The newly formed UPND-PF political pact has expressed dissatisfaction at President Rupiah Banda’s national address through his second press conference held at State House yesterday.

The pact observed that the President’s statement that workers in the public service would use up 50 per cent of Zambia’s 2009 budget might displease some citizens.

Opposition Patriotic Front (PF) spokesperson, Given Lubinda argued that one per cent of the country’s population could not consume half of the K10.6 trillion budget.

Speaking at a UPND-PF joint press briefing in Lusaka today, Mr. Lubinda said President Banda’s statement was not fair, adding that it might cause the majority Zambians to rise up against the civil servants.

He stated that Mr. Banda should not have disclosed how much money the public service workers would use up this year following the salary increment of 15 per cent.

On President Banda’s calls for people to sacrifice, Mr. Lubinda said the President should consider reducing his salary to enable poor people meet their daily needs.

He noted the civil servant’s salaries were meager, a situation he said was demoralizing them in their work.

And speaking earlier UPND spokesperson Charles Kakoma expressed disappointment at the President’s press conference saying it did not give hope to many Zambians.

He said the President should have restricted himself t addressing issues of striking public service workers.

Yesterday, President Banda addressed a press conference at State House in which he addressed various economic, social and political issues affecting the nation.

Among the issues the President addressed was that of striking civil servants, with whom he pleaded to return to work because government did not have money to meet all their demands.

He said this year, government budgeted to increase public service workers’ salaries only by 11 per cent, which however, unions rejected and settled at 15 per cent.

This overstretched the budget for personal emolument for public workers from K5.1 trillion to K5.2 trillion.

ZANIS

Former Local Government and Housing Minister, Sylvia Masebo, has written to Permanent Secretary in the Ministry local government to request for documents on the controversial procurement of 100 hearses and boats.

Ms. Masebo, who is also Chongwe Member of Parliament says the files and documents should be made available to enable her respond to growing public concern over the purchase of hearses.

President, Rupiah Banda, yesterday authorized Ms Masebo to explain to the nation issues surrounding the ordering and procurement of the hearses.

Ms. Masebo said she could only clarify that the hearses were purchased at US9 000 per unit and not US29 000 per unit as being alleged once relevant documents are made available.

She said this in a letter addressed to Local Government and Housing Permanent Secretary, Coillard Chibbonta, copied to President Rupiah Banda, Vice president George Kunda, Local Government and Housing Minster Ben Tentamashimba, Secretary to the Cabinet Joshua Kanganja and made available to ZANIS in Lusaka today.

Ms Masebo complained that she has been made to explain details of the transactions even when there is a serving minister and support staff as well as documents to clarify the transaction without her involvement.

She also cited the Keep Zambia Clean and Health programme, Trucks and the Construction at Lusaka Girls School as other issues that she is been asked to explain to the public

ZANIS

The Patriotic Front (PF) in Kasama Central Constituency has officially complained to the Speaker of the National Assembly Amusa Mwanamwambwa that there is nothing the Kasama Central Member of Parliament Dr. Saviour Chishimba has been doing to develop the area.

This is according to a complaint letter dated 18th June, 2009 and signed by PF Kasama Central Constituency Chairperson, William Chanda and his Youth Secretary, Sunday Musanya made available to ZANIS this morning.

The PF states that Dr. Chishimba has not visited his constituency for a long time since he was elected as MP on the party ticket in 2006.

The party also wondered why Dr. Chishimba should continue receiving his salary and other emoluments like fuel and sitting allowances when he is allegedly not representing his constituency.[quote]

The PF accused the MP of interfering in the disbursement of the Constituency Development Fund (CDF), thereby hindering development in Kasama District.

The party also charged that Dr. Chishimba is allegedly showing disrespect to his constituents by using abusive language against them.

The opposition party says it wants the Speaker to guide the people of Kasama whether Dr. Chishimba is in order to continue getting his allowances as MP at the expense of the electorate in Kasama Central Constituency, who are in dire need of development.

The complainants said they have decided to seek the indulgence of the Speaker, following repeated pressure from Kasama residents over the alleged failure by their MP to spearhead development in his constituency.

They said it is morally wrong for a non-performing MP to line his or her wallet for allowances not worked for, describing the practice as tantamount to plundering the tax-payers’ money at national level.

