The opposition Zambia Development Conference (ZADECO) has submitted to the legal and Justice Sector Reforms Commission that the practice of building houses for Former Republican Presidents should immediately be stopped to allow them build their own using their retirement benefits like other civil servants.
ZADECO President, Langton Sichone, submitted that Zambia will not have enough land to build houses for Former Presidents in future as land is slowly diminishing hence the need to scrap the house scheme for former Presidents.
Mr Sichone emphasised that retired Presidents should be able to build their houses or own a farm property using their benefits accrued during their tenure of office.
“It is unfair that a retired President should have his or her house built by the state. We feel that this arrangement is totally uncalled for,” Mr Sichone submitted.
He explained that the country is set to have huge number of Presidents in the near future due to various factors hence the urgent need to do away with the housing scheme to serve the country from losing the available land and financial resources that can be used on infrastructural development and drugs for the hospitals.
“Besides, Zambia is slowly running out of land and there will not be enough land for everyone. Scraping this scheme will benefit the country as the monies saved will be directed towards infrastructural development and providing essential drugs to our hospitals. We have issues that need uttermost solutions such as HIV/AIDS and Ebola and such resources can go a long way in discovering the vaccines,” Mr Sichone stated.
Mr Sichone’s submission was echoed by a 71-year-old man of Kafue Estates, Felix Mulenga, who also noted that the provision of houses to former Heads of State is not sustainable as the country will not have land in future hence the need to stop it now.
The ZADECO leader also submitted that the building of the late Presidents Mausoleum should be done in accordance with their passing on or sequence, saying there should be a legal framework governing how the practice should be done other than relying on the goodwill of the sitting President.
Mr Sichone also recommended for the complete abolition of the Public Order Act and the Nolle Prosequi, citing gross abuse of human rights by the officers in the application of the penal code.
He noted that the two pieces of legislation be removed completely from the books of laws because they were introduced by the colonial masters in order to deal with insurgency as they had no option to suppress the rising force from the citizens fighting for independence, saying the two laws were currently being misinterpreted and misapplied by law enforcement agencies and the courts.
But when asked by Commission Chairperson, Frederick Chomba, whether he (Sichone) would not abuse the Public Order Act like other politicians if his party, ZADECO, happened to assume power in future, Mr Sichone could not give a direct answer but insisted that scarping off the provision in the penal code was the only solution instead of relying on the goodwill of the President.
Justice Chomba and Law Association of Zambia President, George Chisanga, observed that the Public Order Act is mainly in conflict with politicians who mostly are at the centre of confusions in the country and wondered how peace would be maintained with such laws.
And Mr Sichone also submitted that the Intestate Act of 1989, which was crafted to mitigate the horror and the harshness of life that families of the deceased go through after death, be amended so that the instead of the local court, the subordinate courts be mandated to preside over the matter depending on the wealth of the states involved.
ZADECO you have nothing better to do?? Leaders of other countries enjoy even far much better perks than our former presidents. Holding the highest office in the land is no easy task and as such former office bearers should be compensated accordingly. Now move on to real issues.
@Msoro Mission
And those other leaders are deserving of their rewards when you consider their performances in the job. Now look at Sata and tell me wholeheartedly that this Man deserves a “penny” in retirement, never mind a house at our expense?
ZADECO are right and for me, any benefits should come with performance on the job. This idea of merely occupying office and you inherit a house, life long income for you and your wife after having looted the very little we have is abnoxious. Look at Regina Chiluba who is reported to have £28m British Pounds “hidden” in a finnish bank. Does she deserve the free pay she gets on Zambian tax payers while living in comfort in the UK? Please come to your senses..
The way people comments on certain issues gives a clear picture about Zambians. We don’t love each other as fellow citizens, full of hatred, jealous, bitterness etc. What is wrong with building your president a house?What is wrong with this country??
@ Fake Zambian Lawyer reloaded
If your comment is directed at me then please let me confirm that I AM bitter but NOT full of hatred or jealousy. I am bitter because these so called Presidents are nothing but thieves who continue to steal from the little we have. While the poor are dying in Zambian villages and hospital corridors, they fly themselves and their Children to SA, Israel and name it at the expense of the nation. How could you not be bitter? I have to send money to supplement school fees for family members while those who should provide basic necessities statch away £millions in foreign accounts (See ZWD). Why should I not be bitter? And what company rewards a failure or indeed a thief with a retirement home and life long income?
surely by the time one aspires to be president they must already have and own a house what we could provide for is the upgrading or development on the same plot of land already owned or to set aside a fixed sum for purposes of retirement. But then this should also apply to the speaker who has such benefits.
ZA What? Is there such an organisation or club in Zambia?
Good move dead ZADECO..Let Sata build with The EUROBOND and SUBSIDY money he scrapped
Zambians never seem to amaze me? Why do we always think that our politicians deserve better than any other citizen..! Look at Botswana, their presidents are not entitled to any house once they vacate the state house. People wake up…we all deserve better, hence no citizen is above the other.
I think retirement house for ex-Presidents should be built but they should belong to the state. If the guy dies, occupation of that particular house should revert to the state.
While on this issue of housing, I think the state should not build houses for the Speaker (of Parliament) and a few other office bearers of constitutional offices as is currently the case.
Why can’t they build their own houses through their own earnings and mortgage arrangements with banks or building societies? It’s a shame that the looting of public coffers goes on unashamedly at all levels in this manner.
Just like RB built Mpundu estates with borrowed money
I think the dead Zadeco r right on this one. These guys r given ALOT OF MONEY and thru tht right thinking President shud ‘Organise’ hinself/herself.
Infact they get ALOT OF HOUSING ALLOWANCE!!
ZADECO is spot on. If civil servants with their meagre salaries are able to build houses what more someone occupying the highest office in the land? Presidents have a lot of privileges and cannot fail to build themselves houses.