(NEWZIMBABWE) Govt shames prophets of doom on salaries
24/01/2014 00:00:00
by Mukachana Hanyani
THE recent awarding of a salary increment to civil servants by government has proved beyond doubt that the Zanu PF-led government has got the people at heart. It has shamed detractors and demonstrated to all and sundry that fulfilling promises is an obligation, especially for a people-oriented revolutionary party that has become a constant thorn in the flesh for Western capital.
In the last five years of the inclusive government tenure, salary increment was as taboo as following Tendai Biti, the former Finance Minister and MDC-T Secretary General, to the serenity of the toilet to witness if he conjures greenbacks. However, it has only taken Zanu PF a paltry six months to reverse civil servants’ misery of the lost half-decade. Such swiftness of action is what sets Zanu PF apart from other pitiful pretenders.
The likes of Biti, Paurina Mpariwa-Gwanyanya and Lucia Matibenga seemed to trivialise the grievances of Government workers while prioritising their gallivanting. Now that Zanu PF has taken giant steps in alleviating the plight of civil servants, which is applauded by the majority of the progressive citizenry, the same purveyors of neglect attempt to revive their waning political fortunes by casting themselves as champions of the workers’ rights.
That the MDC-T in general and Biti in particular should question Government’s source of funds to foot the increased wage bill is quite understandable. The party and the man failed dismally during the inclusive government and would be avid students of Patrick Chinamasa on where they went wrong during that short and yet agonising brief when Biti was the country’s financial steward. However, one thing is certain; that the money did not come from Biti’s bowels but was mobilised for Zimbabweans in Zimbabwe by Zimbabweans!
The public is also alive to the love for high life that runs within the MDC-T, including philandering. Shonhe, the party’s ex-Intelligence chief and his harem at Harvest House, Isaac Matongo who rested eternally after a romp with Evelyn Masaiti. The list is as long as one’s arm and only goes to show that this coterie of people with diverse and often contradictory ideological founding have nothing in common (with workers) than pursuing self-enrichment and empire-building.
When the Zanu PF government promised civil servants that it was going to award them salaries based on the poverty datum line (PDL), the same opposition leaders rushed to dismiss the government saying that it has no capacity to pay. Some economic commentators such as Eric Bloc and John Robertson said that the PDL-linked salaries would destroy the country, as the economy is not performing well. They alleged that the current economic situation in the country could not sustain such an increment. To them, the monthly bill that currently stands at US$142million should not be increased. They saw a situation in which Zanu PF was just pontificating without any prospects of fulfillment.
Not that people have come to expect anything less, but the MDC-T has a long history of disparaging any Zanu PF-initiated programmes that seek to ameliorate the living standards of locals, such as Zimbabwe Agenda for Sustainable Socio-Economic Transformation (ZIMASSET), as meaningless endeavours despite endorsement from captains of industry who have applauded the blueprint as a panacea to the country’s challenges if effectively implemented. So the fact that the Zanu PF-led government has finally agreed with representatives of the civil servants to award them 26% of their basic salary is a good development worth appreciating, even by the most ardent doubting Thomases.
People still recall that during the inclusive government, Tsvangirai, then Prime Minister, was overwhelmed by a crowd at Glamis stadium and promised workers, including civil servants, what he called “a living wage” during his inaugural speech. One may assume that he was referring to a poverty datum line-based salary. Civil servants did not hold their breath in gleeful anticipation because they risked suffocation since the promise is yet to be fulfilled. Rather, the workers went about their purposeful work of fending for their families and rebuilding a country ravaged by years of unmitigated sabotage by the West.
Government has said that the 26% salary adjustment, translating to seventy-nine dollars ($79, 00), does not mark the end of negotiations. Instead, this is just the beginning of efforts to align salaries with the poverty datum line. The salaries will be reviewed periodically until the desired peg is achieved. Kudos are in order to the stakeholders, including Government and civil service unions representatives, for level-headedness in the midst of intricacies and emotions that attend to salary negotiations.
