by Mingeli Palata
Even as you start to read this article, President Banda may be seated in his office gazing at Zambia’s hottest bill, wondering whether to append his signature to it or not. How I wish he could take time to learn what his masters/employers feel about the proposed 15% salary increment to constitutional office bearers. More so because the laws of this land have it that public office bearers are servants of the people, yes, us the people, you reading this article and me. As such, we the people naturally should have a say when our servants or workers seek a pay rise, not so?
We have taken time to listen to your argument for the pay rise and we see little sense in it. This so because of a number of reasons – the first being that we have given you a job, but you failed lamentably even after saving your necks from job losses the last three times we reviewed your performance.We had hoped that you would improve, but you have let us down. We have given you the opportunity, the resources and we have even volunteered to help you make ours a better country, but you have failed us dearly for 17 years. We, in fact, find it rather provocative that you have the audacity to ask us your employers for a pay rise when you have failed to deliver.
More than 70% percent of Zambians are living in abject poverty. Poverty according to the United Nations is living under a dollar a day. A dollar is about K4000 and is nothing near what we need to feed our families. A Pamela (rationed mealie meal), which we survive on used to be K500.00 a few months ago about is now K1, 200.00. We need at least two of these to survive. The cost of food is going up with each new day. The clinics are far off, are too few and don’t even have the staff and medicines needed to help our ailing children, brothers and sisters. We all can’t afford private clinics and the mere thought of Morningside Clinic is too far fetched.
You have also failed us on the educational bit, dear sirs and madams, 44 years after independence our beloved country only has two universities. Not enough to carter for the huge demand out here. Year after year, we are producing legions of ill prepared school leavers into mass unemployment. Higher education is only available for the elite few, whereas the vast majority cannot afford the expenses that come with private and other public colleges. Our smaller children sit on bricks and their teachers have no chalk. The teachers are unmotivated and our children are uninspired. No hope for a good future; just shattered dreams.
Ours is a country where its better to be foreign than to be Zambian.The laws, attitudes and culture favors others. The best deals in government are given to foreigners, the best resources, the best land, the tax system and the work culture favors others apart from our the children of this land.
We have no ownership of this country. How many Zambians own a building along ‘Freedomway’ Road? How many Zambians own a mine? Why is it that tax cuts are only given to foreigners and not us?
You have failed us. You don’t need an increase. If anything you need a decrease. You need to be fired.
It is strange that when the rest of the world is in an economic crisis, when copper prices are low, when farmers can’t afford farming implements, when mealie meal prices are at their highest, when UNZA students don’t know whether they will complete this semester or not… You come and say you want a pay rise. Ironic!
Kindly rescind your intentions, dear sirs and madams, unless the pay rise will be across board; policemen, teachers, nurses, doctors, carpenters, plumbers, traders, marketers, marketers, the army, servicemen and women. Only then can you justify your pay rise.Otherwise your pay rise will be an act of gross injustice, irresponsibility and selfishness.
Besides, President Banda stands to gain a lot of mileage if he chooses not to assent to the bill; he needs some good PR right now. Don’t you think?
Source of data for the tables include- Times of Zambia,Daily Mail and Parliamentary Bill Memo
[TABLE=19]
[TABLE=20]
Assuming all allowances are collected ,the total income per annum based on exchange rate of $1 = K 4600 and R1 = K460
[TABLE=23]
Good article Mingeli….yes they have not performed to us the employers satisfaction so no pay rise.
1!!
OK, 2
“As such, we the people naturally should have a say when our servants or workers seek a pay rise, not so?”
True and I think we must be the ones to dictate the salaries and allowances they must be getting. For now, let me continue digesting the numbers so that I can come back later with good points to take home.
Come on guys be reasonable, it’s not that much.
If this doesn’t sum up the Zambian struggle, I don’t know what will. I hope those entrusted with the affairs of the country can take a step back and see the desperation our citizens are in.
This is comedy. Anyway, what do u expect from toad poles? Good luck MMD and your tricks. Just know that God is watching.
#6 How do you mean?
quite a touching a story.with this enconomy melt down ministers and mps shud have waited.i see a number of mines reducing the work force becoz of low copper prices,unza,cbu programs being disturbed.its gonna be sad story for the next 3 years.this country has no captain or rather say its a sinking titanic
I personnally do not have a problem with them having a pay rise but i strongly believe their percentage should have been say 10% as opposed to 15%. Reason being that those that got 15% are lowly paid with almost nil other entitlements such as free housing, electricity, talk time, transport which do cushion our leaders a great deal.
sorry ladies and gentleme, meant #5 in my # 8 posting
f…..u all
The president’s annual salary is less than mine
i mean those with pay rise
Thats nothing to cry about.If us the chintuwamba can make way above the President’s US $54,304.35 what do you want to give him presiding over the national cake less than that.Cheap is not cheap.Be realistic and think of promoting a just society.Poorly paid custodians are a risk on the national cake.
Am speechless for now, let others comment first….aah K150m one person, hey its a joke..now i know we are no poor…What will George Kunda do with all that money for two positions? Buy ARV’S or what?
GOD HELP US!!
what will kaunda, chiluba and morren get? pls let me know. awe guys this is too much……
Very well articulated, Mingeli. The president must reject.
The characters are nuts, they are more than thugs, they dont deserve such amounts of cash
The Presidents salary is K12m after tax! That is not much to be honest.
Let us understand the procedure:
The President of Zambia does not have absolute power over Parliament. He can only return a bill to Parliament twice after Parliament has passed. If he refuses to sign (assent) to a bill the third time he has to dissolve Parliament and go for elections.
I want to address only my Bemba brothers. Are we so much in love with Michael Sata that we would love a constitutional crisis over such modest salary increase in order to go for new elections.
FYI the president has statehouse petty cash and that salary is not subject to tax! Those figures are the only few paid through payroll now we need to know those monies paid outside payroll for us to start comparing like with like.
Per year my wife gets way far above what RB is being offered while mine is twice that much when i don’t even have access to the national treasury and donor funds like RB and his troops.pay people way then integrity will trickle down.My wife and i are highly motivated because we take the value of our work.
Sorry what is decided is done,well researched story but lacks vigour,some kind boring.May be u doing a dissetation for MBA in South Africa.
I’m 25 and netting just over what the speaker gets.
Ba LT PLEASE LETS TALK ABOUT MEDIA REGULATION THEY WANT TO IMPLIMENT.
