President Rupiah Banda is still consulting stakeholders over paying Members of Parliament their mid term gratuity.
Chief Government spokesperson, Ronnie Shikapwasha, says this is to ensure there is a consensus on the matter.
He says the President wants to ensure that all stakeholders in government and political parties are consulted before a decision is made.
He says although some political leaders have asked their MPs not to get the mid term gratuity, government will also have to take into consideration that some MPs have got loans and other financial obligations.
General Shikapwasha was speaking after he toured the Zambia Daily Mail offices in Lusaka.
Some political stakeholders have asked government to defer the payment of mid term gratuity in view of the global financial melt down.
[ZNBC]
Who does he listen to with all these horrendous decisions he makes? – Rabid Banda
WTF??? And who doesn’t have financial obligations?
mmmh but these days RB is consulting on almost anything!I hope he will consult even over his standing for presidency.
I think its a good idea he is consulting otherwise if he just says guys we re not getting paid they will say he is a dictator. A consesus is important as this is there entitlment.
Those loans should be settled from their salaries and hefty allowances…nosence chi bwezani
i await the day nonsense will seize to leave that mouth!!
iWE SHIPWETETE….why dont you shut your foul mouth? You mean only selfish people have financial obligations and civil servants who get changes dont have ayii? Kwena you are too selfish as you are not a reverand. God is seeing you hypocricy chibanda iwe.
a leader who never ever makes decisions on his own. pathetic
Who let the dogs out?
how is this country being run? sata and hakainde do the thinking and and RB consults over the same. ba RB ngamwafilwa kulanda.
Nice you have decided to consult on this unlike when you decided not to pay the health workers after their resonable strike action
What consultation is he doing? We are no longer hoodwinked! The decision to pay has already been reached
Just call it with its real name – Mid Term Bonuses. Are the stake holders to consult apart from the tax payers and the voters? Any way stakeholders in Zambia means those to benefit and other government officials. When will real stakeholders wake up and take issue with this government? Why pay bonuses like AIG on borrowed money? How do you pay individuals bonuses on borrowed money and leave the nation with a heft bill to settle in future?
SHIKAPWASHA, YOU THINK NURSES DON’T HAVE LOANS FROM FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS? TAWAKWATA AMANO.
Kwena its consultation, over a month! In fact that should have the first order of business at his press conference, announcing to the nation that mid-term gratituty has been scrapped in light of the financial crisis. He would have shown leadership and the civil servants would have understood there clearly is no money. Some of the reasoning given by our Ministers make one cringe, Ba General Shikapwasha ati ” … some mps got loans.. !”. What crass. What about pensions that were actually bein deducated from civil servants when they worked and sitll haven’t been paid! And don’t civil servants also have obligations for rent, loans, etc? Zambians are not children and one day we will see the end of you. Nothing lasts forever, you can’t fool people all the time. There is a limit.
I THINK MUSWATI HAS CONNECTIONS WITH THINK-TANKS. RB CAN CONSULT HIM ON THIS ONE.
Please, stop embarrassing us Zambians to the whole world with such lame excuses as “He [Mr President/Minister of Information….?] says although some political leaders have asked their MPs not to get the mid term gratuity, government will also have to take into consideration that some MPs have got loans and other financial obligations” when the Constitution is clear that no mid term gratuity is allowed in it.
President HH (MBA) and honourable Sata MC (Grade 2/6, unknown), here is another possible impeachment reason including the Chief Justice and Justice Chitengi failure.
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Psalm 16:
8 I have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.
9Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope.
Am shocked that the general public, especially the workers, who constitute the majority of the taxpayers are not regarded as stakeholders. Those people he will consult in government and political parties are either MPs or both MPs and Ministers, and therefore beneficiaries of the mid-term gratuity themselves. Honestly does he expect any answer different from an acceptance of the gratuity (and therefore by extension, an encouragement to pay)?
