The Auditor-General's report on the accounts for 2025 has produced a new finding about the Ministry of Health's payroll. According to News Diggers, which reported the detail on Sunday 25 October, 77 health workers who had died stayed on the ministry's payroll for up to twelve months after their deaths, and the salaries paid in that time, K5,790,691, are classed by the Auditor-General as irregular expenditure.
The Zambian Observer, reporting the same section of the report on Friday 23 October, broke the figure down: K5.71 million related to 76 deceased officers in Lusaka, and a single officer at ministry headquarters accounted for K75,721. The Observer noted that public service rules allow salary payments to stop when an officer dies, and that the report does not say who received the money paid in the names of the dead.
Past retirement, and never confirmed
The payroll findings go beyond the deceased. News Diggers reported that 63 officers who had passed the normal retirement age of 60 remained in active service and were paid salaries totalling K3,669,122, and that 80 Ministry of Health officers received K1,156,552 in salaries while still unconfirmed in their posts as at 31 August 2026, despite having served in acting positions for between three and 84 months. The report cites section 25(b)(i) of the 2023 Terms and Conditions of Service for the Public Service on the confirmation of officers.
The findings sit alongside the larger figure the report attaches to the health sector. Zambia Monitor's round-up of the week, published on Saturday 24 October, lists the Auditor-General's K3.56 billion in outstanding health sector obligations among its top stories, together with unaccounted-for confiscated mukula logs and weak revenue collection in government institutions. Lusaka Brief reported the K3.56 billion figure and the uncollected mining penalties on Wednesday 21 October.
None of the pages read carried a response from the Ministry of Health to the payroll findings, and the report, as summarised by the two outlets, does not say whether any of the money has been recovered or whether anyone has been disciplined. The Auditor-General's reports are tabled in the National Assembly and examined by the Public Accounts Committee, which is where controlling officers are normally called to answer for such findings.
The payroll findings, as reported
- 77 deceased officers on the payroll for 1–12 months: K5,790,691 (K5.71 million in Lusaka; K75,721 at headquarters)
- 63 officers past the retirement age of 60 still serving: K3,669,122
- 80 officers unconfirmed as at 31 August 2026 after 3–84 months acting: K1,156,552
Sources: News Diggers, “Over K5.7m was paid to 77 deceased health workers, reveals AG” (25 Oct 2026); Zambian Observer, “Over 5 million in salaries paid to 77 dead health workers, ranging from one to 12 months – Auditor General's report reveals” (23 Oct 2026); Zambia Monitor, “Auditor General flags K3.56bn in health sector debts as Hichilema warns officials over project delays. See our top 10 stories of the week.” (24 Oct 2026).