UNITED Party for National Development secretary general Stephen Katuka says the parliamentary committee on modernisation should establish a pension fund which will be used to take care of members of Parliament (MPs) after they retire.
Mr Katuka said in an interview yesterday that it is sad and embarrassing to see former parliamentarians, and especially former ministers, live in poverty after their retirement.
“As legislators, MPs must live a happy life after retirement and continue contributing to the country’s democratic dispensation,” he said.
Mr Katuka said this can only happen if they invest in a pension scheme of some kind and be able to contribute to it while serving as MPs.
He said after serving for five or 10 years, MPs can start getting an allowance on a monthly basis like a salary to help them.
Mr Katuka urged the parliamentary committee on modernisation to look at how a similar scheme operates in Kenya and Ghana and establish one for the Zambian Parliament.
“Parliament should also move away from buying vehicles for its members but should instead get them houses first as a way of empowering and preparing them for the future,” he said.
Mr Katuka, who is former chairperson of the parliamentary committee on modernisation, said it is embarrassing to see former MPs begging or asking for transport.
He said members of his committee did what they could and that it is up to the current committee to move on and plan for all MPs.
“I have from time to time met some former MPs in a bad state, it feels bad even talking to them. The committee has an opportunity to change things now,” he said.
YOU GET ENOUGH MONEY TO START PLANNING FOR YOUR OWN FUTURE BY INVESTING YOUR MONEY AND NOT LINING UP MAHULE AT THAT HOTEL. DON’T THINK OF PRESSURISING GOVERNMENT WHEN YOU HAD YOUR OWN CHANCE TO INVEST FOR YOUR FUTURE. THESE GUYS ARE DULL. ALWAYS DECAMPAIGNING THEMSELVES. YOU WILL NEVER IMPLEMENT SUCH MADNESS BECAUSE YOU WILL NEVER GET THERE. WHO CAN EVER VOTE FOR SUCH MADNESS.
You are right on this one but don’t say “Never” again because this madness you are talking about is just for this man and not all of us.
UNLESS the MPs’ pay becomes SO HUGE, I do not see HOW someone who contributes to a pension for say ONLY 5 YEARS, can get a decent allowance every month to allow them to LIVE HAPPILY thereafter!! May be Katuka is one of those sorry former MPs, WHY get so CONCERNED ABOUT FELLOW POLITICIANS, what about ALL OTHER ZAMBIAN WORKERS whose retirement benefits do not allow them to live decent lives and have no privileges like MPs WHO GET GRATUITY,sitting allowances etc during their careers??
Katuka has lost priorities.
The msesssge now then and later should be about his President NOT pensions.
Your country’s lifespan is 42when do you draw pension again?
Blacks are just naturally thick upstairs.
I have a PhD
Thanks
BB2014,2016
Usually it is the honesty ones who go back to live “ordinary” life.
But crooks like Chitotela, from a chibuku drinker in July 2016, to be one of richest minister in July 2017.
This is utter nonsense. period.
And what is strange is that this is being raised former chairperson of the parliamentary committee on modernization, so why didn’t he raise this when he was chairperson.
Anyway, doesn’t make any difference, the idea is dead.
You mean they cant do it on an individuals basis?
@1.1 Stu.pid comment. Go back to school start with primary. You need the education.
Wrong thinking from UPND. People will serve voters well if they make politics a service and no a career. An MP who thinks well should only serve 2 terms not forever. As 1 has rightly put it, no meaningful contribution can be done to any pension scheme in a period of 5 or even 10years. Besides the gratuity they get even from 1 term is huge for meaningful investment.
KIKIKIKI…… HAS HE SENSED RETIREMENT FOR UPND MPS APPROACHING AT EVERY INCREASING SPEED?
And the more walk-outs they do, the bigger the pension they should receive!
Rubbish idea. This would insulate the MPs from feeling the impact of their own bad laws they imposed on the rest of Zambians only after leaving the caccoon of the parliamentary seat. They must wake up to realize that they may have passed evil laws without thinking and only to learn later that they were indeed bad laws which they voted for which have and are causing serious damage and harm to the country. Just like the privatization law was madness as it has brought serious poverty and kleptomania into Zambia.
MP pension —- Laughable !!!
Ba kapita. MP’s are on what we may deem as teem contracts and as such they get gratuity just like any other person in formal employment who is on term contract. Pension scheme is for people on “permanent” employment. I think the man is tellibg us his story. Why only concerned anout the MPs and not speak for the many zambians who fo not even get the hefty gratuity that MPs get?
