Government has defended the recent hike in Chief’s salaries from K4,000 to 15,000 per month with immediate effect.
Chief’s and Traditional Affairs Minister Dr Joseph Katema said in an interview that the increment is not a political gimmick to hoodwink Chiefs into influencing their subjects to vote for the PF.
Dr Katema revealed that the increment in Chief’s salaries was budgeted in the 2016 national budget.
He explained that its implementation was delayed as the Ministry of Chiefs and Traditional Affairs was waiting for the availability of funds from the Ministry of Finance.
“This increment is not outside the budget. The budget line was formulated and approved by Parliament. People ought to realise that Government doesn’t cease to function even when there are elections. We are making the disbursements now because this is when the money has been released,’ Dr Katema said.
Government has come under intense condemnation from several sectors of society over the timing of the increment in Chief’s salaries alleging that the move is aimed at inducing the traditional leadership into supporting the PF in the August elections.
That increase is too much. I feel Chiefs must not be funded by the state. They must have their own mechanism where they collect revenue from their subjects and from firms operating in their areas.
And we are the fools who will believe that there is no campaign aspect to this phenomenal raise in their salaries?? This is a direct insult of our intelligence. PF and Vodiga Rungu desperation is going too far.
In normal circumstances, the Electoral Commission should have been the ones making the loudest noise, but since they are also trying to save their soon to end jobs, nothing will be done.
Lwafulisha mwe. Now i understand why some chiefs have started killing each other, like in the recent case of Chief Mukupa Kaoma in Mpulungu
Unnecessary expenditure, this is why Tanzania abolished chiefdoms.
THIS IS YET ANOTHER CLEAR MANIFESTATION OF LUNGU’S MYRIADS OF RIGGING SCHEMES. IMAGINE THE UPSWING FROM 4 PIN TO 15 PIN! THIS IS UNREALISTIC AND UNSUSTAINABLE. THIS KAMINAMINSA IS A SMOOTH CRIMINAL. MONEY IS INDEED A ROOT CAUSE OF ALL EVIL. LUNGU IS SERIOUSLY USING MONEY TO ENTICE ALL SORTS OF PEOPLE TO HIS SIDE. ABASH LUNGU ABASH. ABASH THIEF ABASH.
So what if it’s campaign ploy?
A chief has only one vote, and probably his monogomous family can vote along him, but the subject have their own decision tree to follow, and they are always alone in the ballot box..so based on how their lives will be in the next 5 years, projecting from what has already been experience from PF regime maybe what they can use in the decsion tree, and not whether they have been told to vote for chite and chite by the Chief…
Lazy Bum Lungu and his reckless empty tins have absolutely no shame whatsoever…where are they getting the funds from at this time of the year; they have failed to pay students and teachers.
What a disgrace!!
Sontapooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!
sonta epo mwaiba imwe ba mambala!!!
vote wisely 11/8/2016!! vote Zambia FORWARD!! Vote UPND!!
#chagwamustfall!! #PamaFikuyabebele!!
I thank you!!
Fyapupuba ifi imwe ba ***** kutumpa saana ba shetani m******mwe ba pompwe mushibila nsala
These PF clowns really think Zambians are the stuupidest people on the planet!
“Joseph Katema said in an interview that the increment is not a political gimmick to hoodwink Chiefs into influencing their subjects to vote for the PF”??????
What is it then??? The Zambian economy is collapsing because of the kaloba these people have borrowed. They are failing to pay civil service employees on time. They are behind on pensions. Infrastructure projects are on hold due to lack of funds.
And they can find enough money for this now???
ANOTHER PF LIE FROM THE PARTY OF LIES!
@Buulsheet,
Well, its enough to read some of the comments and views expressed by some people on this forum – Unfortunately majority, then Dr Katema and PF has no reason not to think “Zambians are the stupidest people on the planet! ” and they can do what they want, and still get away with it.
There you go !!!
From 4000 to 15000;thats 11000 increment oooh my God.chief increments are supposed to pass thru parliament ,whn did parliament approved this hefty increment?thats why i say we hav a broken governance system.too much presidential powers on any thing.unfortunately chiefs from luapula hav no control over their subjects but they might help in rigging,so how can a chief help in rigging?my guess is storing pre market ballot papers.
