Over 4,000 Civil Servants who were retrenched in 1999 under the Public Service Reform Programme in national interest have expressed anger and frustration at government’s failure to pay them their dues.
In a statement Bernard Azele who is Chairman of the group said they won a court case against government in 2011 but that government has not paid them their dues despite the court ruling in their favour.
Mr Azele said just like another person they need to pay rent, send their children to school hence was wondering were government thought they are getting the money to foot their bills as it has held on to their money for more than 5 years.
“We also live in the same capitalistic world as everybody else where we are expected to pay, rent send our children and grand children to school. Now if we are not being paid for the court case we won, what service are you going to offer? We think government may wish to know that many colleagues have had strokes and eventually died leaving there money behind,” he explained.
He said government should look into the plight of retirees in the country.
“We are saying quality service to the retirees is a right for every citizen and the government to prioritize certain issues such as that of retirees. We have been pushed into debts before we had to think ways to survive because government has neglected us.
We think it is prudent that government should realise that we were the engine of our great nation Zambia to be where it is today, why should we be suffering in our own country?” he said.
the same thing has happened to ZAWA officers who were retrenched and employed by government. ZAWA did not pay the but only gave them pension from Professional Assurance.Govt gave ZAWA some money. They even miss Masebo as Kapata has betrayed them.
This I will and still refuse to understand or tolerate. This is what happens when you have a leadership comprised of a majority without Grade 12. They just don’t weight anything against their bird-brained consciences and continue to just loot and mistreat people with divergent views! Please pay the poor guys – most of you were in the 1999 management seeing as there is this skipping from one camp to another like fleas from one dying dog to another!
Vote upnd for retiree rights and a better future!
VIVA HH 2016
These are all liabilities for any government taking over from the PF Government, so there is trouble already!
Bupo, read Tayali’s comment ” PRIVATIZATION KILLED SOME ZAMBIANS WHILE HH GOT RICH
No matter how HHSC tries to justify his participation and what he was paid, he is still dented on moral principles together with all those he worked with.
Unfortunately, I for one, know no one else who benefited as much as HH did vying for public office. I AM GENUINELY SCARED THAT HHSC WILL COME AND LOOT THIS COUNTRY WORSE THAN BEFORE.
If HH wants to preach good deeds, justice and fairness, let him do what Zacchaeus did in the Bible after he met Jesus (Luke 19:1-10). Zacchaeus did, to give half of his wealth back to the people other than holding on to it.”
In addition HH looted LIMA Bank. Lima Bank retrenchees have not gotten their money todate because HH’s company reported to the Government that all the workers under LIMA Bank were paid yet they were not. Let HH come out clean on this issue if he has a grain of integrity.
2016 is elections year, everyone is politicking. But Bernard Azele’s case is genuine. How can govt and in particular President Lungu allow this inhuman treatment of its citizens, whether or not the liability was accrued by Raphael “Roy” Welensky or UNIP, MMD and HH or PF. Retirees, suppliers, contractors to govt are all being ill-treated and humiliated. The govt has caused employees, spouses, families of these people, statutory bodies like ZRA, NAPSA, PACRA, Workers Compensation to rebel against them and declared them bankrupt and enforced liquidation whilst being owed millions. Mr. President, please act, clear all the domestic debt, pension for all retirees in order for you to win with landslide victory.
I totally agree with hatchi that HH should not be trusted as doing so will perpetuate the looting syndrome. Having worked with HH it is unquestionable that this time around he can deny having been party to the looting the country underwent during privatization. SURELY if HH is morally clean let him prove to the Zambian people how he amassed wealth when the country was on its knees. Zambians, wake up! Never get hoodwinked by the false accusations HH is levelling against PF.
VIVA ZAMBIA, VIVA LUNGU
#CHAGWAMUSTWIN