Vice-President Inonge Wina on Thursday apologized to Patriotic Front MPs for voting with the opposition on a motion to expedite payments for retirees in Parliament.
On Wednesday, Mazabuka Central UPND MP Garry Nkombo, who was the mover of the motion, said it was unfortunate that retirees had become destitute in their own country.
Mr Njombo’s move was seconded by Roan MP Chishimba Kambwili but the motion failed as 83 MPs voted against with only 58 backing it.
But results of the electronic voting system revealed that Vice-President Wina voted with the opposition.
Mr. Nkombo, who is the UPND Whip commended Mrs Wina for putting the interests of the electorates above anything else.
“Mrs Wina has demonstrated true leadership befitting a democratic dispensation. I further thank all the MPs that have continued to represent the interests of the electorates on matters affecting the country. We hope and pray that this spirit continues even on many other motions to come for the interest of the nation,” stated Mr. Nkombo.
But in a personal statement in Parliament on Thursday, Mrs Wina blamed her vote on an electronic mishap.
“You’ll recall that yesterday, Wednesday 8th November, 2017, the House considered a private member’s motion moved by the Honourable member for Mazabuka Central, Mr G G Nkombo MP and seconded by the Honourable member for Roan Dr C Kambwili MP, urging the government to expedite the payment of terminal benefits to all former government employs who retired prior to 5 January, 2016. At the close of the debate, the motion was put to a vote and voting was undertaken electronically and results of the vote are as indicated on division list number three which list has been distributed as required by standing order number 16. Sir, Honourable members, standing order number 16 of the National Assembly of Zambia standing orders 2016 provides as follows: 16 (i) The Clerk shall record the votes and proceedings of the Assembly or a Committee of the whole House and the records shall be reproduced as the votes and proceedings and distributed to members … when the House is sitting. (ii) The votes and proceedings shall be signed by the Speaker and shall constitute the official day the record of proceedings of the Assembly. (iii) A clerk shall have the custody of all votes and proceedings, records and other documents belonging to the Assembly,” said Vice-President Wina.
“Mr Speaker, Honourable members, the division list number three which has been circulated correctly shows that I voted along with the ‘Is’. Mr Speaker, Honourable members, in order to avert possible speculation and a dissention regarding my vote, I would like to place it on record and inform the House and the public at large that I inadvertently voted with the ‘Is’. Mr Speaker, I wish to apologise to the right (government side) for unintentionally reducing the figures. Additionally, to the left (opposition side) to apologise for inflating the figures unnecessarily. This was, indeed, an electronically induced mishap.”
Apologising for doing what is right. Funny world we’re living in, this.
Why aren’t pensioners paid for heavens sake! I myself will be 55 in 5 years time. As an exservice man I expect to be paid my pension without any nonsense for my 30 years of dedicated service!
Inonge Wina, no credibility or simply too old.
@ 2020vision
You wish that NAPSA was like western pension funds which invest off-shore and pay within two weeks
Without fear or favour can someone explain in simple terms why MPs don’t want retirees to be paid their overdues or Have I crossed to the other side of eternity already?
What really is the point of our parliament if the only criteria for voting is you are ‘EITHER WITH US OR AGAINST US’.
How can a person sent to parliament by the people to represent their interests, vote against Retiries getting paid?
Eveb independent MP’s are all preoccupied with hoping to be appointed into gov’t so they can go and loot our resources.
What a corrupt rotten country this is …its PF MPs who should be apologizing to pensioners, they are happy to disappear $6.2 million on invisible products yet can not pay pensioners. Lungu himself is now an owner of a Casino in Chawama …this is all pensioner’s money.
Bo Inonge the old hen is simply too old for that job if she had any wisdom she should have told them off as if she is not a pensioner herself.
The apology was based on
1. the fact that the motion sort to force govt to do something which is the preserve of the Pension Fund Agency
2. govt works on Plans & Budgets, not on individual whims
3. it was mischievous of Nkombo to raise that motion knowing that govt already has mechanisms in place to address the backlog,
4. voting for the motion when U’re in govt is like accepting that you are doing nothing about the motion on the floor.
5. Nimwe lundenipo alaa…
Please ,can someone else waste their time reading this crap,and explain to us will receive alot of thumb up (votes).
It is really a funny world. Madam VP you did the right thing there is know need to apologise. It not always that collective responsibility should prevail logic is always the best Choice.
She’s apologising as she thinks she answers to PF and PF pays her salary…Zambians need to wake up from their docility and reverse this mindset of these politicians who only see us as a tool to get in power. In Europe those MPs who voted against would be named and shamed….their offices would be bombarded with mail from pensioners.
@Chosen One – that’s my thought too. It should never PF vs UPND when it comes to doing right. Vote with your conscious not just to defeat motions just because they are raised by the opposition. The same goes for the opposition too!
yes i agree with you Brown Envelope,so from the voting pattern it means all the MPs who voted against are not representing there members but there interest,How can you vote against this noble cause coz everywhere and indeed in every constituency there are retirees who have not paid there dues.These MPs we voted for them but how come there are voting against this important tasks. TRUSH MPs
The Government is busy paying for undelivered dredgers and falling to pay retirees its very sad the day of reckoning is coming 2021
Its a Christian Country ..just close your eyes, clasp your hands together and pray for your docility!!
This story is bent on tarnishing the VP’s image. Why apologize for doing the right thing? I doubt the authenticity of this story.
