The ruling Patriotic Front has said that it is ignorance for NGOCC Board Chairperson Sarah Longwe to suggest that President Edgar Lungu is stealing on account of his salary increment.
In a statement issued yesterday, PF Information Committee Member Sunday Chanda has since challenged Ms Longwe to prove the alleged theft and challenged the NGOCC Board Chairperson to tell the Zambian people how much money President Lungu saved the treasury when he refused to be built a presidential retirement house and announced proposed changes to the presidential retirement benefits.
Below is the full statement
NGOCC’S SARA LONGWE BEING A HYPOCRITE – BY SUNDAY CHANDA, PF INFORMATION COMMITTEE
Lusaka, Zambia 1st April 2016 – We are disappointed that the NGOCC through their Board Chairperson and publicists seek to give new meaning to theft as purported by the headline “IT’S THEFT…for Lungu to increase his Salary – Longwe” carried in today’s April 1 2016 Publication of the Post Newspaper. While we are tempted to think that Ms. Longwe and her publicists were trying hard to fit into April 1’s Fool’s Day, we shall endeavour to remind Zambians that even on a day such as this one, the NGOCC Board Chairperson and her publicists still proved that they are bitter hypocrites who must not be taken seriously. It is ignorance for Ms Longwe and her publicists to allege theft and imply that Republican President Edgar Chagwa Lungu was practicing theft on account of his salary increment. We challenge to tell Zambians if she is ready to prove the alleged theft before she cries political persecution.
The hypocrisy by NGOCC Board Chairperson must confirm what Zambians of goodwill have said about these bitter and angry voices masquerading as representatives of people who never at any time gave them any mandate.
We say so because even when President Edgar Chagwa Lungu’s salary has been increased by K2.00 a month, bitter and angry voices such as the NGOCC Board Chairperson want to create an impression that such an amount would build more roads and hospitals, and get more and more civil servants recruited. They fail to comprehend that like any other public servant, this is not the first time a President’s salary is being adjusted. This adjustment has in fact come after unionized civil servants concluded their collective bargaining with Government.
We wish to find out where Ms. Longwe and her publicists were when on 18th September 2015 President Lungu proposed the scrapping of the law that required the Government to build a house for a retired Head of State. This was done in his first address to Parliament as a head of State, and the president said that the process should begin with him.
The President said and we quote: “I do not think that it is fair and equitable that the State must build a house for a retired President and not for others. We have to demonstrate strong commitment to cost-saving measures for now and for the future. I am proposing that this forfeiture takes effect starting with me,” end of quote. Zambians of good judgment heralded President Lungu’s forfeiture of benefits as magnanimous and historical.
This decision confirmed that the President is more concerned about the people of Zambia than for himself. This bold and prudent decision by President Lungu demonstrated great leadership and resonated with what majority of Zambians held that it was unnecessary that former presidents should be built houses at government cost.
We challenge the NGOCC Board Chairperson and her publicists to tell Zambians how much money President Lungu saved the treasury when he refused demonstrated to be built a mansion and directing that things should henceforth change – no building of mansions for former heads of State! Do Mrs. Longwe and her publicists comprehend the cost by Government to build a house befitting a former head of State? We ask the NGOCC Board Chairperson and her publicists to tell Zambians how much Government has already spent to build houses for former presidents.
Is it not hypocrisy of the worst order that the NGOCC Board Chairperson and her publicists see no virtue at all in President Lungu saving the treasury resources starting with himself?
The salaries of government officials are open to public debate. Any individuals or entities are free to comment on salaries of public officials. The public officials are not masters of the people but servants in the true sense of the word. On that basis, it is morally justifiable to demand for lower salaries for public officials. The justification is based on economic conjuncture of rising inflation, fuel bill and electric power. There is no need to fight everyone. It is not a matter of hatred or things like that. It is a matter of principle. It is also a matter of moral indignation and public outcry. A deferred implementation would be a more appropriate response to the issue that is being raised by members of the public on salaries of public officials.
Magufuri has just reduced salaries for senior govt officials in TZ and so did Buhari in Nigeri, why can’t Chagwa do the same? Monday Chanda is one of those misleading Edgar,,unfortunately Edgar seems to fall for this poor advise
Is Mangufuri a PF cadre too? I don’t like that president who is bringing Tanzanians back to poverty.
Ba Sunday we are not so dull that you can tell us that Chagwa refused to built a presidential house. The man did not qualify to because of the short period that he gonna serve as Zambian leader.
Ba Longwe why didn’t you indict the all MPs when they ‘voted’ to have their salaries ‘allowances’ increased or indeed that they ‘draw’ their gratuity before the end of their term…we know you are trying to decampaign PF but do so on the moral platform you have led us to believe you stand on….and while you are at it PLEASE try and support your own kind mama Nawakwi then we shall sit up! Otherwise blur blur blur
Some people also. If what he got is K2 it means K24 p.a. Are you telling the truth Sunday or you were rushing to post something so you could beat Frank.
Whatever the case its the morality of the issue in question. If he had symbolically slashed his pay by the same K2 we could have given Kadansa a part on the back.
The guy didn’t want a house but instead he’s stolen the same money as he was advised by RB.
Bushe echo mwa kanine inganda so that you can be throwing this house card on us each time we demand that you must not hike your salary?
many people of sound hues and tone have said enough on this matter to bring it to rest. don’t people get bored? the likes of madam should know that the more they raise such baseless criticisms against the president the more they strengthen the impression that they ‘ve no worthy issues against him and his govt. for once why not attack the structures beholding the office and to which the entitlement is directed instead of its occupant?
Ok
Refuse the house but find another means of getting the house. Clever clueless kadansa
THE TIMING OF THE SALARIES (OR WHATEVER THEY ARE CALLED) INCREMENT OF THE THE PRESIDENT AND MINISTERS AND OTHER POLITICAL OFFICIALS LEAVE A BIG WONDER WHETHER ADVISERS TO ECL AND MINISTERS DO REALLY THINK. IN ZAMBIA IT’S VERY HIGHLY EDUCATED PEOPLE WHO DON’T THINK AND LACK WISDOM. WHILE THE VILLAGERS I HAVE ENCOUNTERED ARE VERY WISE AND INTELLIGENT. COULDN’T THE INCREMENTS HAVE WAITED FOR THE ELECTIONS TO PASS? OR AT THE TIME WHEN THINGS ARE REASONABLY GOOD?
Sarah Longer, charity begins at home. I saw your husband, Roy Clarke , going to the check in counter at the airport without lining up. Teach him courtesy before doing that to others.
She is not the husbands keeper. Kalaki is his own man. Why didn’t you challenge him there at the airport instead of waiting for the opportunity to transfer your discontent to the wife? Manners are not “sexually” transmitted in case you didn’t know.
@peter, Zambia is undeveloped because of too many people who think like you. What evidence do you have that Clarke was not challenged? If you understand the definition of marriage then you can’t say he is his own man. Failing to correct a problem at home but trying to correct a similar one elsewhere is what is known as hypocrisy. Too many hypocrites PA zed, abash all of them
Sarah is right. What is raising your salary that is paid from government coffers when more than half of your citizens live in abject poverty? Plain brazen daylight theft!!!
Sarah Longwe-Clarke should be ignored. She is a publicity seeker. She does not get enough of that in her home, what with Roy Clarke being her husband and all!