At their palaces.enjoy the money chiefs but vote wisely.remember jacob and esau,jacob told esau if u want this soup now relingush your first born birth right and he did,jacob became wealthy;so chiefs dont sell your birth rights to lungu;uphold it and blessings will come along the way.
Lungu and his PF govt’s priorities are upside down. Public Sector Pensioners have not paid their Pension benefits for the last 5 years, teachers who marked exams have not paid and civil service salaries are being paid late. They are trying to buy votes but its too late. This populist move is temporary and will be reversed if Lungu wins the upcoming elections. Nobody in his right mind would trust this Lungu govt . Lungu has ruined peoples lives and nobody will vote for continued suffering. Forward with HH, GBM and UPND.
Kampyongo keep staying in shiwangandu the day we shall meet you in Lsk we shall give a good dosage.
Sorry! An increment given to chiefs has come at a wrong time. It wud have been wise for the govt to also respect its workers who are ill paid. Look at the state of schools in rural areas esp in Mumbwa. They are no better than the ancestral shrines, yet you are busy misdirecting borrowed funds. Who then, shud account for this fiasco? Political will is lacking in improving education standards in Zambia. Mind you, Zambia is not Lusaka alone.
This foolish how do you give chiefs an increment of K15000 fro.K4000 that is a difference of K11000 it is too much what job do they do compared to professionals like Doctors, Nurses, Teachers, policemen and all other Government workers? PF accept it or not this is an election gimic to win voters but chiefs have just one vote each you *****s.
It will not be surprising for chiefs to start demanding to be paid gratuity! The increment is just too much for an ailing economy!
ZMW 15,000.00 per is nothing. But what duties do these chiefs perform to warrant this amount and what qualifications do they hold? Do they even have Grade 12 Certificate? What I know is that they even fail to motivate their subjects to harvest free growing mushrooms, caterpillars & small scale farming for subjects’ household consumption. Its high time higher academic qualifications are instituted on these chiefs to foster development in the country rather than paying Grade 1s this huge amount.
This is so wrong!i was at ministry of education offices to ask if government has paid out leave days for my money since 2007 and guess what people,was told there has been no funding since last year.We are in trouble for sure.I have always been a pf die hard but this is too much,am getting out of this sinking boat.
The economy is only underperforming in upnd zealots. Meanwhile chief mungule is busy on the ground campaigning for upnd. Monthened comes he is in another heavy income for free. What do these 1mbeciles called chiefs do to earn more than educated teachers because what I know is that they are just witches. Anyway all chiefs should vote wisELy and not fullisHHly.
1MBECILE
Time we did away with chiefs.
This is an increase of 375%. Ethics in my professional demands that i should not only be independent but actually seen to be by any reasonable person. I believe i am a reasonable person but such an increment should have pushed those chiefs with good ethics to question such an increase at the expense of the deteriorating lives of their subjects. The best would have been a gradual increase. It shows how compromised we are including our chiefs. They have all behaved like worms. Cut a worm in half, the head part grows a tail and moves on while the tail part also simply grows a head and moves on. Kikikikikikikiki. Well done Lungu for exposing them on this one.
This is the problem with President Lungu. He has no respect for procedures,Rule of Law, the Constitution of Zambia and good governance. The timing, procedures and quantum of the salary increases are wrong. The President increases Chiefs salaries with no reference to a law and Parliament. The President cannot wake up one morning and decides for example that the teachers salaries will be increased fourfold without due budgetary consideration. Lungu has no idea how govt expenditures are financed and that is why he found it fit to charter a plane and take his hangerson to the USA for a week at tax payers expense. Lungu does not appreciate that revenue collection in Zambia has declined as the economy has shrunk and therefore govt has to cut expenditures. Lungu has no idea what fiscal…
It’s not the presidency which increase salaries. Statutory agreement are passed by mps and voted for. President is never there mwana. This is the reason we an educated parley to be our leaders. It’s not enough to only have speaker and veep as the only educated members. That’s why the calibre of gbm liteta sata should never see the inside of the parley again.