Its Katuka, not Kapita
IF THE SCHEME IS WORKING WELL IN THE MENTIONED COUNTRIES WHY ARE YOU BACKWARD THINKING PF ANAL LEAKING BRAINLESS CHAPS ARGUING ABOUT? NO WONDER YOUR COUNTRY IS WALLOWING IN POVERTY PERPETUALLY
Pension can be arranged and can be of much benefit for MPs who clock multiple years, so the first stop should be Saturnia Regna then compliment it with NAPSA, except I am not sure about salary structures for these MPs. But once this happens then there will be no gratuity for these MPs.
First think of the ordinary person who voted for you then you can also start thinking about your retirement,. Basically this pension should be deducted from your salary on monthly basis. Also be responsible by not being emotional over frivolous issues.. ensure you adequately represent the voter.
MPs work under a 5 year contract and just like any other contract employee, they are paid gratuity and the end of the contract tenure which is should cover for the rainy day. It however does not stop individual MP from joining a Pension Scheme like Satunia Regna.
They must give the MP, government official and soccer players lessons on retirement planning not pension. You are in office for not more than 10 years and expect pension to continue your short office lifestyle? You need a consultant or broker to help your planning . I don’t even have a PHD
Greedy foools …if you want pensions do not join such jobs….MP is there to serve the people for a short term; these selfish people get close to K100,000 a month and they ave the cheek to talk about pensions.
You have failed to pay pensioners who worked for 30 years and some foreign teachers..yet you are worried about your pensions.
PROBABLY IF INSURANCE CAN INTRODUCE THIS KIND OF RETIREMENT…
Open a fixed deposit account so that you can be dropping your hefty allowances..MPs get alot of money and you have gratuities at the end of the day..learn to invest don’t get carried away with your allowances and think you will have them forever..shame on you..if casual workers are able to save the little they get what about Mps
This is laughable – it goes to show that Z is doomed. If leaders want to be looked after, what kind of country is this? Being a parliamentarian is one of the highest paying jobs in Z. So if these highly paid pipo can prioritize cars in their 5 yr term what does it say about their lack of grey matter? MP is not a permanent job, so everyone in that seat must have an after-plan. If no plan, then they can’t be parliaments burden for life
What do they do with their gratuities? These guys get a hefty gratuity that is even higher than those who work for over 25 years. Poverty is a mental problem. They should be subjected to hard earned money otherwise retiring in poverty will be their portion.
And you say you are the government in waiting?
Katuka you are talking rubbish. Anyway ignore him.
I have never heard of such a useless idea from UPND. It is an insult to workers. In any case, most people become MPs after retiring formal employment hence gratuity like a consultant. You want double pensions?
They are used to lavish living and want to continue when they leave office. So greedy always thinking of yourselves. Join the pension scheme in hh’s company Saturnia something.
Is this the kind of thinking that UPND has? We thought it would bring hope to the people once voted in office. What is this? HH keep talking about the potential that Zambia has but alas this rubbish talk about taking care of MPs? How many hundreds of thousands of people haven’t received their pension money’s in Zambia? You’re just as worse as PF. If this is UPND kind of thinking, we better stay with PF forever. The Devil we know is even better than the Devil we don’t know.
Why not compensation Mapenzi do died for hh.
Now i understand why they call you U-5
Mapenzi died for hh. Create a fund for her farmily.
Even that boy making noise holed in uk. Let him send towards mapenzi. Just one pound instead of sending more for petro bombs at city market
Mapenzi was a rioter iwe
Collateral damage….mhsrip
Another reason this party cant attract new voters!
To think these are the people that surround HH and who maybe there IF they form government, is truly regrettable. We have heard it, this bunch is in it for themselves not the people who elect them. Vote for them at your own peril!
Headless Chickens ! The one to approve that is the President but unfortunately, you dont recognise him so wait for Kaili-1 to be President in 2046
@6.1 Peter Njobvu, makes no difference Kapita, Katuka, or GBM or Gary Nkombo, all think the same – UPNDonkeys.
Useless old man, despite working with Mazoka has failed to guide the party but always complaining privately “the young man doesnt listen to advice” and yet he just says yes when underfive is doing wrong things. This UPNDonkey party! The donkeys cannot advise themselves. But no I am being unrealistic, these are donkeys arent they?
Young and old like Katuka or mukuni, but all donkeys.