The people of Zambia, through their elected MPs agreed to these salary increments, there were only a few who voted against and abstained. So there!
bafipe bamangalo
good emotional article tho its not realistic. Mingeli should not just tell us how pipo are suffering, he should also suggest solutions. lets not be jelous, these salaries are per year and not per month. if you calculate per month the president will be geting about K20M before tax, after tax it will come to about K12M thats almost the salary of a section engineer in the mines or senior operations engineer at ZESCO. even if you were to build clinics and roads from this money i dont think there is contractor who can go for such a Bid.
I wonder whether the majority of bloggers are students but these salaries are not exorbitant at all! They are very fair.
I dont see how the salaries for our leaders could be lower than that.
what these guys are getting is not so much but not forget that they still alot of through dubious means
There is poverty mentality here which thinks people should be going with peanuts yet presiding over the national treasury.Stop dreaming and pay them way.I don’t see either a constitutional crisis because even our own MPs in Pf have voted for this bill.Lets see a walk out and rejection of the increment by those who think this is unjustified in the house.I beat you none.
#29 Ministers & MPs dont pay Tax, except VAT, which every Zambia pays. FTJ enacted that into law. I don’t think that has changed. The rationale was so that they avoid corruption. I stand to be corrected though
Infact these salaries should be reviewed as soon as the country’s economy improves. You cant ask for anything less than that!
WELL ARTICULATED,MY PRAYER IS THAT THEY READ THIS ARTICLE.HOSPITALS ARE PATHETIC,EDUCATION SYSTEM VERY ROTTEN,THE ECONOMY IS BITTING FOR MOST OF THE ZAMBIANS.IT WOULD HAVE BEEN FAIR IF THE INCREAMENT WAS ACROSS THE BOARD LIKE HAS BEEN SAID IN THE ABOVE.WELL GOD IS ON OUR SIDE HE WILL MOVE THEIR HEARTS ESPECIALLY RB.
#29 sometimes its not the best stories or books that get published but stories written by people bold enough to send them to publishers.It pains me that God did not see it fit to equally distribute intelligence.
i once thot speaker of the national assembly is the best Job you can ever have in Zambia. But from the figures above it looks like iam better off doing what iam doing.if a speaker will get less than K15m how about a headmaster in shangombo worse still a cpuncil worker. Zambia will never develop, its a curse not to take care of our leaders and enjoy when they become like Gray Zulu. this is the very reason we will never attract credible people to leadershjip positions because of offering them peanuts.
Can someone help me here. Are these supposed to be annual figures or monthly? If they are annual then really they are nothing. If they are monthly, then there is so much left to be desired
From the look of things, I would not be surprised if people still complained if the president was getting a gross salary of 2pin. You cant please everybody even with good intentions.
Has any one of you in support of these salaries ever seen a ministers payslip let alone added payment vouchers related to ministers? Don’t believe sources of information from Zambia Daily mail and the Times. They are not credible!
Sorry to say but there is no way a republican president can get 4500 USD per month. Most of you bloggers even get far much more than this fugure. Give the dude a brek. For all those who say its too much, please give a figure that you would want the whole lot of a president to get and if you were in his shoes, how much would you alllocate yourself
Such was anticipated and should not surprise us. Truely our leaders
don’t deserve such salaries.
These salaries are actually unbelievable! If these figures turn out to be true, then our leaders are getting far less than expected and yet very much in tune with the people on the ground. These are sympathetic salaries.
#33 Chanda there is no one in Zambia who legally works and doesnt remit paye. its only the diplomats who are exempted from those taxes.
#20 POINT OF CORRECTION,THESE THUGS ARE TAX EXEMPT MIND U!DONT PUT IN OFFICE A PERSON WHOSE DAYS ARE NUMBERED ,HE MIGHT DESTROY OUR FUTURE AND OFF HE DIES!
#45 DEEDS
So what is your estimation of a suitable salary for the President?
People what are salary in US dollar or rand terms? To me the salaries are ok. You want them to be like Chiluba whose official salary was peanuts but the money was ordering shoes from Geneva.
#33 Just to correct you, it was not Chiluba who enacted that law, it was the British colonial government. According to the Income tax law the following are not taxed based on incomes received as salary, the Prseident of the Republic, the Litunga of Barotseland (latter amended to Western province)and any other chief in Zambia. However, income received businessess is taxed accordingly.
Really, this is not a topic to even argue about. Whether VAT exempted or not, these are rediculous figures that you can give a replublican president. face reality, I would even say he doubles that figure. You will be the first ones to complain when he decided to plunder the resources coz he aint getting what is due to him for his position. It deos not matter whether you hate the dude but all those who are condemning, think about it. You would not even want to get that amount where you are. You would want more
Do you guys know that there are expatriate employees at KCM who get K 250,000,000.00 per month?
#40 i have seen an MPs payslip before. the chaps only survive on travel allowances particulary on SADC trips because SADC pays them directly in dollars. the whole salary is usually absorbed with a car loan. infact one third of the Mid term gratuity goes towards the car loan yet the salary still gets absorbed. however these guys make small companies for feeder road constructions in rural areas and make sure they win those council contracts to make ends meet.
How i wish mwanawasa was still alive.He was the only one who was very serious with stoping corruption and developing the country but no one used to take him serious. Now we are left with thieves who are in government for personal gain,what a shame!!!
THESE ARE ANNUAL SALARIES THATS WHY I PERSONALLY SEE THEM TO BE TOO LITTLE INFACT THEY NEEDED 20% INCREAMENT WE NEED TO BE REALISTIC THEY HAVE REDUCED THE ALLOWANCES. SO LET THE RISE BE APPROVED
The figures tabulated by Palata are per annum. The fact that Palata has not clearly indicated so shows some intention to mislead.
In this country we tend to be extremist in our opinions. This is a tendency in our tabloids especially the Post.
In a country which is not sophisticated and with the typical third world demography of a dominant youth population such extremism can be very dangerous. I just hope our youth especially students can mature quicker otherwise the nation will be fighting over non-issues.
#38 these are ANNUAL and not monthly figures. I personally dont see what the big deal is; these salaries are way lower than what most bloggers on this site make. But of course people will condemn the salaries just for the sake of politicking and wanting to be heard. Otherwise its even too low for such high office bearers
I mean if a private run business company is able to pay its Accountant a net salary of K45million, what is K20 million for a Republican President?