It is worth appreciating that the country’s economy is not performing to the expected standards due to a plethora of reasons, chief among which is the issue of illegal sanctions. Therefore it is only prudent that any salary increments be done cautiously. For argument’ sake, Robertson’s assertion that employers should pay their workers productivity-based salaries as opposed to PDL-salaries as part of attempts to get the ailing firms on their feet is not a rocket scientist’s discovery. Now, if Robertson agrees that the economic situation in the country is not conducive to sustain PDL-based salaries, how come he and his ilk are very quick to blame government for failing to award some civil servants the same PDL-based salaries? But then, these are armchair critics that make fortunes out of contradictions.
As such, any sane person would agree that the increment that the government awarded to civil servants is what was available and within the means of Government. It is what union representatives felt was best for the workers given the circumstances of the economy. No amount of, or attempt at ingratiation by the MDC-T and other regressive forces will separate the workers from their employer. Not even when the economy is being made to scream.
Mukachana Hanyani can be contacted on mhanyani@yahoo.com
Labels: CIVIL SERVANTS, MDC CORRUPTION, NEOLIBERALISM, SALARIES
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Limata implores civil servants to protect govt
By Angela Kabamba in Mongu
Wed 20 Nov. 2013, 14:00 CAT
WESTERN Province minister Josephine Limata has implored civil servants in the province to be loyal to the government of the day and desist from being involved in active politics.
And Limata says she is happy with the progress made on the K353 million 11 kilometre Limulunga road works and a bridge constructed by the government.
Speaking on Saturday when she addressed newly recruited civil servants for Limulunga district during her familiarisation tour of the district, Limata who is also Luampa MMD member of parliament, said civil servants need to be loyal to the government of the day.
"When you are a civil servant, what is your job? Your job is to protect the government of the day, you are not here to start tarnishing the name of the President, to engage yourselves in politics where you are not even part of that, leave politicians alone, you are a civil servant and have to be loyal to the government," she said.
"When I was in Sikingo the other day, I was telling your colleagues that here in Zambia, we only have one President who is running this country, those others are presidents in their party organs not republican Presidents, other people can mislead you. So, follow the footsteps of the government of the day. If you want to engage in politics, resign and join me as a politician."
Limata said she would not tolerate any senior officers harassing juniors at their respective work places in the province, saying there was need for civil servants to respect each other in discharging their duties.
"All of you are getting money from the coffers of the government under the leadership of Michael Chilufya Sata, you are not getting money from anyone not even from my own pocket. I'm not the one paying you, so respect your bosses. Bosses also, respect your juniors. There are some senior officers who even a cup you have to call your office orderly or messenger to come and give you. That person was not employed to be harassed or being a servant in your home, they have been employed to come and serve the government, not your personal assignments," she said.
Limata noted that President Sata had a vision for the province and wanted to uplift its standards, hence the initiative of creating nine new districts.
"People had been laughing at us that we are the poorest province in the entire country, but today no one can point a finger to say Western Province is poor, now someone is dreaming to say PF has not done anything in the two years it has been in power. Don't you have eyes to see and ears to hear, people have been employed and government has created new districts. This is a working government and for the first time in the history of Zambia," she said.
"And for those of you coming from outside this province to work here; here, it is 'One Zambia One Nation' no matter where you are coming from, count yourself to be part of this province, you are a son and daughter of Western Province."
After a meeting with civil servants, Limata proceeded to Ushaa, the proposed site for Limulunga district administration offices where she met with stakeholders and the community at Kaate Primary School.
Limata assured the people she addressed that money for the construction of the new district offices was available and the government would start the works as soon as possible. She said the process had delayed because of the plan and demarcations for the district, adding that once the Ministry of Lands and stakeholders finalise the procedure, works would commence.
Limata, however, challenged Limulunga district commissioner Litambo Ndombo to ensure that all the 96 civil servants that had been posted to the district shift as soon as possible.
Labels: CIVIL SERVANTS, JOSEPHINE LIMATA
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Mushala calls for unity among civil servants
By Ben Mbangu in Choma
Thu 03 Oct. 2013, 14:00 CAT
SOUTHERN Province permanent secretary Bert Mushala has called for unity among civil servants in the area for development to take place.
Addressing provincial heads of department yesterday at Leons Lodge in Choma, Mushala said it was important to love one another and give advice where it was due rather than working against each other.
Mushala further urged civil servants in the province to operate like a herd of buffalo so as to achieve development for the people of Southern Province.
He also warned that those who would embrace vices that had the potential to retard development, such as corruption, would have themselves to blame, warning that he would not take kindly to such.
