• Zambia’s minimum wage was last revised in July 2012.
• Government can still adjust the wage rate upwards.
• Currently three quarters of citizens can hardly afford three meals per day.

A Governance Expert has called for an upward adjustment of the wage rate to cushion the economic challenges on citizens, especially those of lower categories such as domestic and general workers.
Wesley Miyanda told Money FM News that Zambia’s minimum wage was last revised in July 2012, but with the current economic hardships citizens are faced with, it is imperative to adjust it upwards.
Mr. Miyanda said it was unfortunate that most employers in the country have deliberately opted to abrogate the labour laws by maximizing the use of workers but paying less salaries than what is required.
“Government is mandated to regulate and maintain a minimum wage for workers and this is determined by category of employment.”
“Zambia’s minimum wage was last revised or changed in July 2012, but with the current economic hardships our citizens are faced with, I feel the government can still adjust the wage rate upwards so as to cushion the economic pinch on her people, especially those of lower categories such as domestic and general workers,” Mr. Miyanda said.
He stated that it is government’s duty to create an enabling environment for those in informal and formal sectors to pull through and contribute positively to the country’s economic growth.
“You will agree with me that currently three quarters of our people hardly can afford three meals per day. Most of essential commodities are still expensive due to a number of factors some of which are global. Ministry of Labour does not seem to have time to make follow-ups so as to normalize the situation for the betterment of a common Zambian,” he stated.
A minimum wage is the lowest amount of money that a worker should legally be paid for their work and Zambia, like most countries across the world has a nationwide minimum wage that all workers, both domestic and commercial must be paid in order for them to put up with economic challenges.
The last update of the minimum wage in Zambia was done in 2012.