MY LATE FATHER WORKED FOR 17 YEARS IN HEALTH, K38,400 TOO SMALL FOR BENEFITS – SON
By Thomas Ngala
I don’t believe that a K38,400 is all my family can receive after my late father served for 17 years in the health sector, cries 23-year-old man.
After his father died in 2013, Henry Zimba’s mother had to wait for seven solid years before she could get the benefits.
The family of six had to endure unbearable times while they pushed for the same money with relevant authorities.
As abject poverty pushed the family to the corner leaving them with no option, Henry’s mother was forced to go into debt.
And expressing his view on the money in question during an interview with Daily Star Newspaper, Henry claimed “those were just leave days.”
“We stayed from 2013 to 2020 without getting the benefits. They explained to mum that he never reached 20 years of service hence the amount he got. So I was even wondering like how come someone who only remained with three years the only thing they can give is for the leave days,” he said.
“Life has been hard I am telling you. My mother doesn’t work so I have to help out. Even the seven years that we stayed without any money, it was hard for her, you can only imagine. She had so much debt to the point where even when the money came out it had no value to her.”
The 24-year-old further narrated that when the money came out, his mother just paid the debt and started a small business which did not even last due to some complications.
Asked what he wanted to happen to the matter in question, the young man said “I just want authorities to make me understand if it is normal for us to only get K38,400. He (his late father) was even an officer in charge in the rural setups.”
Credit: Daily Star Zambia