By Burnett Munthali

Blantyre – Former public service workers under the Public Pensioners Forum (PPF) are calling for a reduction in the mandatory retirement age for civil servants from 60 to 50 years. They believe this move would improve efficiency within government and create more opportunities for younger, qualified Malawians to enter the workforce.

Speaking after a press conference in Blantyre, PPF board chairperson Dyson Mupite explained that many civil servants become less productive after turning 50. He also highlighted how delays in accessing pensions and gratuities are linked to inefficiency, partly caused by older directors and deputy directors holding onto key positions.

“Some of the directors and deputy directors in the civil service are over 50 years and are not as productive as they were in their 40s. They are contributing to the challenges most pensioners are facing to access their pensions and gratuities,” Mupite said. He emphasized that lowering the retirement age would help resolve these issues and provide more opportunities for younger workers.

PPF also voiced frustration over the government’s delays in implementing a promised 400% increase in monthly pensions for those who retired before 2005. Currently, only a 200% increase has been put in place.

Chimwemwe Phaiya, a PPF board trustee who retired in 2020 after years of service as a primary education adviser, expressed anger over her continued inability to access her gratuity. She noted that many retirees have fallen into debt while trying to follow up on their unpaid pensions at Capital Hill in Lilongwe.

“This has become an ongoing challenge for many pensioners, and it’s deeply frustrating to see the inefficiency and lack of urgency from those in charge,” she said.

Charles Kajoloweka, executive director of Youth and Society, backed the proposal to lower the retirement age, stating that it aligns with his organization’s calls for change. “This is a matter worth national debate. As a country, we need to seriously consider this suggestion,” he remarked.

Despite these challenges, the Zambian government allocated K193.17 billion for pensions and gratuities in the 2024/25 financial year, and K464 billion between the 2020/21 and 2023/24 financial years.

Conclusion

While the retirement age in Zambia has evolved—from an early retirement age of 50 years to the current 55, and the normal retirement age raised from 55 to 60 years—the main issue pensioners face is not the age of retirement but the inefficiencies surrounding access to retirement benefits. Many Malawian retirees struggle to receive their pensions and gratuities on time, often due to widespread corruption and the government’s failure to implement public sector reforms.

Addressing these systemic issues could significantly improve the livelihoods of retirees while also creating opportunities for younger workers to contribute to the country’s development.