"If we remain united, no one will divide us as people in the province," he said.
And speaking at the same meeting, outgoing Southern Province permanent secretary Bernard Namachila urged civil servants to be loyal to the government of the day.
Namachila, who likened his disappointed to Big Brother Africa, said he received the development with calm and thanked President Sata for according him an opportunity to serve in his government.
"These appointments and disappointments remind of BBA because the moment you are told that you have been evicted, all you can do is to go and nothing else... even if you still wanted to go on, so that's how these positions like the one I was holding are," said Namachila.
Namachila also boasted of being the longest-serving permanent secretary in Southern Province since the ruling PF took office in 2011.
He advised the civil servants not to compromise themselves in the manner they discharge their duties but instead should strive to remain focused towards work.
"The only problem I encountered in this province is elements of corruption and I think that's the only thing some people might have hated me for because I'm a straightforward person," said Namachila.
Labels: BERT MUSHALA, CIVIL SERVANTS
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(NEWZIMBABWE) Civil servants table their pay demands
24/09/2013 00:00:00
by Staff Reporter
PUBLIC sector workers opened negotiations with the government on a new pay structure on Tuesday with demands for housing stands and hefty allowances for rural workers.
President Robert Mugabe and Labour Minister Nicholas Goche have both promised an upward pay review for government workers including teachers, soldiers, police officers, nurses and doctors.
Last week, the Civil Service Commission (CSC) invited unions to submit proposals over the new pay structure. The unions met in Harare on Tuesday and consolidated their demands.
The unions want a salary of US$540 for the least paid government worker, currently on US$297.
They also want a rural service allowance to cover mainly teachers, doctors and nurses which will be 30 percent of their pay.
They said in a position paper adopted after their meeting: “We demand that the lowest paid civil servant in B1 Grade be paid a salary equivalent to the current Poverty Datum Line estimated at US$540, broken down as follows: basic salary from US$159 to US$317, housing allowance from US$74 to US$160 and a transport allowance of US$63.
“Seventy percent of Zimbabweans live in the rural areas and the majority of civil service workers work in rural areas too. In order to incentivise, attract and retain civil servants to remain in these difficult areas, we demand that a Rural Service Allowance be pegged at 30 percent of one’s basic salary.
“The majority of civil service workers have no houses of their own and pay heavily in rentals, thus we demand that the government urgently avail land for residential housing for civil service workers.”
Most government workers are currently earning below the taxable threshold since the country adopted the multiple-currency system in 2009 in a bid to fight inflation.
The government has been unable to significantly increase public sector workers’ pay due to a depressed budget owing to less-than-impressive receipts from mining and agriculture.
But Goche last week said looking for resources to fund the promised pay rise was “work in progress”, with proceeds from diamond sales likely to be used to effect the adjustment.
But the government – which has huge financial demands from development sectors of the economy – is unlikely to accede to all the demands by the 230,000-strong civil service, whose pay accounted for more than 73 percent of the total budget in 2012.
Outlining his government programme following his election victory on July 31, Mugabe pledged more investment in infrastructure rehabilitation, with focus on power generation, extensive repairs to the road network and improving water supplies.
Labels: CIVIL SERVANTS, SALARIES
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Govt may have room for spending on civil servants' salaries - Magande
By Gift Chanda
Wed 18 Sep. 2013, 14:01 CAT
THE government may still have spending room to implement new civil servants' salaries despite a widening budget deficit, says former finance minister Ng'andu Magande.
Salaries for civil servants are this month expected to be increased by the government amid fears of a widening national budget deficit.
Magande, who is also National Movement for Progress president, said it is only prudent that the government keeps its promise to implement the new salaries.
"One has to be magnanimous to keep one's promise. They the government negotiated these salaries way back in March and for the civil servants to be able to give them space of six months, it is just fair that they keep their promise," he said in an interview.
On fears that the government may not have funds to go ahead with the plan, Magande said it was unclear the government may not have capacity to implement the new salaries.
Ministry of Finance data shows that the country's budget deficit currently stands at five per cent of GDP, beyond a 4.3 per cent target.