#52, it should be a shame on you to call a preseident who is going to get USD 4500 a thief. What do you want him to get. Please, don’t just criticize. Give figures. This is simple mathematics. We wont figures and not just blubbing coz you feel like putting something down on paper.
#51…and do you know that it is not actualy SADC that pays but each member state is responsible for it’s ministers travel allowances and perd diems?
#55, thanks. We need people like you to pump some sense in people like #52. I think some people dont understand the effect of giving a person in that position small monies
Good article! How can they justify an above inlfation payrise in these tough economic times, when people are suffering!
I like this…a juicy story attracts a lot of bloggers within a short period of time!
#46, I think no salary wee, but allowances chabe after all these thugs make mo money by flying.
what about the nurses, doctors, teachers and those that provide essential services to the people? ba stanyoko they are just a bunch of theives, if RB wants to have a successful term he needs to realise that this would be a gross injustice!
#57,you are forgiven
#54 NKOLE WA MAPEMBWE
a very good point you have raised and i want to encourage the student to be very analytical instead of taking populist aproaches to national isues. it is for this reason that iam in suport of media regulation until such a time that our litracy levels improve.as things stand now the Media can distort facts like the artical obove deliberately not mentioning that these are yearly salaries and they include NAPSA and other taxes just to mislead the always suspecting youth.
#52 Jiang, Please understand that Levy approved the Rejected August salaries in Table No.1 above before he went to Egypt.
There is no reason to call his colleages thieves for no reason. Rupia has actually brought them down and the whole Parliament has approved icluding PF and UPND. Sata is just playing politics.
In fact they are very decent because they have avoided bringing his name in this debate, but the decision to inrease was made long before he left the country.
If thats per annum then I don’t know what to say.
At the end of the day people are still starving. I agree with the writer of this article that RB needs good PR on his side.
Am sure RB has relised that the country is in a mess that is why he is not saying anything.
#Anonymous 30 34/43
If your not suprising support of these salary increases does not prove that you are sponsored by the government, then your blind support of every single govt. intiative reinforces this view! Psychophant!
We shouldnt forget that the president doesnt buy any ,its us who buy him everything from tooth paste to mealie meal.Thats y the price of m/meal can affect him.
A lot of youths have beer and extra entertainment in mind. K20m is too much to spend on beer alone per month.
#63 Miss President
Where have you been?
I just love reading your comments.
Keep them coming.
#58 yes but if the travels are for election observation or some democracy issues the carter foundation is usually responsible for the payments.
#71- thanks, I have been busy at work! but am back now and am in shock at what am reading!
Miss President
I would not want to engage you in any discussion. You are too insulting and rude for my liking and I would rather not be mistaken for like mindedness . Cheers!
Just like anyone else, MPs need a pay rise to serve their constituencies better. If the salary schedule is correct, then I agree with Kambwili that the salaries for MPs are a joke. I guess most of you bloggers are getting better pay than them yet they are saving more people and you only save yourselves.
# 67 , i think that you are right, it would be a very bad start to RB’s presidency if he approved this, as people are starving, and the govt. itself is announcing that the economic forcast is getting worse! so the nobel and ethical thing for these “servants” of the people to do is turn it down and they can invest that money into healthcare!
You Zamabian have a problem. You dwell too much trival issues. Ask yourselves if RB wouldn’t you accept the increment..be practical. What is Caleb Fundanga’s Salary? Ronald Sisala’s ?
Does it really make sense to always refer to this abject Poverty thing…Wake up Zambians and more on don’t trivalise things
RB, GK and others deserve the bucks too avoid corruption. Please RB append your signature..you deserve it.
#77
poverty is not a trivial issue!
#77 Caleb Fundanga’s salary is paid by the World bank!
#67 Yes Rupia does need some good PR for hi to settle down. For the first time in Zambia’s history the most popular newspaper which actually was against his candidature (they preferred Magande) has set itself aginst him.
The solution is not media control but to invite a respectable media house such as the Citizen of South Africa or the Argus group to buy Times or the Daily Mail in order to reduce the influence of one independent paper. If they don’t Rupia will be fixed no matter what he does.
There are other ‘earnings’ like 1) When they are ill, they can be flown to RSA at GRZ expense 2) They do not pay police fines; heard of any of them being arrested for speeding 3) They bring in their vehicles duty free 4) Car loans from parliament are interest free and 5) all those overseas travels accompanying HE. Who needs a salary then if one is an MP In Zambia? What is a saraly increase?
Anonymous #74 thats cause you know that you havent got a leg to stand on, people like you are why the rich get richer and poor get poorer! selfishness and greed is aganist the bibles teachings, its no skin of my back if you dont engage me, i find you annoying anyway. but this is a free blog and if you make a post that i dont like, i will comment on it, cause that dude is the beauty of freedom of speech, a concept that I know you are grossly opposed too!
Its not a matter of whether its enough or not but the reasons for getting so much when other civil servants and general members of the public are suffering. RB and his minions would have avoided this increment now so as to work hard with the general public in rebulding and strategising for the country during the trying period.You dont cerebrate in the house when your children are morning. The country cant afford this increment now. These guys have other ivisible benefts through travel allowances and GRZ business cotracts.Open your eyes gentlemen because as a civil servant we know what we mean. RB PLEASE DONT SIGN AND MORN WITH YOUR CHILDREN.
Mature people will easily see that the salaries are well below the expected. Youthful zeal is most misleading at times.
I find it rather strange that people can say that civil servants across the board should be given similar raise. That is simply cancelling the intensions of the rise! I may sound very greedy to some I suppose but that is just the basic fact. Inflation will be the resultant effect of a general salary increase.
There salaries are just fine. We have to take into consideration that 70% of the population is poor.
Roughly 1071 days before the 2011 elections. Someone please help with an electronic countdown.
That’s a nice articulated article Mingeli. Indeed no pay rise for these people. They already earn enough. One wonders why MPS dont pay the same attention when it comes to increase civil servants salaries. The response always is” government doesn’t have enough money. I wonder where the money for MPS comes from.
15% little as it may sound, is still an increament at the end of the day.
@ 83 Dimuna
well said! and i totally agree!
imagine that is just a transperent payroll,they r getting tripple the amounts on allowances only.
#83 Dimuna, the 15% increment is intended to match the 15% the civil sercice aleady agreed with governmen.