May be I am reading this whole issue the wrong way. PF MPs voted against paying retirees their dues after serving the government and country at large. Instead of us sending them off with dignity and applauding their service we are punishing them for having chosen public service as a career. Sending them into untold misery for the remaining years of their lives. Maybe even reducing their life-expectancy due to hardships they are going through. How does a person get to a level were they don’t care about another’s plight by doing such atrocious, heartless and unchristian things? I am really confused here. I am very pro-PF but this vehement negative attitude is sending shivers down my spine. Are we safe? Why would we be thinking or deciding in such a manner?
@ #7
And this is only tip of the iceberg. Did you REALLY think that Plunderers Federation will help average Zambian?
She apologized because of Kambwili’s big mouth. A lot of people serving in Government are are not happy with the corruption and all the things going on, the breakdown of rule of law, third term bid etc., But they don’t want to be exposed. But CK was reportedly hinting on the fact the V. P. is clean in terms of corruption. What he didn’t realize is that he caused her to be put under a microscope. That put a lot of pressure on her. Hence the apology.
Apologising for doing the right thing? I still don’t get it. Can someone educate me?
A govt can’t “arm twist” itself.Whether its an MMD,FDD or Heritage Party one.
The only govt that can arm twist itself is the UPND because its an imaginary one.
The retirees should put their foot down and demand an explanation from the government why they should not be paid. Its strange for MPs who belong to a party with pro-poor ideologies to vote against paying the retirees. Don’t they think they are creating more poverty which they say they are fighting? President Lungu should call his MPs to order because this is a clear undermining of his leadership and person. This action is portraying PF has a non-caring government. No one should bring the argument of availability of funds because accepting to pay and paying can be done at different times. You can accept to pay subject to availability of funds. Thats how caring leaders think. Its shameful to have leaders whether to agree to pay retirees or not.
So are PF MPs telling me that the issue of paying retirees is dead and buried or is it because the motion was shot down despite being a very important one simply because it was raised by the opposition? Who do these PF MPS think they are. They are busy supporting the cost of US $ 1000,000.00 per fire tender and shooting down a just cause. What has this govt taken us for? I cant stomach it any more.
Every year the Pension Fund stops paying me…I have to go into their offices at my cost and then am told it was an error its really not fair for me as I worked tirelessly for my country but now my pension doesn’t get to me why?
Mayo kwateniko amano naimwe. You get you salary and allowances every time but you don’t want our people to be paid their benefits? This is the world’s most mediocre government. You are busy trying to defend the purchase of stinking fire engines yet you cannot pay our people. Kwateni amano pamo na meno meno wenu.
Only in “Christian” Zambia would you hear about such selfish decisions. Mrs Wina has nothing to apologise for, she should not have been intimidated into apologizing for this.
Hon.Gary Nkombo you are a hero please continue speaking for the voiceless.Visit LASF and see how retirees are suffering.
Am so shocked. How can our MPs vote against the speedy payment of retirees? Someone has served this country sometimes under very difficult circumstances and u refuse to pay him/her money is an act that should be condemned. Where is you compassion for fellow human beings. Any God is watching and in due time, he will bring justice.
I am so shocked beyond imagination. So the MP’s we voted for went there to “vote” against us? People are looking to the government for improved conditions and our MP’s team up to bring us down. Is it because honorable Kambwili voted for the motion? THIS IS A WORLD RECORD where a peoples representative votes against the payment of terminal benefits of RETIRED CIVIL SERVANTS. I did not vote for this at all.
Am I right to think that majority of the retirees who had not been paid are from Western, Northwestern, Copperbelt rural, central and Southern provinces for the bemba/ngoni PF MP’s to vote against? Be patriotic gentlemen.
Those Pf MPs do as they are told, it’s like they are robots, but then again even robots have a level of autonomy.. with these MPs they ll do anything their master tells them to do, no matter how ridiculous.. what a waste of national space, time and resources.
I don’t see why this woman can not stand up to Lazy Lungu and set him straight….she is an elected Veep and she has nothing to lose at her age but her name!!
Lungu is the most powerful man in Zambia my friend..
Inga abena Njimbu, Zambian Citizen, Kudos etc are where to come and explain properly the logic behind their PF MPs voting against such a motion.
They have probably contributed hiding behind different names as they are cowards…glad to see the country going to the dogs!!
Mama Inonge Wina no need to fear after all you are the luckiest veep as no one can fire you unless the Zambian people decides in 2021. But again we cannot fire you for doing the right thing. You earned yourself a vote and respect for taking a bold decision.
This does not make any sense at all and I don’t see any reason why Inonge is apologising for using her brain correctly. Would Inonge be happy to see her relatives camping at the Ministry of Finance for days and months without being paid their pension just because some PF scum bag has stolen public funds and built a lot of houses in Lusaka?
She was probably bullied into apologising for doing a just and correct thing.
How immoral..
Funny,maybe it is time to retire.
So what’s that praying and reconciliation all about on the 18th Oct…. those PF MPs are possessed by a terrible evil, how can you do that to senior citizens.
Something really stinks about the way the regime is running national affairs… all they know is begging from whites and the Chinese to further indebt and enslave our beautiful country.. they do not care about the welfare and future of our great country.. and to them most Zambians are nothing, just things they can manipulate.
If you introduced this style of leadership into the country thru your vote I hope you are ashamed.
uuum ba-inonge what are you scared of?
So when will the senior citizens be paid? It end of story No Pay or What?
These people are making my president ECL unpopular!
Ma rubbish your steeling is what is important than giving retires there hard earned money God is watching your this the waste sum text missing
Hon Nkombo and hon ck you are future leaders wait for God’s time we love you