Government has spent about K1 billion on rentals for former Republican President Rupiah Banda’s residence, Finance Deputy Minister Miles Sampa has said.
Mr Sampa said Government had spent K1 billion on Mr Banda’s house rentals and would further spend K1.4 billion to construct his house from the 2013 national Budget.
He said it was therefore illogical for UPND cadres to petition Government’s decision to allocate K1.4 billion for the construction of President Michael Sata’s retirement house.
The deputy minister explained that Government had allocated money for the construction of houses for Mr Banda, late Frederick Chiluba’s widow and that of late President Levy Mwanawasa.
Mr Sampa was speaking in Lusaka yesterday during the MTN Zambia Media Breakfast.
“In the case of President Sata, if the house finishes while he is still in State House, it will remain in Government’s hands and the Head of State will have to wait until he leaves office.
“We don’t want to see a situation like what happened in the past when former Heads of State were made to stay in rented houses,” he said.
He noted that if the former MMD administration had built a retirement house for Mr Banda in advance, Government would not have spent K 1billion on rentals.
Recently, UPND cadres petitioned Parliament on Government’s decision to allocate money towards construction of Mr Sata’s house.
it makes sense
My friend what does the law say on such an issue? We should follow the rule of law and not that of me. And if the house is finished in 6 months who will be staying in the same? Ati it shall remain in the hands of grz! This means maintainin the house and later on rehabilitate after 3yrs. So what is the cost on that?
Countrymen lets be serious with national issues, why is mcs jumping the queue?if its costly renting doesnt it make prudent sense to speed up the completion of LPM and FTJ houses and serve on the monies the are worried are being used on rentals seeing mcs has still 4yrs on his term? Their own eagerness to start mcs’s house betrays the intentions sampa is trying deceive us with, its clear on their motives.
AS A NON PF SYMPATHISER, I FIND THAT tHEREIN LAYS A POINT IN SAMPA’S ASSERTIONS.
I still dont understand why they can not just build a complex for retired head of state. Again these Presidents have homes they come from. why cant they just go back to those homes? Let government renovate those homes. Zambia is a poor country to be losing so much money looking after the former head of state who fail to improve the living standards of their people. We can only start doing that when Zambians from grassroots have their lives changed. We need to change the constitution and remove this nonsense.
It make’s sense wemuntu. But kaya who can follow suit.
but you have to understand… they are our republican president… it is an embarrassment if our leaders live in small apartments… if you a house convince that you can be president
Explain why it is an ’embarrassment’ ? It’s a house with running water, and all the other creature comforts. They have enough perks, consummate, to the economic reality of the country as well as the need to spend that money in areas such as health, education, infrastructure, that will benefit a heck of a lot more people than former presidents and their families. How many teachers can the combined bilions spent on former presidents housing needs, and heaven knows what else, pay for? Or the many roads that need repair?
This is why we are having so many political parties wanting to go to plot 1. Already there is a cry of funding political parties by government. Zambia is a small democracy and it is striving to develop. Look at how much we are spending on bye elections, presidents wife’s and so on but failing to repatriate a body of young citizen who was striving to make his life better by educating himself. Strange…
Good reasoning !
It is not making sense. Sata is still President till 2016. Why build a house and have the govt hold for him until he retires? Build it and give it to one of the ex presidents.
UPND are fools are fast driving their party into oblivion
They should have explained to the people first before starting
Okay this is a good point UPND support government on this one
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I do not think it is about how much the government is spending. The beginning point for me is why build houses for these losers? They have come from their homes. Anything wrong with their previous homes? Sata for one has many houses. Who then deserves to live in the houses they built with or without public expenditure. The idea of building houses for former Heads of State is immoral, period!
lets think logically, the housing law for ex presidents is federal maybe we have to do away with it since we r too poor and have other pressing needs for money..
sense,keep it up
Pipo are so easily cheated! In donchi KUBEBA. The question is – what does the LAW say? PF should have sought change to the law first. If it is really about saving money – have they built chiluba, LPM’s and RB’s house already? If not, WHY SATA’s house first?
This is what makes what miles sampa’s argument here rubbish and just a donchi KUBEBA story. It’s just him defending uncles, as usual!
Iwe; sela tubombeko! It doesn’t matter what you start with, as long as it’s Presidential house. After all a point has been cleared to the fact that 3 X 1.4 Billion have been set aside.
sela tutombeko
The point he is making is good, but the govt should have tabled this to parliament first. have it approved before implementatio. UPND is just following the law in its current form. This is a democracy, you do not just do things according to what you think is right. Am sure if they had it approved, it was not going to be a problem to anyone.
