YALI Isaac Mwanza called on President Lungu to direct his Minister of Finance to stop paying sitting allowances to Members of Parliament who are already on full time salary and gratuity as part of the austerity measures to cut down on government expenditure.
Mr Mwanza said his organization finds justification for MPs to continue getting sitting allowances when they are on full time monthly salaries and will also get hefty gratuity.
“At a time when fuels, electricity and fertiliser subsidies have been removed and ordinary citizens expected to sacrifice during this path towards economic recovery, YALI finds no justification to allow Members of Parliament continue to get sitting allowances when they are on full time monthly salaries and also obtain hefty gratuity at the end of their tenure in office.
“We expect President Lungu to take leadership role and show that his administration is committed to standing by its people in bearing the same pain they will face when removal of subsidies on fuels have triggered an increase in prices of essential commodities,” he said.
He further called on the President to direct government departments through Ministers to stop the reckless spending by reducing on unnecessary expenditure.
“Government is known to be spending so much money on sitting allowances for MPs, foreign travel in business classes for government officials and the public service is known to be spending collosal amounts of monies holding workshops and seminars in expensive hotels when all ministries have board rooms available. We also hope government can look into the collosal amounts of monies being spent on giving ministers free fuel while the majority of Zambians have to buy fuel at an expensive price.
“We believe President Lungu’s administration has a lot to show that it is ready to cut down on expenditure and bear the same burden as the people during this time when citizens are being asked to temporary bear the pain of increased prices of commodities and farming inputs. We believe the measure taken on councillors to remain on the sitting allowances as opposed to giving them salaries must be extended to office holders such as MPs who get both the sitting allowances and salaries when they could just get salaries only,” he said.
You or we are in big trouble in Zambia. No minister or MP will have the feel of austerity measure imposed on Zambians. This austerity measure is made by the very ministers announcing them. so wait for 5 years boss.
Edgar is confused, confused to an extent that he doesn’t know whether he’s going or coming
Nothing wrong with sitting allowances.
Thanks
BB2014
WHEN ARE THE FORMER MINISTERS GOING TO PAY BACK THE MONEY THEY WERE GETTING ILLEGALLY JUST AFTER PARLIAMENT WAS DISSOLVED? UKAWALALA WEKA WEKA…
For those who have bad memories it was PF not UPND MPs through Given Lubinda that back in 2012 wanted a scraping or reduction MP gratutiy, allowances etc The so called opposition have failed to speak about this instead they concentrate on elections they know they lost..
A lot of UPND MPs have been opposed to this because they feel these allowances and gratuity are their meal tickets.
I agree with Yali – REDUCE or REMOVE GRATUITY, ALLOWANCES and LUXURY SUVs not only for MPs but all TOP GOVT OFFICIALS!
They should also withdraw some of their cars, why on hell should they have 2 SUV vehicles each? same apply to Permanent Secretaries.
Well said Mr Mwanza but let it not end by talking take action start pushing for that
To YALI, the first leadership rule about Zambia is that the political elites will always band up against the slum dwellers and peasants. They may need your votes to get into power, if they are not rigging the elections anyway. After that you are their victims. They owe you nothing. You will have to wait another 5 years for you to hear more fake promises. In the meantime, just enjoy dancing to Dununa Reverse.
@2.1 Buck Teeth .. I agree with you bcoz both opposition and ruling MPs connive to swindle the voters when it comes to voting for better pay for themselves. It has nothing to do with Dununa reverse PF but all MPs. Can we for once hear an opposition MP move a motion in parliament to cut MPs,President’s pay and allowances- then I will starting thinking of a patriotic opposition meant to help Zambians! For now it is all over politics of their bellies be it opposition or ruling!!
Salaries and sleeping allowances in a poor country, my foot!
I agree
the Chawama man does not know how to tighten belts. Only Mugufuli knows how to do so with his MPs. Push for Changwa’s MPs to repay the money they used unlawfully
They tell you to sacrifice when they had stolen money they obtained as Euro bonds and they get 800 liters of free fuel,free accommodation.
Anyway may tribalism and regionalism put food on your table.You had the chance to redeem yourselves but you chose tribalism.It is good that those suffering more are those in Urban areas
It’s like the crisis in Greece where Govt officials & workers get better salaries (for half the work) than employees in the private sector.
Govt workers get $500/day when they travel out of the country. Even when they attend useless seminars & workshops, they get hefty allowances. Civil servants no longer work. They are too busy hopping from one seminar to another or pushing for a trip out of the country.
Their greed has brought the country to its knees. Yet they won’t let go until it reaches GREEK CRISIS level
PF00Lish Govt’s recklessness will lead to a crisis of confidence & a widening of bond yield spreads and rising cost of risk insurance on credit default swaps. This will force government to increase taxes which will trigger riots & nation-wide protests.
Loan bailouts…
CONT’D
Loan bailouts from the IMF will be the only solution. Bank closures will be the order of the day whilst Govt fails to make an IMF loan repayments. Then the Zimbabwenification of Zambia will take full effect.
YALI does make sense and I aways look forward to listening to their voice. Blessed are you young men and women who stand with the poor. These guys and I doubt Edgar will upset the current status quo because he is a beneficiary
YALI needs to quantify how much money they are talking about. Hate the phrase ‘colossal’/’huge’/’massive’ amounts of money. How much exactly is being spent on MP’s fuel subsidies?
CORRECTION NOT SITTING ALLOWANCES BUT SLEEPING ALLOWANCES
Let Upnd be the first ones to decline their allowances as an example.
The PF theives would happily share the given up allowances among them selves.
Politicians are hypocrites like their cousins the Clergy..! They will always preach wat they themselves will never do..! Already even councillors are now demanding for salaries in the midst of shaking economy..! Cry mother Zambia.
YALI, good luck with that, these so-called MPs first think of themselves before thinking about the people who put them there. I can assure you that before end of next year these people would have proposed to increase their allowances due to the harsh economic conditions.
The Lazy Bum Edgar will say its not up to him…watch this space!!
Kudos to YALI leadership lately. Your sentiments are beginning to echo Zambian minds.
In your dream YALI parliament is a simple escape route out of poverty. They are already counting the chicks even before the eggs hatch on how they will spend their newly found wealth. More popcorns please!
This has to be taken seriously,Why should us the Ordinary tighten our belts when the pipo that are putting us in this mess cant.They actually have to feel the pinch more for making the wrong decisions
I thought it should start with every one in the leadership structure before loading it upon common man. Strange to how man has dominated man to his injury. I afraid we won’t archive our economic empowerment
This is very serious comrades,lets stand with YALI K2000 for sleeping. allowance some cant even speak!
Machende yanu ba YALI you were campaigning for lungu during elections your organization will be fixed days are numbered
Great suggestion YALI, Stronger together so nabo they must tighten belts. infact its morally wrong to get sitting allowances for a job you are already paid for, only those who do not draw a monthly salary shud get sitting allowances.
But these YALI must also give up their allowances and donate it to the vulnerable people. It’s not enough to ask your friend to stop eating when your mouth is filled with a delicious steak.