Maravi

Rupiah to increase ministers’ salaries

Rupiah to increase ministers’ salaries
Written by Lambwe Kachali
Thursday, November 20, 2008 3:35:12 AM

PARLIAMENT yesterday unanimously passed the three Bills to increase salaries and allowances for constitutional office holders and senior government officials by 15 per cent.

Vice-President George Kunda, who tabled the Bills before Parliament, said although a lot of money was spent during the funeral of president Levy Mwanawasa, the country had enough resources to cover the costs.

Vice-President Kunda also said the committee that was tasked to make some amendments to the three Bills had done so.

He said since the government had awarded all civil servants a 15 per cent increment, it was necessary that all constitutional office holders and senior government officials have their salaries and allowances increased.

"... I beg to move that the Presidential Emoluments [Amendment] Bill of 2008 be amended with words as circulated," Vice-President Kunda said.

Speaker of the National Assembly Amusaa Mwanamwambwa then asked the members of parliament to vote electronically either in favour or against the three Bills.

On the Presidential Emoluments [Amendment] Bill, 119 members of parliament voted in favour of the Bill, nine voted against, while four abstained.

For the Ministerial and Parliamentary Office Holders [Emoluments] Amendment Bill, 122 parliamentarians voted in favour of the Bill, six voted against, while six others abstained.

On the Constitutional Office Holders [Emoluments] Amendment Bill, 119 voted in favour, 13 voted against, while only two members of parliament abstained.

Thereafter, Speaker Mwanamwambwa said all the three Bills had unanimously been agreed to and that they had now passed, pending assent by President Banda.

"The amendments are agreed to, and the Bills have passed. You have passed the Bills with more than two-third majority," Speaker Mwanamwambwa said.

Following the amendments, the salary of the Vice-President is now scaled on K99,227,544, special allowance K33,886,567 and utility allowance of K26,680, 000. The Speaker's salary is K86,284,817, special allowance, K30,049,625, utility allowance, K26,680,000. The deputy Speaker's salary would be K75,117,124, special allowance, K26,382,673, and utility allowance K266,680,000, A Cabinet minister's salary would now be pegged at K75,117,124, special allowance, K26,382,673 and utility allowance, K26,680,000. The Chief Whip's salary would be K75,117,124, special allowance K26,382,673 and utility allowance K26,680,000. Leader of the opposition's salary would be K75,117,124, special allowance K26,382,673 and utility allowance K26,680,000 per month. A deputy minister would be entitled to a salary of K70,953,186, special allowance K24,107,904 and utility allowance K26,680,000 per month, while a private member of parliament's salary would be K70,161,239, special allowance, K19,165,615, with utility allowance of K26,680, 000.

For the constituency allowances, the Vice-President, Speaker, deputy Speaker, Cabinet ministers, deputy ministers and private members with parliamentary seats in rural areas would get K20,010,000 while those in urban areas would get K16,008,000 and the nominated member would get K13, 340,000.

The Secretary to the Cabinet's salary per annum would now be pegged at K159,340,959 and a responsibility allowance of K48,300,000. The Attorney General would get K135,485,950 and responsibility allowance of K41,400,000. The Investigator General and the Auditor General would get K129,034,245 with responsibility allowance of K41, 400,000. The Solicitor General and the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) would get K129,034,245 and a responsibility allowance of K35,479,800.

In August, Cabinet approved salary and allowance increments for constitutional office holders and senior government officials.

According to an official document obtained by The Post, Cabinet on July 24 this year approved a 15 per cent salary increment for constitutional office holders.

Later, the government 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.

Opposition Patriotic Front (PF) president Michael Sata condemned the proposed 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 called for the immediate withdrawal of the proposed bill because the move was “greedy and irresponsible”.

Launching his campaign, President Banda announced that he had taken back the bills that seek to increase salaries for constitutional office holders and senior government officials because he had listened to the plea by Zambians.

But Sata charged that President Banda was not sincere over the salaries.

Sata said President Banda's decision to take the bill back to Parliament was for political expedience.

Labels: MPs, RUPIAH BANDA

posted by MrK @ 3:37 AM