"Perhaps the government might have looked at the figures and they know that most of the recurrent expenditures which resulted into the budget deficit in the first and second quarter of the year will not be repeated in the coming quarters," said Magande. "If that is the case, they may have room for spending on salaries the money that is coming in as revenue."
Chief government spokesperson Mwansa Kapeya over the weekend reaffirmed the government's resolve to implement the new salaries.
The government has increased salaries for civil servants with some getting as high as 200 per cent hikes effective this month.
The windfall follows the successful conclusion of negotiations between the government and the Civil Servants and Allied Workers Union of Zambia (CSAWUZ).
Other benefits in the 2013 collective bargaining include the introduction of the health personnel shift allowance at 15 per cent of basic salaries for nurses and other paramedics.
The commuted night-duty allowance has been pegged at seven per cent while the transport and housing allowances have been maintained at the existing rates of 10 and 20 per cent of basic salaries respectively.
Labels: CIVIL SERVANTS, DEBT, NG'ANDU MAGANDE
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Civil servants and corruption
By Editor
Sun 19 May 2013, 14:00 CAT
Albert Muyembe, general secretary of the Professional Teachers Union of Zambia, says meaningful development will only be achieved if civil servants and those entrusted with public offices desist from sowing seeds of corruption.
It would be very difficult for politicians to engage in corruption if civil servants and other public workers were not corrupt and refuse to be used in corrupt schemes.
It is very difficult under our system of government for politicians to initiate transactions on behalf of government and complete them without the involvement of civil servants or other public workers. Politicians work through civil servants and seldom are they able to by-pass them.
The controlling officers of all public resources are not politicians but civil servants. Of course, some of the civil servants we have today are not different from the politicians they serve because they themselves are politicians who have been appointed to the civil service as permanent secretaries or district commissioners. There is a problem in this. But the law is very clear on what their roles are.
There is no doubt that the starting point in cleaning up government is the civil service. A clean civil service, a civil service with upright men and women, will make it very difficult for a politician at any level to steal public funds and abuse public resources. When Remmy Mushota attempted to steal K210 million without the support and assistance of civil servants, he was exposed and caught and his whole deal failed. If some civil servants were involved in that transaction, it would have gone through and the public would have lost money.
The corrupt activities of Frederick Chiluba were exposed by civil servants who were against corruption. But it is also interesting to note that the most corrupt elements in Chiluba's government, those who were convicted for corruption, were civil servants. They are the ones who went to jail, they are the ones who are not in jail of bail pending appeal. There are very few politicians in Chiluba's government who were charged with corruption and were convicted. It's only Katele Kalumba. Most of them were civil servants. This goes to show that if the civil service is rotten, corruption becomes the order of the day.
Muyembe is therefore right when he says "meaningful development will only be achieved if civil servants and those entrusted with public offices desist from sowing seeds of corruption".
And we should not close our eyes to the reality that we have a corrupt public service. Of course, the nature of corrupt activities our civil servants are engaging in differ. There are some corrupt practices that are no longer seen as being corrupt in the civil service. We have civil servants who do very little to earn the salaries they earn. We have civil servants who are simply collectors of all sorts of sitting and travel allowances while contributing nothing to the operations of the civil service. They are just employees in name and not in deed. Receiving money you have not worked for is corruption - this is in truth unearned income.
We have many civil servants who cheat on expenses, faking receipts. This is corruption. But it seems, to some extent, to be accepted in our civil service as normal practice - 'as long as you bring receipts it's ok'.
We have civil servants who are abusing government motor vehicles and fuel. This is corruption. But most of our civil servants don't see this as corruption. It has become some acceptable 'initiative'.
We also have civil servants who every day report for work late and leave very early. They don't work the hours required of them. But they get paid as if they worked all the hours and days required of them. This is corruption.
We also have corruption from very low civil servants and other public workers. The cleaners of government offices who steal cleaning materials and take home. We also have those who make tea and steal sugar, teabags and coffee to take home. That's corruption. But all this seems to be acceptable. Few see it as corruption any more.
If one is engaging in any of these forms of corruption, they will have difficulties opposing what we may see as grand corruption. They will tolerate it and sometimes even seek ways to get their small cut.