We have technocrats in Zambia that have voiced out the reckless spending but to what kind of ear i ask. There is definitely a Zambian population that is gullible but we all pay the price after all, they are our brothers. He cries he has no job but keeps voting foolishly. I thank God for the little he has given me but i will soldier on to fight for the best until this gullible population open their eyes.
Illiterate chiefs being paid $1500/month to oversee child marriages and witch craft in their kingdoms, being paid by a broke PF who have no money to pay retires and are borrowing for everything, even to dig a drain they have to borrow.
Govt boma never gets broke mwana. It’s only upnd charlatans who deceive you that govt is broke. Gove can only become broke if the last company in the country closes.
That is the PF way of thinking that GRZ or boma never runs out of money because they can always borrow. Ni va boma mentality.
@Techilema: that’s an official definition of idyot, claiming that govts cannot get broke. Zimbabwe is about to get broke for the second time in 10 years. Yet companies have been operating for all those years.
@hh techilima,
You are probably just too dull to understand exactly how governments go broke.
Try reading some history on Argentina. Or catch up with Greece and Venezuela.
Then you might understand that immediately after the elections Zambia will have no choice but to go begging AGAIN to the IMF.
And they will demand reforms before they bail us out. It is called a STRUCTURAL ADJUSTMENT PROGAMME !!!! SAP!
And these Chiefs increases will be cancelled.
End of story!
What is wrong with brothers and sisters in Shiwangandu. How does someone in his normal frame of mind try to bring a helicopter calling HH and his entourage in addition to setting fires in the process blowing up a transformer at a Zesco sub station. We have a function and something must be done. Elections come and go every five years but this thuggish behavior by our friends in Shiwangandu needs to be brought to an end once and for all. Today you hear this cadre waqs shooting at this and that. We should not be playing around with peace because once it is lost its very difficult to restore.
Which school did you go to @Techilema? You sound illiterate only commenting as a cadre. I can’t be surprised to hear you bought your grade 12 certificate or you don’t have one. The reasons for borrowing it’s be coz the govt can’t sustain it’s expenditure without loanable funds. Just like a human being you borrow when you want to finance certain projects that you are not able to do without borrowing. Go to school.
The timing is poor and the announcement has had to come from the head of state .Let us face it ,this is a strategy to win the chiefs and their influence on people to vote for PF.We know PF has drained he countries coffers because they have been living above their means for instance taking musicians to USA etc to dance at the expense of national development.
OMG
CHIWAMINA GALU KULUMA MBUZI OSATI MBUZI KULUMA GALU ATI NIMALOZA. LET THE CHIEFS CELEBRATE ALSO, THEY DESERVE THE AWARD. SO THOSE CHIEFS LIKE NKHOMESHYA WHO DON’T WANT THE INCREMENT SHOULD WRITE TO PS MICHEAL PWETE SO THAT HE MAINTAINS THE STATUS QUO ON THEIR SUBSIDIES. FOR THOSE SAYING IT IS A POLITICAL GIMMICK, LET THEM KNOW THAT ZAMBIA HAS ONLY ABOUT 248 CHIEFS IN TOTAL AND ALL OF THEM JUST CARRY ONE VOTE WHICH IN MY OPINION IS NEGLIGIBLE AND NOT LIKELY TO HAVE ANY INFLUENCE ON THE OUTCOME OF THE ELECTIONS.,
I wonder why only Chiefs from Luapula pronvice-could they be the cheapest chiefs to corrupt or what?I dont think you can buy a Tonga chief with K15000,they will tell you to go away with your money.Anyways,the reality is that the PF is broke.And they only need the Chiefs help for 2months,therefore,this is a gimmick,and this is how this gimmick will work::::They ll tell all the chiefs that they ve to be updated on the new payroll system & the system will take abt a 2months to capture all the data in which time the elections will done away with.Secondly,the PF knows who to corrupt already and they ll pay increments only to the chiefs that ll help with rigging.Thereafter,the others where the PF cant rig,wont be paid this increment.The rest will given stories all sorts as was with teachers.PF…
@ Redbull
Stop sympathising yourself bwana. These chiefs are feared in the remote areas and what they say is final. Do you know the term Kapaso? And dont cheat yourself, there is no government which can be broke at any given time bwana. Do you know how much ZRA collects on behalf of Government per day? So stop dreaming, PF Government has serious cash for your own information. Now go and hang with your Kachema and the Cartel.