Actually you are mistaken, UPND is only looking for political mileage. Why didn’t they petition Rupiah when he allocated 7Billion plus to build houses including his own house while he was still in State House. For me, the law is stupid in any cases and it is meant to oppress the poor. Let them all go and live in their own houses as they are already rich.
Pipo are so easily cheated! In donchi KUBEBA. The question is – what does the LAW say? PF should have sought change to the law first. If it is really about saving money – have they built chiluba, LPM’s and RB’s house already? If not, WHY SATA’s house first?
This is what makes what miles sampa’s argument here rubbish and just a donchi KUBEBA story. It’s just him defending uncles, as usual! Yaba!
Ever visited Jimmy Carters Home in Atlanta? Simile…George Bush leaves on his Ranch…Bil Clinton is in Bronx
I did not know Westchester located upstate New York, where Mr. Clinton actually lives is in the ‘Bronx’.
Selfish Sata, the constitution clearly states that a house shall be constructed for a president when he retires from active politics. Has the man retired from politics? Build for Chilubas widow first, then Mwanawasas widow, RBs and you can construct yours in 2015 coz you are still at state house, Very self indeed.
K1.0bn??? Who is that land lord raking $16,000 every month? What type of a house is this? I have been and driven around Lusaka. Where are these properties?
No wonder Chipimo was right.Seleni tubombeko.
k1.4bn is not alot for a govt. good reasoning indeed. but why not avoid the rental now. MCS is in state house now. so 2012 build for FTJ, 2013 = LPM, 2014= RB, 2015=MCS, come 2016 we’ll be done:d (my submission, as if you’ll follow it)…
THIS PF IS THE MOST RESPONSIBLE GOVERNMENT EVER, UPND AND ITS LEADERS ARE JUST POLITICAL PEDISTRIANS, HH DOES NOT UNDERSTAND GOVERNANCE AND RESPONSIBILITY, THEREFORE, ZAMBIANS WILL BE WASTING TIME TO PAY ATTENTION TO HAKAINDE. OUR X PRESIDENTS SHOULD NOT BE LEFT AS DESTITUTES AT ANY POINT AND GOVERNMENT IS IN ORDER TO HAVE A LASTING SOLUTION TO THAT EFFECT. IN 2010/2011 BUDGET UPND UNANINIMUSLY APPROVED 7.4BILLION FOR RB’s HOUSE, NOW PF HAS JUST ALLOCATED A MIGRE 1.4BN UPND ARE UP IN ARMS BECAUSE OF THEIR BITTERNESS AND HETRAGE FOR PRESIDENT SATA. THESE ARE DOUBLE STANDARDS BY HAKAINDE AND UPND
@ 16 when were you last in Lusaka? Rentals are high in Lusaka me Bru.@ 15 kopala swag, The govt has allocated funds for the former heads of state and for the current president. come end of next year no head of state will be in home arrears
I have seen the yellow book my friend and the only allocation in that book is for the construction of the house for the fifth president and not the other presidents, so which allocation are you talking about.
That the PF government should build Sata’s house over the other presidents is indication of the loss of the moral compass and fair play by the regime. Why can’t must he jump the queue? He must have waited his turn. It beats all reason to build a house that will remain in “government hands” until its occupied, when you could have build one for immediate occupation where need exists. The directive is explicit on when the house should be built “within two years after leaving office”. Why are bending the that provision to suit this president’s whims?
Rupia banda spends three quarters of his day in an aeroplane,what’s that one billion for? Be seriuos guys,people are suffering in zambia.work for the common people not those friends of dora siliya
Questions for kilometre rioting;
1. Why present this argument now and not before you started.
2. Why has your uncle in all fairness jumped the queue overtaking FTJ and LPM and millions more of retirees who are destitute and having received a penny of their earned pensions?
3. Haven’t you seen that its a dangerous precedence being made if a siting president constructs his own house, what will prevent him from being extremely extravagant at tax payers cost (since its him to sign the cheque) in constructing the house he will live in?