A god in Zambia
A personal account of Daniel Goldstein in a Sub-Saharan African Nation
Copied from an Online Blog from the University of Miami
As a young man I heard of many accounts of my grandparents’ experiences in Eastern Europe before the onset of the Second World War. As a Jewish couple from Poland , they were faced with imminent death as Hitler’s hate campaign against my people resonated and spread like a wild fire through the continent. Their experiences shaped the person I am and the deep values I have with regards to my community and justice in general. I am especially inspired by Elie Wiesel, holocaust survivor and Nobel laureate. I was nearly brought to tears when I heard him speak at the University of Miami during my senior year. The words “the opposite of love is…
“FORMER finance minister Ngandu Magande says Zambia does not need a degree holder president but rather a wise and intelligent person.”
TO THE POINT, MAGANDE. RB’s a degree holder. But compare him with Ken Livingstone, former city of London governor… Zambia needs a results-oriented, a performer, and highly ambitious man or woman.
Rupia said there is no money… Has mswati left him with some cash to get some one young than tadiwe Like mswati does, likubi lyamize girls watch out?
Please ignore the above incomplete account of Daniel in sub Sahara Africa; A full article is worth reading and see/understand how foreigners get puzzled by our inferiority complex towards them.Somebody advise how to get this article published /circulated there .
I just
loved the tumultuous nature of understanding Africa and how it can
horrify then endear me in one moment. Margaret and I found true solace
in one another and it wasn’t long before I asked to go to visit with her
home in the sub-Saharan country of Zambia . In a few short months we
were on our way and I was extremely ecstatic. I couldn’t wait to apply
some of the knowledge I had accumulated on development and
sustainability. I was banking on working in conjunction with USAID or
any relevant NGO. All I had was 3 months to spare before I headed back
to the United States .
Upon arrival in Lusaka , the capital of Zambia , my heart skipped
multiple beats as I disembarked from the aircraft and was welcomed by
the most spectacular sunshine I had ever seen. I walked through…
Pay the Nurses First imwe ba mbuli!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Peter i agree with you that’s the kind of a leader Zed needs.In terms of Loans it’s not mandatory that MP’s get car loans.The Govt should buy strong affordable cars which MP’s should use and should park them at Govt offices/garage during non working hours.That will reduce a lot of costs.Being an MP is not an opportunity to get wealth or get a new car it’s an opportunity to create wealth.So does it mean those that have been MP’s for a long time get new loans ever 5 years if that is the case then the Zambian system has really broken down and it needs a major clean up.The best thing that those MP’s need to do is to take back those cars to the banks if they will fail to pay from their salaries and work out a payment plan with the banks they should not live beyond their means.God…
sorry meant every 5 years. Everybody should tighten their belts not just the common man, the same Global crisis the Govt has been talking about should apply to them. This is a test for the Govt and we will wait to see how it will be handled.
hahaha…what consultation.even if they dont pay the mid term gratuity….they benefited from the increase of salaries.RB is just politicking on this matter.he just want to gain political mirage.its time we have to think otherwise as Zambians.
What consultation? Which stakeholders?
You have been mourning that the global economic meltdown has affected the Zambian economy so how do you “consult” on paying yourselves.
And the strage part is that all the MPs are silent on the matter whether MMD, OPPOSITION or REBELS.
What a shame!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
#26 above meant ‘And the strange part is that all the MPs are silent on the matter whether MMD, OPPOSITION or REBELS.
What a shame!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!’
Zambia needs prayers and in turn needs men and women of action who will turn the hopeless situations in Zambia around. ” A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity while an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty ” Winston Churchill . God bless Zambia
There is no consultation needed only the distribution of that money to developmental kinetics. This sounds like a ploy constructed last year to make RB seem sympathetic to the nation, image builders have left their mark.
This is day light robery ,these gratuities they pay thewmselves every 2 years, in hundreds of millions of kwacha and some of them have been MPs for over ten years now! they are really making good money while the tax payers look on and while a civil servavnt waits to be 65 to get his 100 million kwacha pension!
this is legal plunder and some one says it is their entitlement! these are some of the issues the contitution should look into.
