Government has introduced tougher regulations for the registration of trade unions in Zambia, aimed at curbing fragmentation and strengthening workers’ representation within the labour movement.
In a statement issued by Ministry of Labour and Social Security Principal Public Relations Officer Mwaka Ndawa, the new measures contained in Statutory Instrument No. 30 of 2026 were described as part of efforts to promote unity, accountability, and effective representation within trade unions.
Ms. Ndawa says the regulations, signed by Labour and Social Security Minister Brenda Mwika Tambatamba under the Industrial and Labour Relations Act, introduce stricter conditions for the formation and registration of trade unions.
Under the new regulations, groups seeking to register a trade union will now be required to secure backing from at least two unions within the same sector and two unions outside the sector before registration can be approved.
By Best Jere