Actually, put on the scale, civil servants may come out more corrupt than politicians. And there is need for us as a nation to realise this and cleanse our country of this vice. If we do this on all levels, it will help strengthen us, it will make our country more powerful, it will make the people's faith in the institutions of the state and in the political leadership of our country firmer. It will make the faith of all who want to do business with our country in us greater. Why? This is because the fact that we know how to make corrections, how to cleanse ourselves of iniquities, of evil practices will give our country and ourselves prestige. It will give our country all the strength which nations have when they know how to purify themselves of evils!
By doing this, we will be able to deliver our people from the abject poverty in which they are today wallowing. By doing this, there will be no problem or challenge that we will not be able to overcome because by so doing, we would have overcome our own obstacles. There should be no corruption that we accept as tolerable and we should not oppose or denounce.
We agree with Muyembe that "corruption is the biggest detriment to our country's economy and its quest to attain good governance". There can be no good governance in a country where corruption reigns supreme. Good governance requires honesty in the discharge of public duties. Corrupt elements cannot be expected to be honest in their discharge of public functions.
Lastly, we welcome the Professional Teachers Union of Zambia's decision to partner with the PF and its government in eradicating corruption in the education and all other sectors of governance. This is a very important declaration because without this partnership on a broader scale, Michael Sata and his government are not going to accomplish much in the fight against corruption and in their efforts to give our people a better and deserved life. The challenge, however, is to move from rhetoric to action, and action at an unprecedented intensity and scale. Those who are ready to join hands can overcome the greatest challenges.
Labels: ALBERT MUYEMBE, CIVIL SERVANTS, CORRUPTION
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Civil servants taking their work for granted - Luo
By Fridah Nkonde
Sun 12 May 2013, 14:01 CAT
CHIEFS and traditional affairs minister Professor Nkandu Luo says it is unfortunate that most civil servants in Zambia take their work for granted. During her ministry's Labour Day award ceremony in Lusaka on Friday, Prof Luo said Labour Day was not about being awarded but about being reminded of the worker's responsibilities.
"There are people out there on the streets that have nothing to do. But the tendency for most of the people that work is to take work for granted. They take work for granted and even say that, 'no one can discipline me because I have found myself in that position', especially in the civil service.
This is all because of these things like the verbal warning, after a verbal warning, a written warning and if you want you can even do an injunction. A lot of us have taken our positions for granted," she said.
Prof Luo said there was need for people to know that Zambians were part of the global world and that things were changing.
"You may continue taking things for granted and it will just take the reforms to come and reform the civil service and they say bad habits die hard so those that would have gotten comfort to the bad habits, they would still continue," she said.
Prof Luo said the Ministry of Chiefs and Traditional Affairs was a link between the people and the policy makers, adding that there was need for civil servants in her ministry to understand the needs of rural people.
She encouraged officers in her ministry to contribute to the growth of the ministry regardless of the positions they hold.
Prof Luo said she valued every worker's contribution, adding the civil servants in her ministry needed to be proud of whatever position they occupy.
"If you are not proud of your appointment and what you contribute to the ministry, I am afraid you are going to compromise the levels that we want to achieve. That dream that the ministry has can only be realised by having a human resource that is committed, productive, and celebrates the opportunities that they have," said Prof Luo.
And Ministry of Chiefs and Traditional Affairs permanent secretary Coillard Chibbonta assured Prof Luo that employees in the ministry were ready to embrace hard work.
Labels: CIVIL SERVANTS, NKANDU LUO, WORK ETHIC
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Kabimba explains why MMD is crumbling
By Roy Habaalu
Mon 22 Apr. 2013, 14:01 CAT
COMMENT - Actually the MMD is crumbling not because their members didn't believe in the party, but because the party has no ideology. This meant that the only reason it was in power, was to remain in power, for the benefit of it's corrupt members. This is nothing anyone wants to vote for. The PF should heed the same warning - no ideology, no party. So it is time to tax the mines, and take the Windfall Tax debate to the Zambian people, and show the world the support there is for it.
WYNTER Kabimba says MMD is crumbling because its members were in it for money. And Kabimba says there are civil servants that are exhibiting extreme arrogance towards the PF government.
During the PF Lusaka Province fundraising dinner on Saturday, Kabimba, who is party secretary general, said no one should sympathise with the downfall of the former ruling party because it was paying for its deeds while in power.
