Maravi

Govt asks Parliament to backdate pay rise

Govt asks Parliament to backdate pay rise
By Chibaula Silwamba
Tuesday August 12, 2008 [04:00]

Government has asked Parliament to backdate salary increments and allowances for the Vice-President, Speaker, Deputy Speaker, ministers and other members of parliament to January 1, 2008. According to the Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices (emoluments) amendment Bill, dated August 1, 2008 and signed by Solicitor General Dominic Sichinga, the Act shall be deemed to have come into operation at the beginning of this year.

“The object of this Bill is to amend the Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices (emoluments) Act so as to revise the salaries and allowances payable to the holders of the offices of Vice-President, Speaker, Deputy Speaker, Cabinet ministers, leader of the opposition, deputy ministers and private members of the National Assembly,” the bill read in part.

“This Act may be cited as the Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices (emoluments) (amendment) Act, 2008 and shall be read as one with the Ministerial and Parliamentary offices (emoluments) Act, in this Act referred to as the Principal Act.

This Act shall be deemed to have come into operation on 1st January, 2008. The Principal Act is amended by the repeal of the first schedule and the substitution therefor of the first schedule set out in Appendix I to this Act.”

According to appendix I section two, which stipulates the salaries and allowances payable to specified offices, the Vice-President is entitled to about K99.2 million - salary, about K94 million - special allowance, K90 million - responsibility allowance and about K66.4 million – utility allowance, per annum.

The Speaker is entitled to K86.2 million – salary, about K79 million - special allowance, K80 million - responsibility allowance and about K66.4 million – utility allowance.

Deputy Speaker is entitled to about K75 million – salary, about K64.4 million - special allowance, K70 million –responsibility allowance and about K66.4 million - utility allowance.

A Cabinet minister is entitled to about K75 million – salary, about K64.4 million - special allowance, K70 million – responsibility allowance and about K66.4 million – utility allowance.

Chief whip is entitled to about K75 million- salary, about K64.4 million – special allowance, K70 million – responsibility allowance and about K66.4 million – utility allowance.

The leader of the opposition is entitled to about K75 million – salary, about K64.4 million – special allowance, K70 million – responsibility allowance and about K66.4 million – utility allowance.

A deputy minister is entitled to about K70.9 million – salary, about K61.4 million - special allowance, K50 million – responsibility allowance and about K66.4 million - utility allowance. A private member of parliament is entitled to about K70 million – salary, K66 million – special allowance and about K66.4 million – utility allowance.

According to appendix II section 2A which stipulates constituency allowances – members of parliament representing rural constituencies would be entitled to about K26 million and those representing urban constituencies would be entitled to about K20.8 million while nominated members of parliament would be entitled to K17.4 million.

Most Zambians have opposed these salary and allowance increments.

Opposition Patriotic Front president Michael Sata said President Levy Mwanawasa, during a Cabinet meeting in April, had opposed these increments.

Veteran politician Sikota Wina advised Vice-President Rupiah Banda to reconsider and withdraw the position taken by Cabinet to approve the increment of salaries and allowances for constitutional office holders.

And 10 civil society organisations in the country have called for the immediate withdrawal of the proposed bill because the move was “greedy and irresponsible”.

Labels: CABINET, CORRUPTION

posted by MrK @ 5:01 AM