Funds released to pay retrenched Livingstone city council employees

Government has released five million kwacha rebased (KR5, 000, 000) out of the eleven million kwacha rebased owed to over one hundred former Livingstone City council employees who got retrenched in 2002.

A check by ZANIS at Indo Zambia bank in Livingstone today found the retrenched workers queuing up to get their dues.

Chairperson for the Retrenchees, Sakanoko Nangulube commended government for the step it had taken to pay the retrenchees their packages adding that it showed that government had the welfare of the vulnerable at the core of its operations.

Mr. Nangulube said it was unfortunate 29 of the 123 retrenchees set to benefit from the funds had died.

He called on government to ensure the outstanding six million kwacha rebased owed to the retrenchees was paid at the earliest possible time to alleviate their suffering.

And Southern Province Patriotic Front (PF) Political Secretary Brian Hapunda said the release of the funds was simply a fulfillment of the PF’s campaign promises.

Mr. Hapunda said the outstanding six million kwacha rebased would be paid to the retrenchees by the second quarter of this year.

He said the delay in paying the former Livingstone City Council workers was as a result of the former ruling party MMD not prioritizing the plight of the vulnerable in society.

He pledged that his party would continue honoring its campaign promises as doing so would uplift the standards of people