If there has been a time so traumatizing in the civil service for any civil servant aged 55 years and above is now. These gallant soldiers in the civil service need prayers, sympathy, empathy, counselling among other comforting things.
BACKGROUND
In November 2014 the then acting President Dr Guy Scott signed Statutory Instrument (SI) No. 63 of 2014 to effect the change of retirement age from 55 to 65 years. Then ZCTU Secretary General Roy Mwaba opposed to the decision saying that it contradicted the constitution.
In 2015, President Edgar Chagwa Lungu directed that SI No. 63 of 2014 be changed to give three retirement options which included 55 years early, 60 years normal and 65 as late retirement age. What followed was that all civil servants were made to sign forms indicating their preferred age of retirement from the three options. Majority young civil servants chose 60 and those who were about to retire including those in management opted to retire at 65.
It must be noted that the changes to retirement age led to a rise in legal battles. Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) Plc was taken to court by some miners who were retired at the age of 55 as they contended that the law allows them retire at 55, 60 or 65. The court of appeal _ Supreme Court ruled in favour of KCM that those who were employed before 2015 have to retire at the age of 55 as the law can’t be backdated.
Following the Supreme Court’s ruling, the Civil Servants and Allied Workers Union of Zambia (CSAWUZ) wrote the Permanent Secretary _ Public Service Management Division Mr Boniface Chimbwali seeking clarification. In response, the PS guided that there are three retirement options available. These are early, normal and late retirement. However, the PS further indicated that ANY AMENDMENTS will be communicated accordingly. We want to believe that the amendments have now come, “Civil servants who
started work before 2015 must retire at the age of 55”.
To this effect, Civil Service Commissions among them the Judicial Service and Teaching Service have issued guidance that retirement age for those who started work before 2015 is 55.
EFFECTS ON CIVIL SERVANTS
It must be noted that civil servants were ready to retire at the age of 55 but were asked to continue working. Some even requested for early retirement (at 55) but were denied. As a result, they switched off their minds from retirement. This made some civil servants even get loans with the hope of paying in full at the age of 65 as they were given 10 more years.
Most of these civil servants are now in the age range of 55 to 60. To be told that they retired 5 years ago is something difficult to handle. They are asking themselves such questions as; Will the salaries paid to them in the extra years be deducted from their retirement package? If so, did they work for free?
We see another case joining that of former Cabinet Ministers who are yet to refund the state despite the Constitution Court ruling. This directive to retire all those who are 55 years and above will affect more than 16000 civil servants.
As we write now, the more than 16000 civil servants are traumatised are being psychologically tortured. Trade unions negotiations can’t change anything as no one is above the law. The only option available for the affected civil servants is to take their employer to court as they were made to sign documents to choose when they want to retire. But even this route will yield less.
Our appeal to the employer is that pay the affected civil servants immediately you retire them as they are already in anguish. Any delay in paying them will lead to them to the grave early. Most of these suffer from BP.
© ZEIC 2020
