Maravi

Bills seeking to increase salaries pass first reading

Bills seeking to increase salaries pass first reading
By Lambwe Kachali
Sunday August 10, 2008 [04:01]

THE three bills which seek to increase salaries and gratuities of constitutional office holders and senior government officials on Friday passed through first reading in Parliament. The Presidential Emoluments Bills, the Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices Emoluments Bill and the Constitutional Office Emoluments Bill, which were presented to the House by acting leader of government business, defence minister George Mpombo, are set for second reading this Tuesday.

Mpombo said it was expedient that the salary for the President, which he said was reviewed last year, be adjusted and the Bill be presented to Parliament in order to review it.

He said since the other public service workers had been awarded a 15 per cent salary increment, it was therefore imperative that the office holder for the presidency be accorded an increase in both gratuity and salary.

Mpombo said it was equally important to review and increase the salary and gratuity for the Vice-President, Speaker and deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, Cabinet ministers, deputy ministers, and leaders of the opposition in parliament as well as ordinary members of parliament.

At this point, when deputy Speaker of the National Assembly Mutale Nalumango asked parliamentarians to debate the Bills, there was silence in the House.

Nalumango then observed that the House had unanimously agreed that the Bills should pass the first reading.

And Mpombo said he was grateful for the ‘thunderous’ support from the House for allowing the three Bills to pass without any debate.

And acting home affairs minister George Kunda also presented the Zambia Police (Amendment) Bill that would seek to amend the Zambia Police Act, which Nalumango referred to the committee on national security and the report would be expected to be presented to Parliament on August 26, 2008.

Kunda also presented the local courts (Amendment) Bill, whose objective is to amend the local court Act.
Kunda as well presented the judicial (Code of Conduct) (Amendment) Bill to amend the judicial code of conduct Act and the two Bills were referred to the committee on governance. The committee is also expected to present its report on August 26.

Labels: CABINET, CORRUPTION

posted by MrK @ 4:00 AM