4. Why have such UN-necesary law too costly to sustain for a fragile economy as ours?should the so called poorman’s party be the first to call for doing away with such useless laws as this, especially to the effect that our past presidents are failures.
its the matter of priority mr sampa. build a house for RB where you are paying rentals and sata thereater, since he is not paying rentals. why do you want to build a house which will be idle until sata leaves office? which Phd degree are you pursuing kanshini?. capacity idle time has got cost implications. you can avoid this by building Banda’s house first
Wise man. Sata is simply selfish…..
point miles, good explanation, but is there to this than meets the eye?? watch this space…
The law has been broken. Don’t rationalize criminality. Follow your constitution. Don’t do things out of convenience. If its a question of saving on rentals , the government should have prioritized building houses for the ex presidents not the sitting one.
Nonsense! How long does it take to build a K1bn house if money is there? Why con’t they build the house for RB first, and when the current president indicates he wants to retire, then, in time, they can start building Sata’s house? If we go by the DM’s logic, we can as well build houses in advance for the presidents coming after Sata, since we know he isnt the last one to rule – when the materials are still cheap, like ‘Mwebantu’ above is suggesting – just build ‘mudadada’ for formers to just move in once they retire; one by one – or they go to Emabssy Park.
Keep it up PF. Come 2012, we see who is a real CNP. No wonder UPND is not getting anywhere. Planning is not in their vocabulary or else they should have commended the idea. Look at how the party is poorly organised, do they have a manifesto? who knows the contents of that manifesto? What next after HH or is he a life president? What is Banda Tekele the destroyer doing in their party? We are waiting for outcome of Names submitted to the international court of justice. How abt the petitions to the UN? what a Party!!!!
A lot of people lack basic reasoning capacity. If the rentals is the problem, then all the more reason to build Rupiah’s house first. Sata will not incur rent bills until after 2016 or 2021 while Rupiah while will be if no house is built for him!
You will have the ridiculous position where Sata’s house is completed in 2013 and remains unoccupied while rentals are being paid to house Rupiah! If this was your personal money, would you tolerate such waste!
What Miles has said makes sense but its unlawful, unless the change the law in parliament. it is also immoral because these others who became presidents before Sata, like Chiluba, Mwanawasa and Banda, their houses are not yet built or bought.
So Miles or the PF must have shame and be real with what is on the ground. in short they are selfish BUNCH OF CROOKS TO THE END FROM THE BEGINNING.
why would a house take 4 years to build? is that not part of the nonsensical reasoning? Take the 1 billion located to Sata to complete house of earlier former leaders – so that they stop renting. You will be saving your gov. but now, you continue renting and building a house for ‘former’ head of Sata lol which will stand idle for some time, waiting for Sata to REALLY become former head state lol
It only makes sense to those that had no sense in the first place.The point is the law doesnt allow for construction of retirement homes for incumbent presidents.Huge difference.Secondly its not logical to concentrate on building a home for an incumbent presidents when those that have retired have no homes.If we have a law lets follow it otherise its corruption
PF AND MILES SAMPA ARE FOOLS .WHAT KAPONYA GOVT SHOULD HAVE DONE IS IMMEDIATELY BUILD A HOME FOR RB . THIS K1BILLION SHOULD HAVE BEEN SPENT ON RBS HOME FOOLS.THIS DOES NOT GIVE THEM THE PASSPORT TO BUILD A HOUSE FOR THE SEATING PRESIDENT WHICH IS UNCONSTITIONAL. BAKAOPONYA DO NOT PLAY WITH THE MINDS OF ZAMBIANS. GONE ARE THE DAYS OF KK WHERE PEOPLE USED TO VOTE FOR FROGS AND HOES .
Seleniko tunye-ko
Sampa Lee tole that has popped out of the sac.
Then UPND’s protests are ill conceived. I billion kwacha on rentals in 12 months is too high. This justifies the allocation of funds for construction of a house for the serving president.
Mr Hamiyanze,,and his KA- sampa are day dreamers…pls zambians follow the laws of our country not just talking to please SATA ..NONO..BA SAMPA YOU ARE VERY WRONG YOUNG MAN..
These cats needs to lead by example even when they retire, why can’t they just go back to the land which can save the always to be third world country. Like me, i opted out of your promises and left you alone.Think fast!!!!!!
