LUSAKA –Minister of Labour and Social Security, Honourable Brenda Mwika Tambatamba, says Government is in the process of completely overhauling the Social Security landscape of Zambia.

Ms Tambatamba said this is a sure way of ensuring that the chronic delay of retirement benefit payments is overcome adding that the overhauling of the Pension Sector will result in a harmonised and well cordinated pension systems which will ensure dignity for all retirees.

Speaking when she officiated at the National Symposium on Pension Reforms held at the Mulungushi Conference Centre, Ms. Tambatamba said the current system had long been plagued with low coverage, inadequate benefits, and legislative inconsistencies that had left many retirees in a state of vulnerability.

The Minister emphasized that the pension system needed to be seen to be more than  just a financial structure. She described it instead as a fundamental guarantee of income security in old age.

She further noted that Government was acting in a methodical and systematic manner to restore public trust in the social protection system that had historically struggled with transparency and efficiency.

“These comprehensive reforms are designed to ensure timely and predictable benefit payments while expanding coverage to include workers who were previously excluded from the social safety net,”she said.

She said the proposed pension reforms intended to modernize pension laws, harmonize the the national pension schemes, namely the Local Authorities Superannuation Fund (LASF), National Pension Scheme Authority (NAPSA) and the Public Service pension Fund (PSPF), as well as strengthen governance to ensure reliable and timely benefit payments.

Ms Tambatamba said that as part of the reform process, three Bills had been drafted as a result of the nationwide stakeholder engagement activities which have been held in order to incorporate the views and submissions of the various stakeholders.

“As part of the reform process, three Bills have been drafted: The National Pension Scheme Bill, 2025, the Public Service Pensions Fund Bill, 2025, and the Local Authorities Superannuation Fund Bill, 2025,” she said.

The Minister said Government remained committed to delivering a fair, sustainable and responsive pension system that guaranteed financial protection for workers long after they exited the labour market.

Meanwhile Ministry of Labour and Social Security Permanent Secretary Zechariah Luhanga reaffirmed Government’s commitment to transparency, saying extensive consultations had been conducted across all 10 provinces.

“These sessions were designed to gather feedback and build a national consensus, ensuring that the pending legislative reforms accurately reflect the diverse needs of employees, employers, and pensioners nationwide.

The Zambia Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) Secretary General Joy Beene emphasised the need to prioritize adequacy of benefits and the need to protect pension values against the eroding effects of inflation.

And Chairperson of the Nationa Steering Committee on pension reforms Chembo Mbula said that the consultative process was a deliberate effort to align policy with the practical realities faced by administrators and the workforce. He noted that continued dialogue remained the central pillar in finding common solutions, with the ultimate goal of delivering a pension system that was fair, sustainable, and responsive to the current economic environment.