Opposition President for Alliance for Development and Democracy (ADD) Charles Milupi says the demand by Members of Parliament for a further salary hike is unfortunate and unrealistic.
Mr Milupi say it is saddening for members of parliament to demand for salary increment at the time there is a wage and employment freeze in the Public service.
He said with high poverty and unemployment levels members of parliament should take a lead in demonstrating fairness in the distribution of the national cake.
Mr Milupi added that to say that members of parliament are not adequately remunerated is to be less than honest as they are paid salaries that include constituency, transport, sitting allowances to attend parliament and in committees.
He further said members of parliament also get hefty gratuity allowances including a mid-term payment.
[pullquote]“MPs want more money, we deserve more money. We demand our salaries are increased so that our gratuity goes up. The members of the public need to know that we are poorly paid and we can’t live as impoverished leaders,” Ms Namugala said.[/pullquote]
Mr Milupi has since urged members of parliament not to view the privilege of representing their constituencies as a means of generating wealth for oneself.
Opposition MPs led by Cathrine Namugala recently proposed in the house for a salary increment a move that has sparked negative reaction from various sections of society.
“MPs want more money, we deserve more money. We demand our salaries are increased so that our gratuity goes up. The members of the public need to know that we are poorly paid and we can’t live as impoverished leaders,” Ms Namugala said.
“Why should we work five years and after that become impoverished? And we demand that a pension is introduced. Some of our predecessors are impoverished and we don’t want to end up like that. What we want is that the welfare of MPs should be looked at,” Ms Namugala said.
UPND Monze Central MP Jack Mwiimbu lamented that in his 12-years as a parliamentarian, the House had on different occasions discussed the welfare of MPs but without tangible achievement.
Mr Mwiimbu accused Cabinet of failing to tackle issues regarding the welfare of MPs.
Mr Mwiimbu said Parliament’s committee system was the weakest in the region detailing that its vital role as an oversight institution on the operations of Government ministries was being overlooked.
He recommended that sitting allowance for MPs should not be received but be part of the gratuity package.
“The sitting allowance should be part of our gratuity that way the salary will go up. MPs are wallowing in poverty because of poor emoluments,” he said.
Most people join politics to eat not to serve (if to then serving their stomachs). And the salaries are increased, automatically PF MUST remove the employment and wage freeze so that things are equal.
Nchelelebula; bunkum and peek a boo games.
MPs SALARY INCREMENT: NO NO NO NO PLEASE. Wage freez for civil servants, then they want increment, what a nation. some of you should just get married so that your hubby supplements your needs
Well said Milupi.I`m with you on this.
Good for nothing MPs. Ba le fwaya ukulaya ne zeto ku state house…!
Leave us alone to eat ! i Challenge you oppossing to stand in 2016 if you will manage to garner any votes apart apart from yours and your girlfiends.Cost of living has become too high and we are not insulated.Milupi get a life please!
Government can function even better without MPs since we already have enough laws in place. MPs just pretend to be representing the people when in fact not. All we need is the Army, Police, Judiciary and the Central Government. The rest are just unnecessary costs only there to fulfil the proverbial checks and balances.
Impoverishment of MPs is not because of poor emoluments, its poor planning. Parliament passed NAPSA Act among other issues of addressing workers retirement through this act, MPs should have foreseen their own status inrelation to the law they were enacting. This begs the caliber of legislatures in Zambia now affecting even the head of state. Young, educated leaders with complexity management qualities can address this matter adequately. Viava UPND, Viva HH.