There is a story in Bemba which says mutusho twa nsala no walya ulubalala lumo ku mweba ati namulya ifibalala.
So what is speaking is our poverty not our consideration of the actual salaries of our MPs.
oh its getting too hot in here!
We need a commercial break.
comments are coming too fast.
Engine ifikansa, ninshi kanshi? those people have so many free things i case you dont know.Dont even compare yourself to them. They have free fuel,rentals paid by the govnment, their children,s school fees are paid for by the government.And do you know that their sitting allowance is K500,000 per sitting? and how many times do these people sit in parliament in a year?so what they get maybe they just save or use just a small amount when necessary! Dont just talk,you should have the facts.Mulepanga fye ichongo.
But peops the salaries may be low but their expenses are also very low. One must look at it in terms of what expenses they pay for i mean do they pay for transport, housing, eductaion??
Guys think properly, if the economy of this country was doing fine, no one can deny these guys a pay rise. Moreover no one forced those guys to become politicians they promised us that they want to serve us. If they want high salaries why not join proper companies which can pay them handsomely. I think they should first sow and harvest will follow later.
Can you imagine paying at statehouse.
Sala kahle
Can you imagine paying rent at statehouse.
Sala kahle
#92, Ba chewe, please this is a responsible forum. Let us stick to the truth. There is no sitting allowance for Parliament or its Committees. MPs sit there as part of their job.
And there is a difference between Mps and Ministers. MPs have no free rentals, they buy fuel from Constituency and travel allowance. They pay their own school fees.
Ba Chewe why are you telling these lies? You may hate MPs, but you should declare interest. The conditions for MPs and Ministers are much worse than Managing directors.
It’s very interesting to see the comments here.Honestly how do you compare the wages you get to the wages at home.$60,000 salary abroad especially in the USA is nothing.Let’s not deceive those back at home, the cost of living in the USA is very high, after paying those high bills,there’s nothing left. It’s not even in the high income bracket.Infact President Elect Obama will be increasing taxes for those earning $250,000 and above.Those are the high earners. In Zambia if you get $60,000 that is a lot of money.The cost of living is low.I would be very happy to get even 30,000 per annum that is $2,500 per month equivalent to $10 million per month and i would be in the range of high earners
Give way for the President to pay his water and electricity bill.
Customer service
Good you deserve this guys and work hard too. Nothing wrong and i know many like my self, admire what you are getting for your hard working, plus the economy of Zed is getting to rotting, because many you will be sleeping when others are debating seriously.
Nothing for Mahala
Viva H H a man who always justify who should earn what in Zed.
Engine,mind you,the graduity which they get is enough for them to be comfortable.when ever money is mentioned your heart pumps fast. Your big appetite for money worries me too much.If you were to go into politics,you can plunder national resources.I also like money but not to the extremesy.
contd. Someone in Zambia correct me if i am wrong.The issue here is to reduce the number of MP’s to 1 or 2 per province with a possibility of having a govenor for each province.These MP’s should be merit based and competent and we should see their performance then we can discuss pay raises.I find it ironic to increase salaries for non performing MP’s who are a liability to the tax Payers. What do they have to show for their performance. Let them justify it with their performance.Honestly getting between k10 million and $20 million per month is already a lot of money what else do they need the money for.At the expense of the taxpayers no way.
hey guys we o know it was coming. very fun, no coca cola on the market. its zambia in the sun, for tourist attraction.
#101, Ba chewe, I think the topic of gratuity which you have tabled is a reasonable one. My view is that the current gratuities for all MPs including Ministers are too high and should be reduced. The Gratuity should be at 12% of Basic salary.
But ba Chewe please make sure you have a thorough understanding of a subject before you make ridiclous statements such as Parliament pays for the education of MPs children.
Have you seen how these MP live?
Has anyone seen them get on a bus and squeeze themselves with others when going to work?
Do their children go to govt schools or private schools?
If they can manage a better life then they don,t need a pay rise full stop.
They are some people who can’t even think of taking their children to school because they can’t even buy a uniform and shoes for their children let alone pay school fees. Let the Poverty issue be addressed first befor the MP’s pay rise.
If da president is not going 2 suport da bill then he is uselless . Fishishi like bees and aunts looks afta there kings and queens nicely , but u humane beings of zambia wants yr king 2 ride on bike 2 un AU meeting in Aids a baba . Shame
#95 anonymous
you are showing your lack of intellect with your comments!
#99
Was that a commercial break.
contd.Let us stop even comparing the MP’s pay with other countries.Those countries have performance to show for it.They are developed.I know sometimes it makes people feel proud that their MP’s are well paid like developed countries but they need to show the performance for that.USA has only about 100 MP’s for 50+1 states with a population of 300 million. We have 9 provinces, 10 million people and we have 151 MP’s .That is more than the USA ,that is not right.let’s apply our critical thinking skills. Then we should also be comparing our development with developed countries, that is what should be giving us pride. There should be no excuse for failure.
Mingeli is a poverty stricken young man looking for the easiest way into national plunder by stirring up discontent. I’m shocked that the president only get US 54,000, much less than what my part time farm produces.I think the culture of poverty is deep seated in our people. How can you expect an MP for Kanchibiya to visit his constituency, to review progress with his councelors if he gets only K10,000,000 per month?
FYI Mingeli, there are 3 Universities in Zambia and 2 private ones. What you should be doing is offering solutions on revamping Agric,etc and empowering Zambians to get loans and special guided preference to engage in joint ventures. Your spew has no solutions!
#110 Zebron
Blah blah blah!
#102 New Zambia, I get the impression that you don’t know Zambia very well. Zambia is a very large country and is more than twice the size of Germany. It is a diverse country with 72 tribes.
MPs are supposed to represent their people. There are 72 Districts in the country. Do you think 18 people can represent this geographical area, all these districts and tribes.
Honestly sir, I expected you to have some grounding in democracy. I suppose you want to do away with representative democracy.
This story is good. Bloggers are flooding LT minute after minute
bane its too little.
doctors here can earn as much as four to six times what rupiah earns.
i wonder what is keeping those uth guys there.
my point?
increase salary across the board.
Zebron is anonymous!
since when was printing discursive article based on factual Times of Zambia and daily mail and UN data stirring up discontent???? I swear thse govt. supporters would defend the devil himself given the opportunity!
FYI- 3 universitites is still not enough especially when they are on strike for most of the year!
