Thursday, March 28, 2024

Honour first Cabinet members with Retirement Packages not Medals – Peter Sinkamba

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GREEN Party president Peter Sinkamba has called on the Government to honour freedom fighters with retirement packages and not just medals.

Mr Sinkamba said Africa Freedom Day symbolizes the progress that liberation movements across Africa have made to free themselves from foreign domination and exploitation.

“The nation was privileged to be blessed, and spiritually released, by the founding father Dr Kaunda,” he said.

Mr Sinkamba however said it is unfortunate commemorating Africa Freedom Day in Zambia;

“We have failed to genuinely honour our founding fathers for the sacrifices made to liberate us from foreign domination and exploitation. It all started in 1991 when the MMD Government recklessly repealed the State Leaders Retirement Benefits Act, 1990, after Dr Kaunda and UNIP lost election. Consequent to the repeal, most leaders lost their hard earned retirement or terminal benefits. In justifying the systematic obstruction and denial of terminal benefits, MMD leaders argued that UNIP leaders lost an election, and that loss of an election was not retirement. Yet, Dr Kaunda lost an election and he has been given his retirement package. This is double standards and shameful act in the eyes of every right thinking Zambian.”

Mr Sinkamba said that one of the affected former leaders, by the reckless decision of MMD, and inherited by the PF Government, is liberation veteran and former UNIP Secretary General Grey Zulu.
Grey Zulu one of the three surviving members of the first Cabinet honored on Africa Freedom Day with Dr Kaunda.

The old and ailing veteran served in various government and party portfolios from independence in 1964 up to 1991. He was the first Minister of Commerce and Industry in 1964, and later moved to Transport and Works in the same year. He was Minister of Mines and Co-operatives between 1965 and 1967; Minister of Home Affairs 1967 to 1970; Minister of Defence 1970 to 1973; Secretary General of the Party 1973 to 1978; Secretary of State for Defence and Security 1997 – 1985; Secretary General 1986 to 1991.

Mr Sinkamba said Mr Zulu even sued government and won the case.

“I doubt whether he has been paid his terminal benefits up to date,” he said.

Mr Sinkamba said, “Hundreds have since died, most as paupers, due to depressions, neglect, pain and suffering, following denial of hard-earned terminal benefits. Some who died such miserable deaths were also honoured posthumously on Monday. Some surviving, as was evident in pictures on TV and daily papers, are living in sheer squalor and destitution.”

Mr Sinkamba wondered why give freedom fighters medals instead of their terminal benefits.

“Of what value are the medals to them when, together with their families are living in squalor and destitution? Of what value are the medals to families and their clans when government neglect and greed directly or indirectly contributed to deaths of their beloved ones? Of what value are the medals to the families of the deceased when government has no clue of where they were put to eternal rest, or indeed who tenders their graves? Of what value are the medals to the young generation, when there is no library or museum in the country where the youths could take time to visit and read the history of persons whose names were called for honour so as they appreciate the contributions of the veterans to the liberation of the country and their roles post-independence?”

He said the cost of providing decent pensions and compensations to these gallant men and women, living and dead, cannot exceed K5 billion.

“Much as we know the country’s fiscal position has been weakened as a result of over-borrowing and over-consumption by government leaders and parastal chiefs serving post-1991, the Green Party believes we need to do pay Caeser that which belongs to Caeser. Government can paying compensations and pensions to these people by introducing a temporary Veterans and Heroes Levy of 3.0% applied to all political leaders serving government today starting with the President and his Vice, Ministers and their Deputies, MPs, Permanent Secretaries, District Commissioners, parastatal chiefs, and all other political appointees. After all, some of these political appointees have received gratuities two or more times in the last 20 years, yet our gallant forefathers are suffering in squalor and destitution.”

17 COMMENTS

  1. Look I understand about honoring

    But they were part of everything that was wrong- no democracy everything was dictatorial

    These people enriched themselves anyhow

    Nothing tangible about what they did for Zambia

    Dont waste money

    We thank them but we move on- enough is enough

    You might as well honor Doctors who do more for poor zambians than politicians who enrich themselves time after time

    Where is your thinking cap?

    Thanks

    BB2014

    • What retirement is there for constitutionally for for former cabinet ministers?
      Is this coming from substance or emptiness?

    • @Nubian most of those were not Civil servants, they were UNIP. Ba MCC and mama regional secretaries. For example Mama Kankasa was not a civil servant.

    • These retired civil servant had a package, it’s just that it’s been a while and they’re Broke. There is no money to give them now as a package. The country needs development and to waste time to humans who have to GO BACK TO THE LAND. Their time has been up long before 1990, they’re expired. They need to respect themselves like Grey Zulu.

  2. Good idea but why this time when sinkamba was quiet for over 20 years? Its like our opposition cant find a reason fot pinning PF.

  3. Money from where? Pensioners’ fund….Just remove those useless deputy ministers and district commissioners with all their benefit and pay them.

  4. Truth of the matter is, these guys had their day in the sun. They went on their shopping sprees to europe and whatnot. Those were the days for them to put on their thinking cap and realize the good times will not last forever. Should have invested in themselves. Not begging for handouts now.

  5. Mr Sinkamba is on the right track. Keep on pushing, one day you will be President. At least his politics are issue based not just discussing personalities all the time. Not everything UNIP did was bad.

    The had good ideas and policies and we can revisit some of them to refine and improve our politics and the welfare of all citizens of Zambia.

    Green Party’s position on the hunting issue and the idea of exporting cannabis are good and practical.

  6. All of you are feeling sorry for these freedom fighters. But remember where they came from. They were civil servants just like every other civil servant who has not received money from the government. Either the money was not there or the Kwacha had depreciated so much that the money was worth nothing. Be careful also that these people were the privileged ones. There are many many more in the same situation and if we want to be fair they also have to be considered for compensation. At the end of the day where is the money going to come from to pay all of them instead of just w few privileged? Critical thinking and analysis is required here. Think before you leap. Don’t be STUPID.

  7. Its a good idear for the government to do that, Bu. Sinkamba should think how many people the government is going to pay? Think of those pipo in the villages who are not recognised by the same government,the real freedom fighters are in remote villages, so BABA vitanga viombe.

  8. What are they smoking at the Green Party? Must be weed!

    These chaps got their retirement packages a long time ago! It’s not our fault that they mismanaged them!!!

    Does this chap know what he’s talking about? Some of these chaps amassed massive pieces of land, and owned big companies. why should the Zambian tax payers reward them for their carelessness?

  9. People like Kaunda have been rewarded. He Hausa house built with tax payers money. Aside this he enriched himself. What more does Sinkamba want and where will the money come from?

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