The University of Zambia Records & Archives Management

The appraisal exercise is one of the most critical yet often overlooked functions in records and information management. At its core, appraisal determines which records have enduring value and which have fulfilled their purpose and can be lawfully disposed of. When done correctly, it protects institutional memory, supports accountability, ensures legal compliance and frees up valuable physical and digital space.

In theory, most institutions and organisations in Botswana have policies, retention and disposal schedules and guiding frameworks that speak clearly about appraisal. On paper, the exercise exists. But the real question we need to ask ourselves is whether appraisal is truly being carried out in practice, or whether it remains a theory that lives comfortably in documents while records continue to pile up in storerooms.

From my own observations during spare times, when I visit government organisations simply to appreciate what is being done on the ground, I often find records that should have long been appraised still occupying space in records management units and storerooms. Files that have outlived their administrative, legal and fiscal value remain untouched, stacked on shelves, floors and even in corridors. This does not only create congestion, but also increases risks of loss, misfiling, unauthorised access and poor service delivery.

The absence or delay of regular appraisal exercises has real consequences. It strains already limited storage space, makes retrieval difficult, demoralises records personnel and ultimately undermines efficiency within institutions. More importantly, it exposes organisations to compliance risks, especially where disposal is required by law but never executed.

Appraisal should not be treated as an optional or “when time allows” activity. It must be a continuous, well-supported process that involves management, records professionals and relevant oversight structures. Without commitment, resources and enforcement, records management units become warehouses of history rather than strategic centres of information governance.

If we are serious about good governance, transparency and service delivery in Botswana, then we must move beyond policies and start prioritising the actual implementation of appraisal exercises. The question is no longer whether appraisal is important, but whether we are willing to do the hard work of making it happen.

WORKSHOP ALERT.

WE ARE BACK AGAIN- 2026, with NEW ENERGY.

Enhance your institution's compliance with the Access to Information (ATI) Act,
ZARMA presents a 3-day workshop on Records Management Requirements under the ATI Act.
Details:
🗓️ March 3rd - 5th, 2026

venue: Mika Convention Centre, Chongwe (near Lusaka's Freedom Statue landmark)
K7,000 (includes tea & lunch)
🕒 Register by Feb 27th, 2026
📞 Contact: +260773851106 / +260978738814

Boost your skills and ensure compliance.


archives and records management association @

Modern Records Management in SharePoint Online
Records are no longer limited to paper or static files. In SharePoint Online, a record can be a document, video, or digital asset, with its properties and metadata visible directly within the platform.
Retention is transparent and auditable:
✔ A 20-year retention period is clearly applied
✔ The system shows when the retention was set
✔ It automatically calculates how many days remain
✔ Records Managers have clear visibility without manual tracking
With powerful search and metadata, Records Managers can quickly locate records by name, type, retention status, or lifecycle stage, improving governance and compliance with minimal effort.
Modern records management is about visibility, control, and confidence — not spreadsheets.

"Records Management Is Governance - Not Just Compliance"

RM Is a Governance Function

Records Management is often treated as an administrative task a checklist, a policy, a filing system.

But RM is actually a governance function.

It supports:

-Accountability

Decision-making

-Mission delivery

Public trust

When RM is strong:

- Leaders can defend decisions

FOIA responses are accurate

Privacy risks shrink

Institutional memory is preserved

The agency operates with integrity

When RM is weak, everything downstream suffers transparency, compliance, and even mission ex*****on.

Records Management isn't paperwork. It's infrastructure.

And it deserves a seat at the governance table.

One of the major challenges facing Records and Information Management (RIM) in Zambia is the shortage of qualified records personnel, despite the reality that many trained and qualified professionals remain unemployed. In practice, records duties are often delegated to Administration Officers mostly HR Officers who already carry heavy workloads and are not professionally trained in the field of records management.

The consequence is twofold; our records systems suffer in terms of compliance, efficiency, accountability and institutional memory, while administration officers are pushed to perform additional duties outside their job descriptions. Eventually, some are forced to seek compensation through the courts for carrying out extra responsibilities. This raises a critical question, what is the Directorate of Public Service Management doing to prevent this situation, especially when there are yet unfilled posts within the public service?