"MMD is crumbling because its members didn't believe in the party. In the unlikely event that they come back, they can't win an election. I don't see any party beating PF, so when they are crumbling don't mourn with them, don't sympathise with it, it's not your party. Don't mourn with parties that are disintegrating. If UPND is disintegrating, don't pray for them, it's not your duty, don't sympathise with them, it's not your role. People of Zambia are not interested in other parties because they don't see unity, so don't blame President Michael Sata or PF that we are creating a one-party state," Kabimba said.
"In the past 20 years, those who didn't belong to the MMD were looked at as second-class citizens. PF is re-organisng this country and going back to the national slogan of One Zambia, One Nation. We don't want a party that will cause ethnic divisions. Our major focus is to develop Zambia in the interest of all our people, not a small group of people like MMD did. We have a lot of lessons to learn from the mistakes of MMD," he said.
Kabimba said the PF was getting rid of the MMD culture where those that did not give it money suffered retribution.
He said the PF was promoting the spirit of voluntarism and would not extort money from government coffers.
He said unlike the MMD that sent circulars asking for money, PF would embark on income-generating activities.
Kabimba said the party must remain strong to govern the country in a proper way.
"We must believe in PF and have faith in this organisation. President Michael Sata moved it for ten years, he's our hero today. In the history of this country, there are only two individuals that started parties and formed government; that is UNIP for Dr Kenneth Kaunda and President Michael Sata's PF," Kabimba said.
He also said civil servants should know that for now, the PF was in charge of the nation's affairs.
Kabimba said PF was the political authority and was superior because the government was its agent.
"When you hear any civil servant saying they are not partisan, please come back to the party. Some civil servants are exhibiting extreme arrogance to the party but they must know who is in charge for now. They don't want to see President Michael Sata's portrait, so the best thing to do is leave and wait for your government and portrait of your president," he said.
Kabimba said the PF was the only party that had been mandated by the Zambian people to govern.
He said the PF would govern the country in the best interest of all its citizens.
"We are not going to be dictated to by anybody outside this country. Nobody has the right to dictate how we are going to run this country. We will govern it in the manner we deem fit and in the interest of our people. Those pandering outside sources are getting their money for nothing. We'll not allow them to divert the interests of this country," said Kabimba.
Labels: CIVIL SERVANTS, MMD, WYNTER KABIMABA
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Delegates want diplomats to be ratified by Parliament
By Ernest Chanda and Roy Habaalu
Wed 17 Apr. 2013, 14:01 CAT
DELEGATES at the national convention have introduced and adopted a clause that requires diplomatic appointees to be ratified by the National Assembly.
And the delegates have rejected a proposal to include the minimum of a university degree among the qualifications of a presidential candidate.
When considering an article that talks about the executive functions of a president, the delegates, through a thematic group on Executive and Legislature, added a clause that the National Assembly ratifies diplomatic appointments.
Article 90 (2) states that: "Without limiting clause (1) and the other provisions of this Constitution, the President shall - (b) accredit and appoint ambassadors, high commissioners, plenipotentiaries, diplomatic representatives and consuls."
But the group presented to the convention a proposal that: "Ambassadors, High Commissioners, plenipotentiaries are subject to National Assembly ratification."
Supporting the proposal, Keembe MMD member of parliament Lieutenant General Ronnie Shikapwasha said he had difficulties coordinating with some diplomats when he served as foreign affairs minister.
"As minister I went round visiting many of the ambassadors and many of those that were appointed without Parliament ratification; and there were many questions that I found, how and why some of them were appointed. And therefore it is important that there's a second player that ratifies ambassadors before they go into service. We are not taking away the powers of the president to appoint. No! We are saying when the president appoints let the men be ratified by Parliament in order to ensure that we have a diplomatic cadre of professionals that represent Zambia," said Lt Gen Shikapwasha. "As minister of foreign affairs then, I had many difficulties to move the policy of changing Zambia from that of freedom fighting policy and independence of Southern Africa to the economic policy for some ambassadors to respond."
Supporting the same proposal, former Secretary to the Cabinet Sketchley Sachika said sometimes presidents appointed their girlfriends into foreign service.
But immediate former foreign affairs minister Kabinga Pande disagreed with the two delegates.
"You cannot take away the powers from the president. That (diplomat) is a direct representative of the president. He (president) must have direct power to recall an ambassador who is not performing. And if we allow this clause, Zambia will be the only country to do that," debated Pande.