Sampa aitayaaa…no sense in what he says..let him read the constitution carefully before he puts his uncle Sata in future problems..lets respect the laws of this land mass,,zambia
SATA IS ABUSING HIS EXECUTIVE POWERS..PLS SIR BE CAREFULL WITH THESE WRONG ADVISORS SAMPA AND THE CONMAN HAMIYANZE
FELLOW ZAMBIANS BE CAREFUL WITH THE SATA TEAM ,,BE REAL NOT JUST SUPPORTING BECAUSE IS AN UNCLE..SAMPA DON’T CHEAT US,,WE ARE FED UP OF SATA AND PF LIES
Ba Sata ni ba mboza…very croked leaders in satehouse
we are watching these guys,,we cannot be cheated again..viva H.H and UPND
FOR SURE WE HAVE KICK THEM OUT ,,,BEFORE THE WHOLE COUNTRY IS ENGULFED IN MORE AND MORE HUNGER,,,LETS US LOOK UP TO GOD,,,HE CAN GIVE US H.H THIS TIME AROUND
This is the worst gvt zambia has ever had
FOR SURE WE HAVE TO KICK THEM OUT ,,,BEFORE THE WHOLE COUNTRY IS ENGULFED IN MORE AND MORE HUNGER,,,LETS US LOOK UP TO GOD,,,HE CAN GIVE US H.H THIS TIME AROUND.
FOR SURE WE HAVE TO KICK THEM OUT ,,,BEFORE THE WHOLE COUNTRY IS ENGULFED IN MORE AND MORE HUNGER,,,LETS US LOOK UP TO GOD,,,HE CAN GIVE US H.H THIS TIME AROUND…
Ba Sata ni ba mboza…very croked leaders in satehouse for real
Making a fuss about $200,000. Get over it, really!
Stop paying rent, let him be evicted then send him back to Chipata….simple solution!!
Do not comment with emotion. Please articulate facts.
mushota, your comment please???
That is a point well understood. However, in keeping with ethics and morality I wish to advise that we revise that law and let it stand alongside the reasoning advanced when the parliamentarians approved that budget for the building of the house. These are the lapses that are later used to intimidate or victimize, or distort the landscape at a later date. Mr Sampa, lets push for the amendment if this precedence is both economically and ethically sound. The bottom line is to streamline governance and delivery to the people.
Iam a Pf die hard suppoter but I cant agree with what is obtaining on the ground.The building of a house for the incumbent president is totally wrong.when this house finishes b4 the president goes out of office it will definately Incour maintanence costs.So lets start being logical.Build FTJ’s house then others can follow.whts the hurry ba deputy minister of finance?why ukulachita justfy ifishilolelemo.
You wanted to crucify RR for being in active politics. You said no salary increaments for the President and many other things. What is wrong with you Metres Sampa? When that guy is outside state house, you will not wait for him to stop politics before he moves in. What you’ve done is wrong.
Really PF you are thinking, help and serve our money for RENTALS,
UPND what is your point now. Tell the Public now
WE ARE FULLY IN SUPPORT OF SENSEABLE PETITION THE UPND DID PRESENT TO THE PARLIAMENT..SAMPA IS CONFUSED FELLOW
# 50 IS FAKE PF SUPPORTER,,PF AND SATA ARE IN CONFUSED STATE..NO PLAN CHIMBWIII
really pf govt is lost in touch with the poor…just concentrating in themselves..more money in their pockets.
VIVA HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH FOR SATEHOUSE
VIVA HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH FOR SATE HOUSE.
have u finished building houses for past presidents ??
I find some of these conditions rather repugnant for these so called presidents, they have established dwellings and I how do you build another dwelling when UTH is in dire need of critical services while others are homeless??? Miles Sampa I find your justification for your Pf led govt to construct a dwelling for your uncle to be very unrealistic. Present and past leaders should not be allowed to have such indiscriminate conditions of service becoz Zambia is too poor and should not do that at the expense of the poor zambians. It all started with Kaunda who at one time told us he was going to retire at his shambalakale farm and he changed his mind and he is still in Lusaka, and now everyone wants to be in Lusaka. Zambians please wake up, such nonsense does not happen in other countries.
What these presidents should realise is that they are our servants and they should not think they are in public office for their personal gains. We have seen HH s dwelling and all these other presidential aspirants with no visions, the type do dwellings they have constructed, so why should govt be allowed to budget for construction of a dwelling for HH or whoever, when people are still bemoaning of basic services such as water, sewer systems and other amenities??? I urge govnt to consider reviewing presidential conditions of service becoz they are sickening!!!!!
Masipa everyone who works for the government should build their own houses just like everyone else who works for the government. ZAmbians please stop this malabishi, in the US and other countries for head of states go and die in their former homes
This is why Africa is still behind. Why can’t these presidents who have money build their own houses from their own money. We need a revolution to change this eventuality.