So do you honestly belive that a solution to Zambian poverty is incresing govt expenditure on salaries and expenses?
#97,am not telling lies about the sitting allowances i got it from Given Lubinda. And when i talk about free things,i meant ministers and not private mps. There is a difference there,i dont just talk from without!
Gratuity should even be scrapped. Why is it even paid, what performance is it tied to. If it must stay it should be performance related. There should be job objectives set before the beginning of each term by the Zambian Citizens and the work should be constantly monitored and then evaluated at the end of the term. Then the performance related gratuity should be paid. Not just paying gratuities for the sake of paying it. Sitting allowances should also be scrapped off those MP’s already have an salary. No wonder we have a lot of people eyeing those positions. Too many incentives , we should be attracting people who are going to serve and transform our nation. Not just liabilities.
I will comment after carefully analysing the article. I do not believe in reacting out of emotions. The guys could either be getting little or alot
#109
US aint got MPs
They have Congress made up of two houses; the senate(2 per state)and the house of representatives.
Moreover, each states has its own system of representation.
Please don’t misslead us.
Keep on blogging.
awe bloggers nayenda mukugona
I have terrible cold.
UNLESS UR PARENTS ARE POLITICIANS OR U HAVE INTENTIONS TO FOLLOW THE SAME MULOLO OR MAYBE U R BENEFITTING IN A WAY THESE GUYS ARE SHOCKING,THEY ARE THERE TO SERVE US AND NOT BUILD A FORTUNE THEY SHOULD HAVE OTHER SOURCES OF INCOME(PERSONAL THAT IS)THERE ARE A LOT OF PRESSING ISSUES JUS BECAUSE WE PEOPLE ARE SLEEPING DOESNT MEAN THEY SHOULD START FEEDING ON OUR IGNORANCE THEY DONT KNOW HOW TO SACRIFICE THESE MONEY HUNGRY PEOPLE.
I can not comprehend how people who claim to have the best intrests of Zambia at heart , and allegedly belive in democracy have a problem with holding the government to account . and it defies all logic to increase salaries in times of ecomnomic duress, its plain and simple economics! what will be the entire wage bill of this proposed increment? does it really make economic sense when there is a shortage of maize/mealie meal and fertilizer to divert crucial funds?
Good article
Money is nothing but what we need are good and credible leaders! Afterall some NGO executive directors and company chief executives get more than the president per month! $5000 per month is nothing!
surely that shows that these politicians are simply career opportunists! They are not and will not starve but they are millions of Zambians who will, it is a matter of ethics and common christian decency!
Lusaka times please remove the Dubai advert which is depicting gender insensitivity-where are the women in this advert? They also need jobs!
Mp’s are equivalent to the Us Senators. The house of congress is another parellel system . If someone can elaborate on that , it would really help. Zambia also has other System’s in place like Permanent Secretaries and their deputy’s and other offices. Can someone make us understand even our own system of governance then we can debate.
Its indeed a good article.#104 Do you have a relative who is in paliament?its a well known thing that the goverment pay education fees for most of the ministers/others.Why defending them? or may be you are one of the beneficialies.
Let’s stop comparing Mp’s to Managing Directors and NGO’s. Those orgs have a way of generating their money and can afford to pay their employees based on performance,they have their own controls and measues in place.For Mp’s there are no performance measures. This across the salary increase should also be scrapped, you don’t find it in developed countries what you have is the minimum wage reviewed often and performance related raises.Zambia should set a decent minimum wage,Economists can help with that,one that should include everyone to afford the basic necessities such as housing,health insurance,education,food etc. Maybe K1.5m, no one in Zambia should get less than that not even a maid.
Can it be true that Zambia has something like 500 people in a constitution committee, that earns something like 10 000 USD pr month? Or am I being misled here?
BB
#130 its possible Boyi.one thing we should know is Pa Zed we are not all that poor God has blessed us with so many resources its just that we mis use them/and that pipo in athority are greedy.
I won.I make more than the president yet all i do is tamanga.I feel they should inflate them by 20%.
Those salaries are quite low actually, the waste of money comes from the size of the cabinet
It is too much what our politicians are doing as they only think of themselves. Guys 2011, we shouldn´t vote for them. We should look for fresh blood.
How can they stamp out corruption if they get peanuts.Look at our own punk police,they are so corrupt because they are not being paid on time and their salaries can’t see them thru month end.
#134 what are you doing in cuba?
#5, you don’t know any maths at all. How can that be little money when these guys have free houses, free cars, free phones, free electricity, free education for their children in any school, free medical expenses and free water. Where on earth can you get such benefits? They are simply fat cats!
#135 Chomba
So let me get this straight, you are suggesting that in order to stamp out corruption at the cabinet and parliamentary level we should increase their pay? Alright, what about the rest of the country? If they had suggested a 15% pay increase across the board for policemen, teachers, nurses, doctors, carpenters, plumbers, traders, marketers, marketers, the army, servicemen and women, then no one would object in these tough economic times. Is it really fair to increase their pay while the very electorate they serve is in a far worse state and struggling to survive? I think not!
#112, Thanks for the comment. Let’s debate. Mp’s should not be there to respresent the 72 tribes but all the Zambian people. E.g USA has 435 Senators and Congress representatives who represent roughly 700,000 people each based upon the 300 million poulation. If we use the same logic of our 10 million population then it’s between 10-18 MP’s for the whole country. kindly crunch the numbers for Germany and their system of governance and educate us that would be nice to understand.
the stup!d argument that some of them left their business behind does not hold water. if their businesses were doing well, they should have stuck to them. they just want to profit from government resources. this is plunder. WAKE UP ZAMBIANS.
Sarah i love you plz!!
I work for a firm where after a profitable year there is proft sharing. Why dont our leaders improve the the GDP and then have salary increase
Sarah i luv you plz.
Me and my wife together bring in about $45,000 a year. Alittle less than what the President of the republic makes and a little more than what the VP gets and we are barely surviving. Some of them may have some businesses but many ministers do not. But they live they are rich. Where do they get the extra cash. Can someone tell me the logic. I am having a hard time to understand. In addition they get a special allowance that might enable them to buy some luxury items, send their kids abraod, build mansions, go on vacations or holiday trips. Where is the extra cash coming from to meet all these expenses. I am alsmost conluding that these guys be known as thieves.Can someone help with answers!