Equally important, what role is the National Archives and Records Services , under the Ministry of Home Affairs, playing in advocating for proper staffing of records functions? As the national authority on records and archives, shouldn't NAZ be advising government on the risks of understaffed and mismanaged records systems, and championing the employment of qualified RIM professionals?

Archives have a rich History:

THE UNIVERSITY OF ZAMBIA IS STILL INCOMPLETE

The University of Zambia was planned and partly executed by Israel using Brutalist architecture. Brutalist architecture is a movement in architecture that flourished from the 1950s to the mid-1970s, descending from the modernist architectural movement of the early 20th century. The term originates from the French word for "raw" in the term used by Le Corbusier to describe his choice of material beton brut (raw concrete).

In 1973, the Israelis abandoned the building site at the main campus, taking all plans with them. Zambia was never able to obtain these plans, so the project remains unfinished to this day. It is said that construction was far from complete and that the Israelis had planned to connect all the buildings from the school of education to the school of engineering, each building being 10 to 20 storey high.

The reason why organizations should have a strong Records Management system that will preserve such archives.
Source: UNZA Network (2017)

Don't miss the 2025 Large Enterprise Expo, organized by the Confucius Institute at the University of Zambia!

Meet nearly 100 Chinese and Zambian companies from various industries.

Find a position suitable for you, regardless of your major.

Date: Friday, 31 October, 2025 Time: 09:00 - 16:00 hours Location: Goma Lakes, University of Zambia

Remember to bring: Your CV, NRC, and Certificates.

The image shows the Lumpa Cathedral at Sion, which was the main church building of the Lumpa Church, a religious movement founded by Alice Lenshina Mulenga in the 1950s in what is now Zambia. Here are the key historical details about it:

🕍 Background of the Lumpa Church

Founder: Alice Lenshina Mulenga, a woman from Chinsali District in Northern Province, Zambia.

Founded: Around 1953, during the late colonial period.

Beliefs: The Lumpa Church combined Christian teachings with traditional African spiritual beliefs, promoting moral discipline, baptism, and opposition to witchcraft and alcohol consumption.

Headquarters: The movement established its headquarters at a place called Sion (Zion) in Chinsali District, Northern Province. The cathedral shown in the image was built there.

⚔️ Conflict with the UNIP Government

After Zambia gained independence in 1964, tensions grew between the Lumpa Church and the United National Independence Party (UNIP), led by Dr. Kenneth Kaunda.

The Lumpa Church refused to register under the new government’s requirements and rejected political authority, declaring loyalty only to God.

This led to violent clashes between Lumpa members and UNIP supporters, known as the Lumpa Uprising (1964).

Hundreds of people were killed in the conflict, and the government banned the Lumpa Church.

🧱 Demolition of the Lumpa Cathedral

The Lumpa Cathedral at Sion was the central place of worship and symbol of the movement’s independence.

In 1972, the UNIP government demolished the cathedral to suppress the remaining influence of the Lumpa movement and prevent it from regrouping.

The destruction of the cathedral marked the final stage of the government’s campaign against the Lumpa Church.

🙏 Legacy

Despite the ban, many followers continued to practice in secret or joined other churches.

In later years, the Lumpa Church re-emerged under new names, such as the Jerusalem Church and New Lumpa Church, especially after the reintroduction of religious freedom in the 1990s.

Today, the site of Sion (Zion) in Chinsali remains of historical and spiritual significance to followers and historians alike.
are vital

Be guided accordingly ✍️

Join us again this year for the National Archives week with this year's Keynote Speaker Prof. Mpho Ngoepe under the theme: "Archives, Records and Memory in Digital Spaces and Global Chaos "
From the 28th of July 2025 to the 31st of July 2025. All roads lead to Livingstone !!!!

The Association passes its condolences to the family of the late former President Edgar C. Lungu and the nation at large. 😞
Gone but not forgotten 🕊️