Sources say government is willing to offer civil servants a salary increment of between 20 and 25 percent and not the 67 percent as demanded by the civil servants.

Reacting to these reports, president of the Civil Servants Union Elia Kamphinda Banda said government should channel this information to negotiating team.

“This is the first time we [are] hearing an offer but we can’t discuss in the media. If this is true they should take it to the negotiating team and from there we will see”, said Kamphinda Banda.

Meanwhile, government is appealing to the trade union leaders to return to the negotiating table.

On Tuesday 19th February, government issued a press statement to say they are ready to make an offer. It is also asking the civil servants to call off the strike.

Early last week, government tricked union leaders and subsequently issued a press release calling off the strike after meeting with them. Union leaders disowned the press statement.

This action government infuriated the union such that what was initially a two-day strike has now been called indefinite. Its not clear what government was trying to do in tricking union leaders and their members in this day and age.

Other unions such as the teachers union and the nurses union are also promising to join the strike.