PF is wrong on this one. A house can be built within a few months as long as funds are available. It would make sense to build one house in a few months than build all four in several years. This shows lack of planning. in any case MCS’ house will just be dormant; this is burying your money in the ground than investing in production! Why has Miles not told us how much is usde to rent for the 2 widows? I smell a rat!
But Why does Banda stay in a rented home? What happened to his homes in Chipata and in Lusaka? When a civil servant retires the govt doesn’t rent a home for him
Please let us stop this nonsense of building houses for these guys. Moreover these people are given 75% of the seating president’s salary, why cant they just build their own? If we insist that we continue building houses for these selfish people, then what Sampa is saying makes sense. Build them in advance to avoid rentals.
Peace and Prosperity to Mother Zambia.
What a sheer waste of resources….how can you continue to pay rentals or building state mansions for these greedy people on top of which they get a fat pension package at our expense. Are you telling me Sata can not get a mortgage at the moment on his tax-free salary. Only in Zambia…Sata is 75 years and he will be 80 in 5 years time….how long is going to live in that mansion with his bad history of chain smoking?
Stop wasting people’s resources and abolish this law of paying rent and building mansions for these greedy thieves.
Wake up!!
October 2011 to October 2012 makes exactly one year since RB left Office, so in 12 months govt has paid 1bn on rentals only??? About 80 Million kwacha monthly rent mwebantu sure??? Which house and where is he staying, i don’t agree with this amount. 83Million Per month??? Ba Sata just tek it easy, immediately after coming into office u increase yo salary, start building a retirement house for wat. Suppose u rule for 10yrs wat will the maintenance costs be??? Mr ten commandment man are u following the law?? wat does it say???
These guys get gratuity and 75% of the seating president they can buy or build their own houses.
Who brought this stupid notion of building houses for presidents when they leave office. When they joined politics ,they were not on the street. Expensive life style of a poor nation, God help us!!!!
But why not rent him a house ku Chibolya to save tax payers money?? OR build a big, 7 storey big brother house so that all ex-presidents can live together – each former first family occupies one floor of the house – RB would be the first to be evicted
HOW ON EARTH DO YOU SPEND MONEY ON THE INCUMBENT WHO IS NOT EX AND BEING COBRA MAY RUN ANOTHER 5 YEAR TERM IN OFFICE??.
WHY COULD YOU NOT QUICKEN THE CONSTRUCTION OF FORM EX-PRESIDENTS???
NOT ONLY IS IT ILLOGICAL BUT FISHY??
THIS IS TO DAMAGE PF FOR BEING NON-DEMOCRATIC
SATA. HH. RB. MILUPI. ETC. THESE ARE SAME PEOPLE DRIVEN BY GREED
convicts can also speak in pf for them to get flavors.This law must be changed.Why building houses for these guys?
These people came from their houses,so why building them houses when many are walloping in poverty?
Not even the rich countries like the UK, Germany or Japan who supplement our Budget DON’T offer these luxuries to their departing leaders; Tony Blair and his barrister Cherie wife bought their second home whilst he was in power via mortgage..why or why should the government build a mansions for every politician???
Lucy Kutina wansekesha we. Chi big brother house would do. Whoever is evicted goes back to his own house. This law started with Levy being sympathetic to KK who was being tossed about by landlords.
Please do the maths! First of all it is not clear what period of time they have spent that 1 billion. If they are spending that much are you telling me they are spending $ 17,000.00/month on rent. If so what palace is RB staying in. And it has been hardly a year since RB came out of office.
BUT RB has his own houses. Why not leave him to go live in any one of his house and only pay for his utility bills? We are really daft as a country. We have thousands of unhoused Zambians and yet we want to build a house for a guy who already has many houses. How more stupid does one get to be in order to make such daft decisions?
so what.
WHEN YOU WERE CAMPAIGNING FOR PRESIDENCY YOU NEVER TOLD US THAT THE GOVNMT WILL BUIL YOUR MANSION JUST A YEAR AFTER YOU ARE IN POWER. LIAR!! LIAR!!
What is the point in publicising the rentals paid for RB without stating the rentals paid for Maureen Mwanawasa and Regina Chiluba. Miles Sampa, what point are you making? Just the same stale propaganda against RB. Using RB to justify an illegal act.
Please let us construct the houses for the Past Presidents before we start talking about the incumbent. This is what Kaunda use to call as the Animal in man. Selishfiness. Catholics we need your voice . Father Frank Bwalya where are you?