The MPs are living in a bubble and they constantly feel it will burst, no wonder the financial insecurity in their minds. For sure they know it that they do not need to dish out money from their salaries to people in their constituencies. There is a clear state agenda of developing various constituencies and not through MPs’ salaries. Thats a fallacy! They will ever ask for more but for nothing more than they do. Just increased appetite for more, GREEDY, Lol. But look around yourselves you MPs, can’t you see misery among fellow Zambians? Beside the wage freeze which you defended can’t you see street kids, the disabled, the old people, the villagers etc for whom you have done little to help? You must be in a bubble for sure. Its an enrich bubble with plenty to eat while u laugh at the…
per sitting they get 750 and if they sit in the committees they get another 750, so per day they sometimes get 1500 (committee and parliament debates). then they get at least 25,000 per month plus they travelling allowances both within the country and outside. to make matters worse they get 1,000,000 per 5 years (almost CDF per year!). how many civil servants get this amount of money? the MPs say they are the lowest paid in the region – so what? change citizenship and go to where you think they pay more. this is selfishness at its best. and this has got nothing to with PF or whatever party – its across the board. you party presidents dont just condemn these MPs show your muscle i thought you discuss these things and take a stance as a party? take action?
They are even very fortunate hyenas. In Botswana MPs don’t have any gratuity. And this is a country that economically sound.
Greedy MPs, you got to parley to earn and not to serve the pple who voted you in.
Where has @london eye guy gone? There was a similar debate last hear in the UK, how did it end?
I THINK THERE SHOULD BE A LIMITED NUMBER OF YEARS ONE SHOULD BE AS A MEMBER OF PARLIMENT SO THAT ALL OF US CAN HAVE CHANCE TO PLAY A ROLE TO DEVELOP OUR COUNTRY AND TAKE PART IN THE GRATUITY FOR MPS
MASHILU MU ROOM
MP Salaries can not be increased on ground of regional equality. Some regional economies are better than Zambia’s so deserve higher pay. Opposition MPs are not effective enough in stopping fraudulent investment contracts with foreign companies, Zambia bleeds money and our resources into foreign economies and citizens of Zambia loose out. If this could be stopped by effective opposition, there would be more money to ‘indulge,’ MPs.
Where is this misconcieved idea that MP’s are inadequately paid come from? What useful work do most of those MP’s do, that includes the like of Mwansa Kapeya? Most of these MP’s have never proposed any developmental projects in their areas apart from those that the government is funding. Given the salaries they are drawing, they ought to be ashamed to be asking for some more money when the whole nation is struggling. Note that as MP’s, your insensibilities are being noted and come day to resign the contract with the electorate, we will remember your insensitivity. Mtaya makoko saiwala.
@ 8 Bonaparty
Salary increments for British MPs having debate over it should not be taken as a yard stick for Zambian assertion of MPs salaries to be upped. To begin with British prime minister David Cameron is not taken as a know it all prime minister with powers that can not observe legal mechanism put in place to curd such powers. Therefore, it would be taboo for Cameron just to hint that he needs an increment of his salary. What did Mr Michael Chilufya Sata do over his salary?, he unilaterally increased it himself. I believe any one who dared oppose it would have been fired. Zambian MPs are already receiving more than what they deserve in line with the current GDP of the nation. Zambia is pro head of state in expenditure which needs clawing back funds to state coffers.
These selfish people MPs are devils? They want to enjoy life alone…useless people they are. They never care for any poor Zambians but themselves……In fact these evil MPs do not work for their people. Very selfish people they are. If your purpose is to grow rich being an Mp, please you are mistaken baba,..resign before it is too late. Come 2016 , all of you selfish MPs will not be adopted. By the way , you have over stayed as MPs , let also new people enjoy on those seats. No wonder you think those seats are personal to holder…useless people you are …shame on you all.
Milupi has hit the nail on the head.Jack Mwiimbu and Catherine Namugala have been in parliament for 12 years,and yet they don’t want to rest.Why they know the honey and butter in parliament while a lot of people are struggling in having a single meal a day these chaps are busy trying to reap,if there is no money in parliament leave and let others represent the people with a sound heart.No wonder they don’t debate meaningfully.
The Answer is NO need the MPs do too little to earn more money please Pipo Health workers,teachers and others deserve more not MPs
Iwe chi wanzelu with no brains,what’s your position on this one,iwe kabwa