# 114 why are you comparing President RB’s salary to the USA doctors’. The cost of living in the 2 countries is very different. Why don’t you compare the US doctors salaries to the US senators which still leaves US Doctors making almost double what the senators make. The average salary for a senator is $165, 000 annually and let’s not compare it to the Zambian MP’s ,they have their performance to show for it and the cost of living in the two countries is very different.
#143 Chewe
where is Sarah?
Ba chewe I thought Sarah said aliupwa.Anyway ze biggy paliba Faith continue Bro you never know.
number 16 Laser Jet, George Kunda will only get the VP sallary and not that of Minister.
number 33 Chanda Phiri, fact is that MPs do pay tax.
# 86,
Its of no use because MMD will still carry the day.Anyone they don’t like will never enter power.Find other ways of accepting it.There is no opposition personality, structure, leadership, will power or vision to shift the axis of Zambian political power.MMD knows this and have perfected in locking the opposition politics as rubble rousers without real opportunity on power.Sata under MMD will never rule Zaambia so is poor HH sytematically being inoculated internally. Its a tough word of drama.
No. 92 Chewe. MPs do not get free fuel.
No. 127 and 145 New Zambian: America has a Federal system of government with the Houses of Congress being at Federal level. Each State has its own legislative Chamber and so the numbers are very much higher than in your calculation. The State Chambers are not local government councillors as those also exist seperately. Check your facts before you embarrass yourself with a flawed argument.
No. 130 Bengal Boy. National Constitutional Conference Members do not get US$10,000 per month. Infact they only get paid when they are actually sitting. Even if they sat every day of the month they would not get paid US$10,000.
# 144 Winner,
Get some education and redeem yourself.A total of US $45K for you and your wife per annum is synonymous with some under carpet wage illegals get.Just a basic two year associates Degree from a Junior college in Electrical, Nursing (RN), Radiology, Telecommunication (electronics) Clinical Laboratory Science (ASCP), Pharmacy Technician,Nutrition, Physiotherapy (SP) and mortgage underwriting will give each one of you in that marriage not less than US $56,000 while a 4 year Bachelors Degree is not less than US $60K in those fields with plenty of job opportunities. Move up brother and push for opportunities now. I hope you don’t have kids as yet because that figure is way too low.
145 New Zambian. Indeed the economies we have are different; but consider this:- after being President Obama will command appearance fees of not less than US$25,000 a time. Book deals will bring in several millions of Dollars. He will be invited to sit on Boards just for prestige purposes at annual fees running into at least hundred of thousand dollars a year. Senators also get simmilar types of perks after and durring service: witness Sarah Palin who has just landed a seven million dollar book deal. What our President and MPs get is peanuts in light of all this.
#155, economies are relative. That kind of money in Zambia can buy a complete human being but not in the USA. Do you have such book deals in Zambia? Who would waste such money in Zambia when the average citizen cannot even afford a cup of tea? Let us be real, some of the money deals we see in western economies are totally unrealistic. And above all, the celebrity culture of the west has no market in Zambia. Look at Kalusha, he could have been a super millionaire in the west but can he get any sponsorhip deals in Zambia?
#152. I like your analysis of issues.
#155 Zeus
You just don’t get ZEUS!
Why are you comparing Zambia to USA? Oranges and apples!!??!!
It’s like trying to build a high-rise building starting from the 3rd floor! Get real maaan!
156 Bauze; the point I was making is that the politicians in the USA whom Nw Zambian was comparing to ours, infact get, to borrow your words, “are totally unrealistic”. The same cannot be said about what the Zambian politicians get. Simple as that.
We in UPND we have no problem with 15% increament, our concern is to offer nominated MPs constituence Allowance for what? he has no constituence to qualify for such eg. VJ should not be given such allowance. If you underpay these guys they will loot our country.
For a change lets talk about SEX. Current topic is boring. The goodness with SEX there is nothing like you are rich or poor- it is the same enjoyment whether you are black or white, in America or in Zambia, Minister or Kaponya, getting alot of money or less
Ba #154, If you read my blog well you would not have responded the way you did. I did not ask that you become my councellor. Your comments are not appreciated. I don’t know you and I did not ask for your silly comments.
Just so you know, I have two kids with a business plan worth $500,000 to start in Zambia early next year!!!
#152 and # 155 thanks for your comments. We are willing to learn from you may you kindly explain the USA governance system in relation to the Zambian system and kindly relate the Federal System and State system to what we have in Zambia. We may not have the same structure but if we break it down in terms of structure i am sure there is a bit of resemblance, like Senators and mp’s , cabinent ministers, Permanent Secretaries and their deputies etc. Kindly educate us, then we can further Debate. In terms of Appearance incomes, book deals etc let us not compare ourselves to the USA, they have worked for that money and have generated it they can afford it.
contd, They have developed their country and are putting their citizens interest first. Only when our Mp’s are able to put in measures that will develop the country to a developed or a developing country and put the Zambian’s interest first then we can consider such types of allowances. Let the Zambian MP’s not live beyond their means remember we are still in the 3rd World category. Let them transform our country through their performance then as citizens we can think of allowing them to get such allowances and raises etc.
It’s not their wages that are the problem. It’s the way that the top guy’s motorcades zoom around town that annoys people. The price of one of those big cars would build a rural health centre. What’s wrong with a Corolla instead of seven Mercedes. That would win the respect (and votes) of the people. A bit more work and less workshops and presentations would help too.
I want to know how much do MPs get as sitting allowance in parliament ;how much is gratuity and it is paid after how many years
Ba #154, I forgot to tell you that I am self employed and not worry about begging for a pay check from someone. I dertermine what I can make and hence my plans to start my own business in Zed. You will be probably walk in my business one day without even knowing that you are helping my business. How bout that?? Thats what it takes to be an entreprenuer!! Blog with sence
New Zambian. wellm laid out points!! Bravo
169. Thanks, it’s good to appreciate one another’s analysis that will help us build a stronger Zambia. Once again Thanks.
This is a very well aticulated factual print!!
Ladies and Gentlemen on this blog who are making more money than most of the poverty stricken relatives,i hope and pray that God grants you a heart to understand the real problems being faced by our relatives in our country.
Honestly you can even take time and praise these imbiciles for looting our country?? it wont surprise me if any of you guys making money as you claim can justify why FTJ spent usd2.5million on clothes.