No Zambian MPs deserve any pay…for what dozing in parliament and wasting the nations resources at Parliament Hotel(Brothel)…What development has these selfish potbellied crackpots done for their constituencies apart from abusing innocent voters with the campaign lies.We deserve good this country is too rich to be poor…The politicians has really failed us can we try plan B..Lives were better off under the colonial rule.I think the district commissioners should come back , mukulopola aba bantu ifikoti I will be glad to provide the following culprits for serious beating
RB, Mulongoti, Tentamashimba, Shikapwasha,.Kapoko, VJ, George Mpombo, Xavier Chungu, Chiluba, Dora siliya naba Goerge Kunda bena, the list is long naufwafye utulo ndaleko,
Common RB, this is pure noon corruption. You want to bribe MPs not to vote for impeachment? He has seen himself being far away from MPs and wants to win their support, this terrible government. HH do something man, help us please please. Guys visit HH and Sata’s websites and leave your petitions.
#23 New Zambia. Thanks for seing sense in my little contribution. And what you are saying is very practical. In fact they do it very well in Botswana. Government vehicles are only used during working hours by those who are entitled to used them. All ministers and MPs there drive personal cars before and after work. This is very cost effective in whichever way one thinks about it. Botswana with a lot of money is not lavish. But, why should Zambian leader abuse public resources? Can’t they take a leaf from Tswanas!
Someone should please put bollocks on this man called RB, the state is bankrupt and cannot even pay its teachers and nurses decent salaries and the head of state needs to consult over paying overpaid MPs illegal gratuity. The stupidity that bedevils this ***** does make one feel like crying sometimes.
Consult for what! The stupidity that bedevils Akulu Mpuno sometimes just hits the lunatic level.
They only consult when its their “necks” on the chopping block. Poor civil servants ask for only a fraction of what these “fat cats” MPs/Ministers make in gratuities and bonuses, they are told, in no uncertain terms, to suck it up and emulate British Airways employees. Why don’t these MPs and Ministers lead by example for a change. The credit cranch should not only affect the least of these, Bwana Pres!!!
You should read the post and see some arguments by some MP’s why according to them the gratuity is important . They are saying that the money they receive as Gratuity helps in developing their constituencies and also helps in paying for funeral costs for the people in their constituencies. If that is true then the whole National budgetary system in Zambia is a mess and it needs to be cleaned up. This Gratuity system should be scrapped ,there should be key performance indicators that should be developed for these MP’s and Govt workers and they should be payed performance bonuses/commission for work done according to the KPI’s otherwise it is day light robbery to pay K100 million? in gratuities for work not done . Zero wealth created = Zero Commission.
We the Zambian people should sign a petition declaring that MP’s should not be paid gratuities because we have seen no work done (no wealth creation) from the MP’s in the midst of this global recession or even in the past we can’t allow zero wealth creation = luxurious rewards, no .In fact we the Zambian people are the ones to blame , we need to calculate from independence how much money we have lost in dishing out these luxurious rewards in comparison to the National wealth created through these MP’s. God bless Zambia.
# 24. Mwansekesha, Its true ni ba Mbuli.
BREAKING NEWS !!! General Isaac Soda Arizona Chisuzi has managed to convince RB to increase the retirement age of Airforce wing and army gernerals on ‘contracts’ like Chief Justice from 55 to 65 years ! In view of the vibrant young officers whose progression has been hampered by these ‘old museums’ who dont want to retire, this makes sad reading ! Where will we end up now ?
RUPIAH WILL NOT PAY THE GRATUITIES TO THE MPs BECAUSE THEY WILL USE THIS AS AN ELECTION STRATEGY. REMEMBER SALARY INCREMENT FOR CONSTITUENCY OFFICE ORDERS LAST DECEMBER!! THEY WILL BE PAID AFTER THE ELECTION OF 2011. HAVE MY WORD I KNOW AFRICAN PROPAGANDA POLITICS OF DECEIT AND LIES……………
FOR SURE THEY WILL LOSE THE ELECTION BUT WHEN ANNOUNCING THE RESULT THEY (MMD) WILL WIN
Who is he consulting. If its MMD MP and those PF Rebels we cannot expect any thing good. Its like asking a judge to pass sentence against himself.
it depends on who he consults coz i dont think pipo like tetamashimba are good consultants.
RB is just playing games on mid term graduity. The fact of the matter is that MPs will get paid whether we like it or not. Already Dr Guy Scot is quoted in the “POST” as most MPs are in financial difficulties and it will be very unlikely for them to defer graduity. When it came to increaments did any one of them object? No. They all want the money. The question of loans etc does not make sense. Wait and see.
