By EditorZambia
The launch of the Civil Service Commission (CSC) recruitment exercise for 2,000 health workers is more than a routine administrative announcement; it is a reaffirmation of Government’s deliberate, systematic and sustained commitment to job creation, human capital development and improved service delivery under the United Party for National Development (UPND).
With the swearing-in of the Steering Committee on December 16, 2025, the State has once again demonstrated that employment creation under the UPND is not built on slogans, but on policy consistency, institutional reform and measurable outcomes. 
Acting CSC Chairperson Mr. Louis Siandyabantu’s message was clear and unambiguous: Zambia is correcting historical imbalances in the health sector while ensuring that recruitment is transparent, inclusive and merit-based.
Since 2021, the government has recruited 18,000 health workers, an achievement that stands in sharp contrast to the inertia and hiring freezes that characterised previous administrations. These numbers represent real people deployed in hospitals, clinics and rural health posts—nurses, doctors, laboratory staff and support personnel—who are saving lives and restoring dignity to a health system that had been pushed to the brink.
The additional recruitment of 2,000 health workers before the end of 2025, as confirmed by President Hakainde Hichilema, is therefore not an isolated intervention. It is part of a broader strategy to strengthen frontline services while simultaneously addressing youth unemployment, one of Zambia’s most pressing socio-economic challenges.
Equally important is the process itself. The CSC’s decision to conduct recruitment in two phases—promotion of in-service officers and first appointments—reflects a mature appreciation of career progression and workforce morale. The utilisation of Human Resource Management Committees at provincial and district levels enhances decentralisation, transparency, and local accountability, ensuring that recruitment is not captured by elites or distorted by corruption.
The CSC chairperson’s firm warning against misinformation and suspicious activities is timely. It signals zero tolerance for the cartels, briefcase fixers, and middlemen who have historically preyed on desperate job seekers.
Under the UPND, public service recruitment is steadily being reclaimed as a rule-based, professional and ethical process.
The emphasis on inclusivity—particularly the reservation of 10 per cent of positions for persons with disabilities—underscores President Hichilema’s vision of a government that leaves no one behind. This is not tokenism; it is the practical application of equity in public employment, ensuring that opportunity is extended to all citizens regardless of physical ability.
Beyond the health sector, the UPND’s job creation record is both broad and deep. Since assuming office in 2021, Government has facilitated the creation of over 150,000 jobs across health, education, security wings and the mining sector.
The recruitment of 42,000 teachers since 2022 has helped reduce classroom congestion and address chronic staffing gaps in rural schools, with an additional 2,000 teachers expected to be recruited this year.
Economic reforms are equally central to this story. Through diversification and value-chain development in agriculture, mining, tourism, and manufacturing, the government has deliberately shifted the economy from consumption to production. Specialist Economic Zones have attracted over 80 companies with an investment outlay of US$2.9 billion, creating more than 48,000 jobs for Zambians.
In the mining sector, the joint venture between International Resource Holdings and ZCCM-IH has unlocked US$1.1 billion in investment, employing over 2,000 Zambians. The resuscitation of Shaft 28 at Luanshya Copper Mine is expected to create 3,000 new jobs, while the US$340 million investment at Lubambe Copper Mine has saved 1,500 jobs that would otherwise have been lost.
The agriculture sector has also emerged as a critical employment engine. More than 5,000 jobs have been created across the agro-sector supply chain, revitalising rural economies and providing livelihoods beyond subsistence farming. These gains are reinforced by investments in renewable energy, digital technology, and manufacturing—sectors that hold long-term promise for youth employment.
What distinguishes the UPND approach is the recognition that job creation is a marathon, not a sprint. President Hichilema has consistently emphasised transparency, accountability, and good governance as prerequisites for sustainable employment. These reforms have restored investor confidence, attracted both foreign and local capital, and laid the foundation for future job growth.
The CSC recruitment drive for health workers, therefore, stands as a microcosm of a larger national effort: building institutions, creating opportunities, and restoring hope. In an era where rhetoric often outpaces results, the UPND Government has chosen the harder path—doing the work, reforming systems and delivering jobs.
For thousands of young Zambians, this recruitment exercise is not just an announcement; it is a lifeline. For the nation, it is evidence that with sound leadership, discipline, and vision, job creation can move from political promise to lived reality.
