A RADIO station in Lusaka must have tagged at the emotions of many Zambians, especially job seekers, when it recently discussed the troublesome subject of nepotism.
Nepotism, according to the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, 7th Edition, is the giving of unfair advantages to one’s own family if one is in a position of power, especially by giving them jobs.
To this line I will add ‘…giving unfair advantages to your own family, friends and acquaintances.’
From the wide-ranging views expressed through the phone-in early morning programme called the Pulse on Radio Phoenix, it was evident that nepotism has, over the years, grown both in scope and magnitude.
No one can afford to bury their heads in the sand over this social problem because it affects workplace relations and productivity, and ultimately deprives genuine, well-qualified citizens of employment opportunities.
Expressed differently, nepotism has a huge bearing on the Bill of Rights, as Part 3 Section 11(2) of the Constitution of Zambia (Amendment) Bill of 2016 states that the rights and freedoms set out in the Bill of Rights are inherent in every individual.
They protect the dignity of the person, and include rights and freedoms which are consistent with the Constitution but not expressly provided for, except those that are repugnant or a danger to the morals and values of the people of Zambia.
For the purpose of supporting the claim that nepotism is soiling the Bill of Rights in so far as fair and equal access to job opportunities goes, I will refer you to Part 3 Section 41(1) which says “a person has the right to employment and fair labour practices.”
Section 41(2) further indicates that a person in employment has the right to (a) fair remuneration commensurate to the productivity or size of the enterprise, (b) decent working conditions, and (c) a pension benefit commensurate with that person’s office, salary and length of service.
A person also has a right to form, join or participate in the activities and programmes of a trade union, including going on a lawful strike.
Zambians must, as a matter of urgency, forge consensus on this nagging problem which continues to undermine operations and productivity in many companies and Government institutions.
As some callers to the Pulse argued, unfair and mostly dubious recruitment processes have come to define some Government departments, parastatal companies, Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), and the private sector, too.
It is sad that, while parastatal firms and some Government departments were in past years notorious for engaging friends and relatives, this harmful practice has extended to NGOs and private companies.
Some observers have discussed how difficult it is to penetrate some NGOs where a small group of individuals have dominated key positions.
This is while some parastatal companies have a dynastic history as certain officials have kept squeezing in family members in various departments and they have, sadly, turned this into a tradition.
It is no longer unusual to see some officials in certain organisations unashamedly influencing the recruitment of two or more relatives in the same workplace and, therefore, denying other job applicants of their right to employment and fair labour practices.
Some previously reputable NGOs have unfortunately fallen into this trap and have gone on to debase their standards.
One caller went further to allege that even the diplomatic service is tainted by nepotism and political patronage.
The central argument regards the recruitment of relatives and friends with inferior qualifications and skills for the sometimes senior positions they are offered.
The engagement of human resource has been narrowed down to what is infamously referred to as “connections”.
As some observers have stated, it is important to remember that nepotism is not only driven by social and economic issues, but also cultural perspectives.
Some families are steeped in beliefs that a person in a senior position in an organisation should “remember” either their siblings or friends, even if they do not have the right qualifications and requisite experience.
However, many job hunters do not have “connections” for them to enter the labour market.
They depend on their genuinely obtained academic and professional qualifications and experience to look for jobs.
Logic suggests that not every job seeker can manage to bribe their way into an organisation because they may not even have money in the first place.
The consequence of such illegalities in the labour market is that the right candidates are pushed to the edge while “the connected” scoop their undeserved posts.
Apart from disadvantaging the rightful people for some jobs, these harmful practices have resulted in widespread frustration among workers in quite many organisations where productivity has expectedly dropped.
Tales of people joining companies in questionable circumstances and later becoming perpetual under-achievers also abound as these individuals feel “protected” by the officials who championed their recruitment.
But like other concerned Zambians, I yearn for top company officials who, despite occupying influential positions, would demonstrate commitment to the greater good of an organisation by avoiding the temptation to load the workplace with relatives and friends.
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Cristiano Ronaldo was gracious in expressing the Portugal national football team’s gratitude to fans following their victory over France in the 2016 Euro finals last Sunday.
Being the first ever triumph in the history of the tournament, the Portuguese are ecstatic about the achievement which came by way of an extra time superb goal by Eder Lopes, an immigrant from Guinea-Bissau in Africa.
According to the BBC, the 28-year-old Eder was not even meant to be playing in the game.
Had the Portugal captain Ronaldo not suffered a knee injury and been carried off on a stretcher in tears, Eder would probably have remained on the bench.
Ronaldo saluted the immigrants in the country, saying: “It is a trophy for all the Portuguese, for all immigrants, all the people who believed in us, so I am very happy and very proud.”
These remarks captured my attention because the topic on immigrants is one of the leading causes of the growing cracks in the European Union (EU).
Businesses and other interest groups are all positioned on the fence, watching with interest the emerging labour market dynamics in the EU pushed by the pending departure of the United Kingdom from the continental body.
At least even in that euphoria, Ronaldo realised that immigrants have for many years formed an important mass of workers – or actors in all economic sectors – who have made crucial contributions to Europe’s development, and they deserve better treatment. This of course excludes illegal immigrants.
Dear readers, let us keep the link open as we share issues on labour and employment.
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