Like others and some MPs have observed, what assurance do we have that the money meant for gratuity ( incase it is deferred). Will go towards developmental projects and not towards funding RB’s trips to Zim, Swazi, etc…..Mind you it is being deferred and not cancelled.
# 5 Tikambe ko says:
“loans should be settled from their salaries and hefty allowances…nosence chi bwezani” I agree with you. laons are personal obligations and should be offset with returns from projects where the initial borrowed funds were injected
in.
Our contributions and our views dont matter to RB so why should he even consult even when he knows
Peter Magande statement that one does not to be a degree holder to become a president is interesting. In a turn of events I can read through the lines “He does not want to provoke King Cobra.” in Africa we never learn let us look at past record of failed Presidents. Idi Amin, Emperor Jean Pierre Bokosa. Seseko Mobuto the list is endless. There is double standard, no one is talking the nomination fee of K20Million how many potential men and women with degrees or adequate education can afford that. Magande should understand that he is an outsider in MMD the man belongs to UPND, its Levy who invited him. Now Katele is being urged to discipline him. All those indicators of being unwanted. Man go back to where you belong and repeant. Double dealing has its own costs and benefits. Now its…
Most MP’s have pledged their gratuties to the banks and financial institutions towards loan repayments which is suppose to be remitted at fixed date with fixed amount. If they forego, then it will mean that they will lose thier collaterals(securities) or will pay more interest if at all their renegotiate repayment plan with their banks.
So i dont think they can allow it
Defiant Patriotic Front (PF) Matero Member Of Parliament, Faustina Sinyangwe, has dared PF leader Michael Sata over his call on party Members of Parliament to forgo their midterm gratuity. Describing Mr. Sata’s call as baseless, Mrs. Sinyangwe says MPs deserve the midterm gratuity as it is part of their condition of service. She says MPs, just like any other civil servants deserve to be paid for the tireless work that they do. Mrs. Sinyangwe was speaking to MUVI TV News in Lusaka today. The outspoken PF leader has since asked PF
Members of Parliament not to get their midterm gratuity so that the money is channeled towards resolving other pressing issues in the country. This follows concerns raised by Catholic Bishops in a pastoral letter on Sunday that the gratuity could be channeled to
This follows concerns raised by Catholic Bishops in a pastoral letter on Sunday that the gratuity could be channeled to developmental projects in the wake of the current global crunch. Source Muvi TV
#50 No Longer At Easy: I think you have not been following events fairly because you have only picked on the uneducated presidents who failed but have failed the un educated presidents who have excelled eg Kenneth Kaunda and educated presidents who have failed eg Mr. Mugabe. Besides
Hope he will use his head to think now that the enlargement operation he underwent has healed. Unlike the fake knee operation we were treated to.
The midterm gratuity is an *****ically ill-conceived idea. We are a poor nation that cannot afford to spend so recklesslessly on an inept few in society at the expense of quality health care, education , and descent living wages for workers. People are now jostling for political office not to serve the nation but to make a quick buck. MPs must show magnanimity by waiving the mid term gratuity. I am not talking about deferring it here. It should be done away with. Period!
So there is money for MP’s gratuity, but no money for nurses’s uniforms!
LT, let go of my comment please.
If they are entitled to it pay them. Not all MPs are in the MMD government to make deals.
hey dudes and dudettes, picture this, RB and his moron ministers in a private meeting. RB tunes “Listen dawgs, no need to get your underwears in a bundle, the buck is as good as yours.” Teta, as hole extraodanaire interjects but they have to hold up umbrellas coz of his flapping lips “Thats what i told them RB. Told them we give the impression we are consulting, come up with an excuse that we still need this buck and then get paid. who the F is gonna challenge that? The sleepy zambians? i think not” And RB spreads his arms in a ‘need i say more’ gesture.
Whether they are entitled or not, it does not matter! What matters is whether the country can afford the opportunity cost of paying these *****s who do virtually nothing but give credence to what clearly amounts to a pathetic charade muscarading as government. Until Zambians stop this gutless stupidity of manifested by #58 above, the slide into the abyss for Zambia continues unabated.
