Fiscal Reforms Power Expansion of Social Cash Transfer

The Government says the dramatic expansion of the Social Cash Transfer Programme is the direct result of prudent fiscal management and the responsible use of public resources.

Speaking at a media briefing in Lusaka, Information and Media Permanent Secretary Thabo Kawana said the number of beneficiaries had grown from 616,468 to approximately 1.6 million people nationwide. That expansion, he explained, had been made possible by the fiscal space created through Zambia's successful debt restructuring. Before the restructuring, he noted, almost 90 per cent of the national budget was being consumed by external debt servicing, leaving little room for social protection or other development priorities.

The scale of that progress was a central theme as the country launched Social Protection Week. Ministry of Community Development and Social Services Permanent Secretary Angela Kawandami said the Government had recorded significant gains, with 1.5 million people now supported under the scheme, and stressed that interventions were focused on greater efficiency, effectiveness and inclusiveness. The fight against poverty, she added, demanded a collective effort spanning government, cooperating partners, civil society, the private sector and local communities.

Ministry of Labour and Social Security Permanent Secretary Zechariah Luhanga urged stakeholders to renew their commitment to ensuring every citizen lives with dignity and enjoys social and economic security. International Labour Organisation Social Protection Project Manager Finn Koh said Zambia had made considerable progress, with 9.5 million people now covered across various programmes.

This year's Social Protection Week is held under the theme "Inclusive Social Protection for Dignity, Security and Development."