We are a developing country and any penny goes a long way!!! please look at the civil service payroll and let me know how you feel about it,teachers,police and many more are still getting less or slightly more than usd100
contnu’d
And here you are praising these quacks!!! please feel sorry for yourselves and i hope this poverty in zed has not had an effect on your family!!!
Mangileni Palata
I have to disagree with you that the MMD failed us for 17 years. They failed us for 10 years.
During LPM’s rule, Zambia saw it’s first $1 billion dollars in reserves, inflation was in single digits. Agricultural output increased from 20% to 32%, FDI was inflowing into the country, investment in infrastructure was at an all time high (before LPM, road infrastructure was terrible), A new university was in the making (Mulungushi University), etc.
This is just an attack on Rupiah Banda. How is it possible you guys know RB will fail you when he has been in power for just a few weeks. Lets be objective and not attack. Attacks are only common in the PF camp.
Its not a matter of how much we are earning outside our Zambia, Lets look at the productivity of our economy, analyse the basic salaries for the civil servants ,how much a small business man is earning in the streets of Lusaka.
154 We dont really care how much you make. Your Bululu’s are probably one of the poorest and there you are bosting that you have a simple degree. Who cares? Loser
#79 Anonymous
Under what criteria is Fundanga Salary paid by the World Bank and which department in the world bank paying his salary?
World Bank does not pay central bank governors from developing countries, unless they are alternative world bank governors and this has nothing to do with his BOZ Position.
Dont mislead people, Even if is an Alternative World Bank Governor, he will still maintain his governmment pay and the world Bank will be paying him for personal and private contribution like Donald Chanda.
These sums a huge and criminal, when primary school teachers get on average K10 million gross with no allowances, Police costables K12 million gross and a ZE nurse on K11 million gross. These guys also pay icome tax at about 20% on their meagre salaris leaving the with very little pay month to live on.
It is no wonder they sell exam papers.
#177 I mean these sums are huge, Pepani.
Ba #144 What sort of jobs do you do? I am surprised you even had the balls to come on here with those figures. No wonder people ku Zed have no respect for us! I wonder how you even survive. Yeah like #154 said it may just be enough for just the two of you to survive. Hope you have no children.
No wonder you think you get more than your president. You obviously did not know he pays nothing.
$45 000 between two people? Tell you what it is not enough even for one person. Ah well, ay be you think it is. How do you survive?
THESE ARE VERY ORDINARY SALARIES .DO YOU EXPECT RB TO CONTINUE GETTING PEANUTS WITH ALL THE INSULTS HE RECIEVED ?I GET MORE THAN THAT AS A NURSE I LOOK AFTER ONE PATIENT AT THE MOST TWO PER SHIFT AND RB LOOKS AFTER 12 MILLION SOULS,I KNOW WE ARE POOR BUT LEADERS DESERVE DOUBLE HONOUR.DO NOT BE MISLED ZEDS,SATA WOULD HAVE LOVED EVEN MORE THATS WHY HE WAS INVESTING GRZ MONEY IN HIGH YIELD FIXED ACCCOUNTS COZ HE WAS EARNING NUTS.ASK HIM HE’LL TELL YOU.MIDDLE LEVEL MANAGERS IN BANKS EARN MORE THAN THAT.WHATS YOUR PROBLEM YOU PIPO OF SATA?CHANGE YOUR BALL GAME NO WONDER YOU ALWAYS LOSE ERECTIONS BY SO MARGAINS OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
#180. your flag ICU NUSRE, I disagree with you on your “,I KNOW WE ARE POOR BUT LEADERS DESERVE DOUBLE HONOUR.DO NOT BE MISLED ZEDS,SATA WOULD HAVE LOVED EVEN MORE THATS WHY HE WAS INVESTING GRZ MONEY IN HIGH YIELD FIXED ACCCOUNTS COZ HE WAS EARNING NUTS.”
We are not poor as Zambians or Zambia. President Hakainde Hichilema showed this true his calculations. Our Auditor General who was awarded an ACCA award has indicated that about 14 missions, if I am not mistaken, abroad has been misappropriating GRZ money. It has also been understood lately that a lot of GRZ money is lying around in most commercial Banks at home for some unknown reasons. To this end, I maintain that we are not poor.
“CHANGE YOUR BALL GAME NO WONDER YOU ALWAYS LOSE ERECTIONS BY SO MARGAINS OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
#180 Icisungu bamayo. ICU nurse? Erections?
I will let you off because you are a nurse. I do not expect you to know your president has nore than four cars at home. Fuel from your uncle in Chingola! (Read this like the late Sausande MHSRIP)
ICU NURSE not NUSRE
Oops! More!
Zambia is not America or some wetern country where people get $600, 000 per annum.
Our national budget is around 8 trillion kwacha, which is $2 billion.
On top of that can you add school fees for their children, driver salary, servants, two cars with free fuel, security and health insurance. Can you imagine how many Zambians have such benefits on top of their K2,000,000 salaries. These guys dont even pay tax.
If these guys really wanted salary increament they should first improve the economy and the lives of many Zambians who are living in poverty.
How do you expect a minister to be earning $250,000 when 70% of Zambians are living on $1 a day. Does not make sense to me.
Man 164m per year for a president..thts why they end up stealing..
These guys’ salaries are not enough!! This is sad indeed. I wonder why people should complain.
Mingeli Palata,
You sound like a PF cadre.
those thinking the amount for presido and C/Mins is low or nothingplz note the following;
1.he gets utility allowance when all bills+food is all catered by the state.
2.he gets huge travel allowances when on official duties-read some of FTJ’s arguments on why he was found with extra moneys to spend the way he wished.
3.wife and his children below 21 have allowances.
As such what do yu mean when ty say what he gets is nothing?some of yu out there in diaspora claiming to get better perks,give us yo expenses as well in an honest breakdown,oops!!increments are not justified-period!!
i forgot;
4.all the salary and allowances for presido are tax free.
5.upon “retirement”,he will be entitled to 80% of the siting presido’s salary besides all that goes with the office of the ex-presodo.
Now compare all that with the majority 65% of our pipo living on less than a dollar per day.does it really help to go ahead with this adjustment?
Think of the gratuity these C/Mins and MPs get,figures are there to speak fo themselves.pipo let’s be reliastic if we are going to be relevant to the needs of the less prevaledged!!
