By Christopher Chisi

The University of Zambia Lecturers and Researchers’ Union is saddened that despite government owing the university retirees and lecturers about 500 million Kwacha in retirement packages and gratuities since 2011, the 2021 National budget does not seem to address the issue.

Dr Kelvin Mambwe the Union General Secretary says they were, however, expecting the government to allocate enough resources towards this noble cause in the next year’s budget which is not the case.

He recalls that in 2017 the government promised to clear all the arrears by 2020, through a 3-year financial strategy but has now revised the strategy thereby extending the period to clear the debt by 5 years.