Shadreck Shadreck Shadreck. How many times did i call you? Please stop thinking in the box to be wise. These are chiefs that have no influence on you and me because we are informed. The people they represents see them as gods and will do whatever they tell them. Remember that in villages witchcraft is real and the ka chief will assure the voters that he will see where they cast their vote. Why do you think it takes us time to remove a non performing government? The villager almost always decides the vote especially Sikonga, vumbwi and a few others. Watch this space.
Well done President Lungu and PF because we promised our chiefs that they will be respected and this is yet another fulfilled promise to the custodian of the land and people.
SONTA APO WABOMBA IWE KACHEMA, SONTAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!
Its game over for the Up and Down (UPND) clowns. Viva Kambwili, Viva PF. Whilst the Under 5 is wasting time giving promises, ECL is way ahead implementing them ha ha ha ha……..
@cartel,which school did u go to?whn govt fails to pay its bills on time due to low revenue ;its called broke govt.these bills include loans,govt employee salaries,payments to suppliers,etc.currently pf govt is broke bcz its not paying most of its bills on time.i can hav $25,in my acc which isnt enough for my bills.thats translates into poor or broke.
YOU DONT KNOW WHAT YOU ARE SAYING, YOU ARE BLOWN WHERE THE WIND IS GOING…
PAY CIVIL SERVANTS AS WELL…!
PAY FARMERS SO CHIEFS CAN GET RID OF POVERTY AND HUNGER IN THEIR VILLAGES
IT IS A GIMMICK TO GET VOTES FORM THE GRASSROOTS – ATI SONTAPO – YABA.
SONTAPO – UTH no water, no electricity – ATI SONTAPO
If it is not a vote gimmick, why did you not increase in January? Is there another budget you have approved in Pa Fimafi bedroom? Anyway no matter what you do, kuya bebele. Bye
I too want chiefs to be paid, but NOT from government. The Chiefs in Luangwa game park must get a cut from tourism in their areas. Their must be a chief’s tax on the money paid by tourists at Chichele Lodge for an example. Same for Victoria Falls where Chief Mukuni can get more money from tourism in his Chiefdom. Other Chiefs must protect their authority by being financially free of government.
Desperation. Some of these chiefs are unpopular with there subjects, so there influence may not be widespread.
Well guess that this is a case of damned if you damned if you don’t! So this increment was in the budget, which was passed by parliament, yet no flags were raised when the budget was being passed probably because elected officials representing their constituencies and the people of Zambia where either sleeping or just looking to cash in on their own personal checks.
I must agree however with the general consensus, in that Chiefdoms need to become self reliant and be able to finance the livelihood of the respective leaders and their subjects. Like others have said, new legislature needs to be in place to allow these areas to properly benefit from these investors. But without foresight in ways to implement this rule and reducing Government involvement with regards to the Leaders and…
I think its fair to say that the govt is being run by zombies who have no real sense of reality!! 375%? Is someone stupid or just dumb? This is ridiculous! Even properly qualified professionals don’t get paid this sort of clearly free money!!! Bloody hell man!!! I am properly livid!!!
@Cartel ;;If Zambia in its current state right now is not broke,then what is it?Or did you want me to say that Zambia is DESPERATE financially!does this sound better?If you as PF are not broke then why are you bending down your knees on the doors of IMF,the helper which you sent chased months ago.And let me warn you,the new deal that IMF is will give you is going to be a painful one and never to be forgotten,because of the humiliation you caused IMF months ago when they offered & you chased them away.So this time they are the kings,back to revenge,they wont say no,but they ll just make sure that they clean out you completely,to show you a lesson.
Who needs a chief in this era? They are just glorified cadres who were agents of slavery and colonisation. Government should just degazzete all rural land and revert to the state. They are currently in forefront selling land corruptly to foreigners.