They further alleged that Kasama residents are threatening to take legal action against Dr. Chishimba if nothing tangible is done to address their plight.

Efforts to get Dr. Chishimba’s comments on the allegations proved futile.

ZANIS

Zambian reggae musician Maiko Zulu has turned down a Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) appointment as Anti Drug Use Ambassador.
The musician is currently serving a six months suspended sentence for possession of Marijuana after being arrested by officers from the DEC for being found in possession of 17 grams of cannabis.

Zulu says his rejection of the appointment follows intensive consultation with his family members, friends and his fans.

In response to his letter of appointment signed by the then DEC Acting Commissioner Solomon Jere made available to ZANIS in Lusaka today, Zulu said he ,however, remains committed to the fight against illicit drug cultivation, trafficking and abuse in Zambia.

Zulu pledged to partner with the Commission at various other levels in the fight against the scourge.

ZANIS

POLICE in Ndola have arrested a 61-year-old prominent businessman for allegedly breaking his son’s backbone after he found him in a compromising situation with his 30-year-old second wife.

Acting Copperbelt commanding officer Danwell Kasonde confirmed the incident in an interview in Ndola yesterday.

Mr Kasonde said the incident happened on Monday night at about 22:30 hours.

The businessman, whose name has been withheld, is said to have run berserk after he allegedly found his wife with his son who was half-naked in the sitting room.

The alleged erotic scene drove the businessman into a blind fury, he picked an iron bar and hit his son on the back.

“The son was found half naked with the father’s junior wife in the sitting room and upon seeing this, the man hit the son with an iron bar on the back and the son sustained a broken spine,” Mr Kasonde said.

He said the son is admitted to the Ndola Central Hospital while the man is detained at Kansenshi police station.

[Zambia Daily Mail]

President Rupiah Banda has explained that the 15 per cent salary increment for public service workers would affect this year’s gross domestic product (GDP).

In this year’s K10.6 trillion budget, parliament approved K5.1 trillion, which translates into 47.6 per cent of the budget, for personal emoluments.

President Banda said government had only budgeted for an 11 per cent salary increment for public service workers this year.

He said the 15 per cent salary increment was therefore above the 11 per cent that was budgeted for salary increments for civil servants this year.

Recently, the country experienced a spate of industrial unrest when public service workers around the country, mainly in the health and education sectors, demanded a salary increment and an increase in other allowances.

“The unions rejected the programmed salary increment of 11 per cent and settled for a minimum of 15 per cent increment which translated to 48.9 per cent of the K10.6 trillion domestic revenues,” he said.

He said this has pushed up the expenditure on personal emoluments from K5.1 trillion (47.6%) to K5.2 trillion, resulting into an increase of K145.3 billion over the prepared total budget.[quote]

Mr. Banda said this additional amount would have to be sourced by reducing expenditure and by suspending other programmes.

“This will negatively affect the implementation of other government programmes,” he said.

He further explained that the current wage bill means that 50 per cent of government domestic revenues are spent on one per cent of the population. The one per cent of the Zambia’s population is 170,000 people.

“As Zambians, we must take the decision as to whether spending half of the budget on this small number of people is right or justified,” he said.

He added that “If 50 per cent of the domestic revenues is spent on personal emoluments, how then do we provide other necessities, the social and economic infrastructure including roads, hospitals, schools and energy, defence and security, which are critical to economic growth and poverty reduction”.

President Banda appealed to the striking nurses and other health sector workers to return to work.

Nurses have refused to return to work until their demands for an increase in their uniform and night duty allowances and an introduction of risk allowance are paid.

“May I appeal to our workers to be sensitive to the economic reality that this country is facing. You may want to learn from other countries, such as Ireland where workers are taking salary cuts as a result of the global economic crisis,” he said.

He also cited the British Airways employees who have agreed to forego a month’s salary to help the company, as one other example Zambians should take.

“That is the kind of attitude we need to inculcate in our people, including myself as President and ministers,” he emphasized.

Meanwhile, President Banda has constituted a salaries and wages commission that would look into the current structure of the wages and salaries in the public sector,” he said.

He has appointed Professor Muyunda Mwanalushi as Chairperson of the Commission, whose other members would be announced in due course.

ZANIS