# 187 & 186., Thanks guys. Finally I have people that understand the topic!!!
Is it just my imagination of the author of this article actually wanted /intended to mislead the readers by not stating that the salaries are annual and not monthly salaries?? Ba LT please dont reduce yourselves to the levels of the Post; be more objective in your articles. There are more intelligent ways of eliciting readership than writing half-truths.
winner #191
It doesnt matter where u r, so do not pretend. Our national budget is financed by donors & u together with other pretenders believe the salaries for the president & gang are low? Wake up man, there r more deserving areas and civil servants who need that money more than the president & gang. When we are able to pay our police, teacher & other such a living wage & taking real development to the rural areas then we just might consider a slight increase. After all you & those that agree with you arrived wherever u r as stowaways, so dont pretend!!!!
if you look at all those saying the salaries are nothing , they do not stay in Zambia though claim to be Zambian check their flags. you have been away from home for a long time i guess and don’t know whats happening there. so please in the name of God say wat is right you run away because things were tough for you but those zambians saying NO are eduring those hardship so the Govt should not add another. NO PAY RISE please mr President
Good morning bakuluna – brothers and sisters.
#192 Sarah
It is clearly stated above the tables that the salaries are per year!!!
August Rejected Salaries Per Year
November Approved Salary Proposal per Year
Total Income Per Year
Now who’s misleading the readers?
Good Work Mingeli
These salaries are tax free, I believe. The salaries of politicians/public officials should be relative to the country’s GDP and per capita income. It doesn’t matter if people in the Diaspora are earning more than this. How much does some school teacher earn in Shang’ombo earn? Oh, is there any school or government representation in Shang’ombo? Are there any paved roads to remote areas? These are the issues the ‘new’ government was supposed to be addressing not increasing salaries at this time of the credit crunch. Show your citizens some courtesy! It’s fair to have someone earning ZMK50, 000,000 per month out of tax payers, whilst some civil servants still earn less than ZMk1, 000,000 contd
contd…earn less than ZMk1, 000,000 per month! This ratio must be brought down to a single figure.
That is just a guide to how they misappropriate our resoures. Very soon you will be receiving reports of RB spending billions on the his allowances.
Anything can be manipulated when you are in Sub Saharan Africa
correction…It’s fair NOT to have someone earning ZMK50, 000,000 per month out of tax payers, whilst some civil servants still earn less than ZMk1, 000,000 per month! This ratio must be brought down to a single figure.
Thumbs up # 185 its true wat u hav said, these other chaps who feel the get more than the president and his ministers just bcoz they ar out the country doing watever rubish jobs the do, they shudn’t forget how much the ordinary Zambian is getting as at now.We dont care how much u get werever u ar after all the economy of Zambia does not benefit from your money.In short if RB and his chaps want a pay rise let them improve on majority of the pipo leaving below $1 a day that i found wen i went to cast my vote and read on the net
gud work mingeli hope many pipo will observe this.
#192 Sarah
Read the article again.
Where you ever good in comprehension in school?
Thanks Zeus…
This is a rumor that goes around.
Anyway… When politicians gets a pay rise…
They should always get what they deserver…
30 silver coins…
No salary increament, full stop! First sort out Unza, and improve employment, otherwise no, twakana sana.
Here in the mines you only get a salary increase when your delvery is satisfatory.
THIS IS IMMORAL,THEFT ! VERY REDICULOUS,GREEDNESS OF ITS KIND.
I was shocked to hear FTJ Kafupi and Cain Mweemba agreeing with the bgovt salary increments. To hell with such thinking because these MPs and govt itself have done nothing much for Zambia.
Cain Mweemba claims to be a founder member of MMD, full of lies. Cain was a second year student in 1990 when MMD was formed and he only used to go to milk politicians of the likes of Baldwin in Kitwe Riverside and not that he was a founder member. He was a hang around type and most people who know him well will tell you of his arrogance and crookedness.He is just as bad as Kafupi
#193, I AMM NOT SAYING THAT THE SALARIES ARE LOW NOR HIGH. MY POINT WAS THAT DESPITE THE SALARIES BEING THE WAY THEY ARE WHEATHER LOW OR HIGH, THESE GUYS SPEND BEYOUND WHAT THEY GET. ANALYZE MY POSTS. THE QUESTION IS WHERE IS THE EXTRA CASH COMING FROM??
this is a time that calls for fiscal tightening, not relaxation…meaning that government expenditure should be greatly restricted and pay rises at this point with the global financial crisis and on the brink of an economical recession…pay rise is gross irresponsibility on the part of these cosntitutional office bearers!!! Zambians, act prudently!
For those of you saying these amounts are “not much”,what you should realise is that the current government/cabinet is bloated! Some ministries have 2 cabinet ministers,2 deputy ministers and two permanent secretaries etc all minting salaries. This is too much considering that all these are drawing salaries from the national coffers.
I pay tax and I see a third of my salary go to these chaps who are not improving my living conditions and are doing nothing tangible. No water, constant load shedding and rising food prices and you ask me to pay them more??Please dont insult my intelligence by claiming that these collosal sums are nothing!!
Yes the salaries are not really that huge but the thing is all about timing. This has been done at the wrong time when the world is experiencing serious economic problems and Zambia is no exception to this. Our leaders need to sacrifice for the betterment of all Zambians, meaning they should first see that their masters are comfortable before making themselves comfortable. That is the way it is supposed to be done. Well let us see now that they are well paid, what are they going to for us who are not well paid? Gentleman and ladies we have people here in Zambia working in some quasi govt organisation minting more than a K100 m per month and yet these are appointed by a low paid Presido!
If you cost the sum total of all the fringe benefits that these polticians get including sitting bribes, then they are very very well paid I tell you. You and I may get £100,000.00 P.A. but if you have to pay for your house or mortgage whatever, your utility bills, your medical expenses, statutory taxes and national insurance, and all these have this and that, you will have very little money to soare comapred to their salaries. A minsiter in Zambia is worth over £250,000.00 p.A. and actually costs the state even a lot more than that. Open your eyes!
So how much will Vice President and Minister of justice George Kunda be taking home as Salary and allowances? Is it a case of double-class allowance which teachers who used to teach 2 classes at a go got as salaries + allowances in the past? Or will the man get all the two salaries and all allowances pertaining to each position that he holds?
Shall then include a law in the constitution that no one person must be allowed to hold two GRZ offices at a go so that everyone can have atleast a share of the country’s resources.