacrificed a great deal by spending days and sometimes weeks away from their families, often relying on the allowance to buy food and meet their daily needs while travelling long distances.
He said Government did not want to keep returning every year to negotiate new allowance figures but instead wanted stakeholders to develop a fair and sustainable system that adjusted payments in line with changes in the economy.
Mr Mapizya noted that inflation had fallen to 6.5 percent in July, creating a more stable economic environment, but stressed that the welfare of truck drivers could not be overlooked because they remained at the centre of Zambia's transport and trade network.
He added that Government was investing heavily in strategic transport corridors linking key economic regions, saying those investments would only deliver meaningful results if the people transporting goods were properly supported.
Mr Muntengwa said the development was alarming because truck drivers proudly referred to themselves as the country's "economic movers" and, without them, businesses, industries and markets could grind to a halt.
"We could not wait another day," Mr Muntengwa said. "When truck drivers stop moving, the economy stops moving too."
He said although unionised drivers would soon begin negotiating improved conditions of service under the recently approved recognition agreement, many truck drivers were still outside the union system and depended on statutory protections.
Mr Muntengwa said Government wanted an immediate agreement on improved subsistence allowances for those drivers while paving the way for future negotiations to be handled through collective bargaining.
He also urged employer organisations and trade unions to recruit more truck drivers into unions so that labour disputes could increasingly be resolved through established negotiation structures.
Mr Mulala described truck drivers as the unsung heroes of Zambia's economy, saying they worked tirelessly to ensure factories remained supplied, supermarkets remained stocked and businesses continued operating.
He said many drivers endured long nights on the road, slept in broken-down trucks in isolated places and sometimes went hungry while carrying out their duties.
Mr Mulala also expressed concern over attacks on Zambian truck drivers in neighbouring countries, saying several had lost their lives while simply trying to earn a living for their families.
He appealed to all stakeholders to negotiate with open minds and compassion so that truck drivers could receive better conditions without disrupting the country's economy.
Meanwhile, Zambia Federation of Employers Executive Chief Executive Officer Harrington Chibanda said the newly signed recognition agreement offered a lasting opportunity to strengthen labour relations in the transport sector.
Mr Chibanda encouraged employers to respect workers' right to join trade unions and urged unions to recruit more truck drivers so that future negotiations could take place through collective bargaining.
He, however, cautioned that while workers deserved better conditions, employers also had to consider the cost of doing business because sharp increases in operating costs could eventually be reflected in the prices consumers paid for goods and services.
Mr Chibanda called for honest and transparent negotiations, expressing confidence that the stakeholders would reach a balanced agreement that improved truck drivers' welfare while keeping Zambia's transport sector competitive.
The meeting is expected to agree on revised subsistence allowances for truck drivers while laying the groundwork for long-term reforms aimed at strengthening labour relations, improving working conditions and ensuring the uninterrupted movement of goods that keeps Zambia's economy alive.
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