I am really shocked but maybe not! I thought your president hh has been calling for the non-construction of a house for the former heads of state so how can you in the same voice speak about housing and pension for MPs. Are you sure you are fine/ Anyway this is the real Upnd speaking this is what they really stand for pension and houses for its MPs they want a full time job and enjoy till they die? Do you know the lowly paid civil servants go for months on end without pension yet they worked for it? Can you not think of paying them off first before you think with your belly? And you wonder why you lost yet again!
Going to Parley isn’t a pensionable job. Most MPs spend their hefty allowances on short time services by night nurses, some have several concubines to maintain. The midterm gratuity goes to the vehicle. They don’t need a pension, they just need to change their lifestyle. K550,000 is a lot of money by Zambian standards
Yah…! If you have run out of ideas please ba Katuka, keep quiet! How can you have a hefty gratuity and a pension, just after five years? This goes to show that MPs only think about themselves and nobody else. This kind of greed can kill you ka!
Why do MPs get graduity at the end of their terms? If they don’t invest wisely its not the job of tax payers to be taking care of randy leaders. They go into public office to serve the Zambian people and not to live comfortable after they live office. I hope SG Steven Katuuka is financially stable after he served 2 terms as MP for Mwinilunga East. We say no to such plans Ghana is not Zambia, we have many urgent things for the Treasury to sort out. On average a Zambian MP is well paid compared to a civil servant. What else do these guys need. they drink duty free buzy, get vehicles duty free etc. as a luxury now they are suggesting to get even the little that is left in the GRZ coffers for the general public. No wonder UPND has gone forward fast. Please Sir, Give us something else not hat…
The runaway MPs from the South?
Is this Katuka man serious!? If he has nothing to say let him just keep quiet. Let those MP’s cater from the huge salaries and allowances that they get. How selfish is that proposal? True colours coming out.
I agree with Katuka this is not a partisan issue let’s find a way of taking care of our leaders. Maybe that is why Zambia remains poor because so many people are crying after serving this nation. Please do not retire Zambian in national interest its evil.
Now I see why these guys are dull and selfish and can never be voted into power. 5 year term and you want to talk about decent retirement payment. Utter nonsense. Just save as individuals and invest after all you get too much money for doing nothing. Its clear that these guys can form the worst government in the world. God save us from these goo.ns.
Meanwhile it’s reported he’s withdrawn the case against article 31.
Stephen Katuka has clearly put it in black and white that UPND would even be worse than PF!!all what UPND leaders are fighting for is enriching themselves once they grab power from PF!!MPs get a lot of money.wise ones can easily invest in mansions,but they keep on spending money fo0lishly!!DESPITE THEIR WEIRD WAY OF LIFE,UPND’S KATUKA STILL WANTS MPS TO GET A PENSION-SURELY?what about poor Zambians who work for 25 or 30yrs in Govnt and only get be paid K350 000 or K450 000 pension?
PLEASE ZAMBIANS NEVER VOTE FOR UPND!!LETS KEEP THE DEVIL (PF) IN POWER THAN VOTE FOR THE ANGEL (UPND) WE DO NOT KNOW!!
this is a stupid idea ba katuka what do they do with the graduity they get which stands at about k500,000 and thats after getting 100,000per month according to Antonio Mwanza
Seriously such a topic should be discussed within themselves, I personally don’t care about these chaps coz they never cared about themselves when serving. All the do is drink,womanise and waste money on useless stuff like expensive cars that they sell off a few days after been fired or losing the seat.
Seen it many times over and over again, a few months ago found a former deputy MP that was adopted last year asking for a K20.00 at Arcades, like seriously,its only been less that a year and his dead broke with nothing to show for the 5 years he served. All the so called friends he had are nowhere he complained to the bank manager.
My adivse is invest in meaningful projects not cars and girl friends. Power gets to some of these danda heads.
If one can not manage his own finances…
Use your gratuity prudently like the rest of us
M.P. is not a job, it is a service for which you willingly volunteer to seve. if you want pension . get a 9 to 5 job like pouring concrete. Your union might negotiate on your behalf any retirement plans, ok? As they say, if you cant stand the heat, stay away from the kitchen! And what is this Ministry of Modernization nonsense? Smells just like ministry of Gender Affairs! Me thinks we are regressing fast. Pretty soon we will have a Ministry of CellPhones and Texting!
People comment with little or no understanding. Contributions for pension will come from individual MPs, not from Government. So why get so worked up? Let them do what they think is right for themselves. Other sector workers can do the same so long they see the need. A common person unemployed cannot form a pension scheme. He or she can only benefit from a deliberate government policy