Fellow zambians lets not be cheated, RB consults no-one. remember what happened on the constitutional office holders’ salaries issue, ZESCO tariffs, etc. RB will definately pay the MPs and besides, its there entitlement whether paid now or later they will still get it. the argument that there are many pressing issues in the country is understandable, but assuming that MPs dont get their mid term gratuity is anyone of us going to see where the savings will go? they might as well bank the money and pay them when everyone thinks its time to pay them and will not even know what would have happened to the money. I think they should just get their money and we move on!!! maybe, we’ll wake up as a people and do somthing about the constitution.
The midterm gratuity is an ill-conceived idea. We are a poor nation that cannot afford to spend so recklesslessly on an inept few in society at the expense of quality health care, education , and decent living wages for workers. People are now jostling for political office not to serve the nation but to make a quick buck. MPs must show magnanimity by waiving the mid term gratuity. I am not talking about deferment here. It should be done away with altogether and MP’s remunerations should be revised in line with the country’s economic standing.
MONALISA fimofimo……I think you right let the MPs do away with this corruption. They are stealing from poor Zambians, from patients at Mbereshi, the patients in shangombo who are going without food. Imagine a hospital is being funded K25 million per month while Mps are getting more than that Per Month. This is day light corruption on the party of all MPs. They should be ashamed these thieves. REVOLUTION 2011
#63MONALISA- In addition to what yv just said why cant this mid term thing be extended to all workers in Zambia. Say if a guy is supposed to retire atat age 55 years why not give him half at 27.5 years of age. This would make all of us happy but we are living on ANIMAL FARM so it ca never be.
According to the Daily Mail, MP F. Sinyangwe has said “It is high time that he understood that the paying of gratuity to Constitutional office holders is a Law” while PF MP Chisala also refered to mid-term gratuity as legal including MP and Minister Tetamashimba. However, it is sad that the the MPs and Minister mentioned about did not provide the law which they claim allows them to receive that money in question.
Can some lawyer or law firm like Sangwa … put an injunction in the High Court to restrain MPs and others from being paid the mid-term gratuity until it is clear on law.
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Psalm 16:
8 I have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.
9Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in…
Funny enough in a preempting manner, MP and Minister Tetamashimba said “Mr Tetamashimba, who is Minister of Local Government and Housing, said government will not rescind its decision of paying Constitutional office holders their mid-term gratuity because it is legal” and thus I am wondering whether Minister Teta. is speaking for the government by usurping Minister of Information and Broadcasting Shikapwasha’s powers while undermining Mr President’s message codified in the news above.
This is very unfortunate and I appeal to Mr President to take necessary action on Minister Teta..
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Psalm 16:
8 I have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.
9Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in…
Hey RB! How about forming ministries of consultants and task forces and commissions of enquiries while you are at it.
Very Funny the Mp’s are calling it legal when there is no work , no performance to show for it . What a loss ,only in Zambia are such kind of things tolerated.
LT please post my comment are you also an MP?
Shikapwasha’s comments on Sakala’s hold on to office citing that these are Judicial matters that must be left to the judiciary is madness. This is a constitutional matter. Chief Justice is a Head of Judiciary and in this case an interested party. Therefore, No one expects him to be a respondent & Judge on his own case. Only the President sworn in to defend the constitution can move a motion to retire the CJ. RB’s silence is tantamount to breaching the constitution making it a fertile ground for impeachment. I support those wishing to impeach RB as ignoring this is a serious constitutional breach. A Judge shall retire at 65 is because one’s mental capabilities cannot cope post this age. CJ’s hold on to power is jeopardizing the prudency of our judicial system.
No MP in Zambia deserves any pay because all they do is either talk nonsense or sleep in parliament.In fact I don’t think we even need parliament in Zambia,its just an expense to the populace.Tell me what sensible thing have they done in 20 years apart from becoming rich?
The commedy goes on. Every time i want a nice laugh i just come to this site.
Look Guys whether you say it or not they will still get their gratuity as was the case with salary increments. We the majority Zambians will be enslaved in the hands of the investers (with government turning a blind eye to this as they have put in bad Labour Laws), pay taxes from the small salaries with the hope of our children going to better schools and hospitals with equipment and well paid Doctors and pay RB and his MPs hefty allowances.
By the time we are old, we will have nothing to show for what we worked for, unless we become Kapokos