Bishop John Mambo also argued that ambassadors were not subject to Parliament ratification anywhere in the world, except the United States.
And the convention rejected the degree clause that was introduced outside the draft constitution as one of qualifications of a presidential candidate.
Many delegates felt that there were few people with access to university education.
And the convention rejected a proposal in the draft constitution that the president should consult Parliament before declaring war.
Many delegates said time was a serious factor in war; that by the time the president was consulting Parliament, the nation, including Parliament, would have been bombed.
The delegates resolved that the president be given room to declare war without Parliament ratification.
Meanwhile, Fr Richard Luonde says Zambians would for the first time have a constitution on their own because the government is not interfering in the process.
Fr Luonde said the PF had shown that it was committed to a people-driven constitution by not imposing it desires on delegates drafting the constitution.
"Those who are saying the process would fail will be disappointed because Zambians would have been given what they wanted in the constitution; they will be rewarded at the end," Fr Luonde said.
He said delegates are allowed to debate freely unlike during the Nation Constitutional Conference that never allowed contentious articles to be subjected to a vote.
"MMD imposed things that suited them and never allowed the wishes of the people to prevail but now delegates are debating freely and I hope Zambians would support the outcome of the final product," Fr Luonde.
Officially opening the National Convention, President Michael Sata said he was determined to facilitate a people-driven constitution and urged delegates to consider the assignment a call to national duty.
Labels: AMBASSADORS, CIVIL SERVANTS, PARLIAMENT
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Masebo urges change of work culture
By Edwin Mbulo in Livingstone
Thu 14 Mar. 2013, 17:20 CAT
SYLVIA Masebo has called for a change in work culture among civil servants. Masebo, the tourism and arts minister, after receiving a letter from a Livingstone woman during the arts auditions at Mukuni Park for the forthcoming United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) general assembly said that there is a big problem in the government with regard to work attitude.
She said ordinary citizens now feel comfortable to have their concerns submitted directly to the ministers than civil servants.
"Now they (people) feel it is easy to see a minister and pour out their ideas and plans. I have this letter here written by a lady whose name I will withhold although she has signed it; she says there are five ladies who have ideas on how best they can be enterprising and want assistance so I invite the lady and her friends so that we can have lunch tomorrow (Wednesday) and discuss what they have to offer," Masebo said.
She said Zambians must be free to approach the government workers to get answers on various government programmes meant to empower them.
"The government has released a lot of money to line ministries which are intended to change the lives of the ordinary citizens but this is not seen or does not get to the ordinary people. I'm very mindful because we may have a big event (UNWTO general assembly) which will be of no value to the ordinary Zambian," Masebo said amid cheers from the artistes and youth.
Various artistes showcased what they have prepared for the UNWTO general assembly in terms of artifacts most of which have been branded in Zambian colours, while most musical CDs have tourism messages.
The UNWTO general assembly scheduled for August 24 to 29 will be held for the first time in Southern Africa and the second in Africa after Senegal hosted the 2005 gathering of the tourism sector.
Labels: CIVIL SERVANTS, SYLVIA MASEBO, UNWTO, WORK ETHIC
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No pay hike for civil servants
11/01/2013 00:00:00
by Staff Reporter
STATE employees are considering strike action accusing the government of taking advantage of a leadership dispute in their ranks to delay a pay hike Treasury promised would be effected this month.
Soldiers received their January salaries on Thursday without the inflation-adjusted increment announced by Finance Minister Tendai Biti in his 2013 budget statement.
The Teachers Union of Zimbabwe said the development had hit morale as members returned to work for the new school term.
"Most of our members opened schools anticipating that something would come up and obviously morale will be down on hearing that there is nothing for them,” a union official said.
Acting Public Service Secretary Rodgers Sisimayi said the government had no one to negotiate the increment with after a leadership wrangle rocked the Apex Council which represents state workers in wage negotiations.
The Council’s term of office expired in February last year and the unions have failed to agree a new committee.
Said Sisimayi: “The problem is that the Apex Council has failed to come up with a new leadership since last year yet salaries and updates are announced through a platform called the National Joint Negotiating Council.
“This is a platform that brings to the negotiating table workers side and Government negotiators, but as it stands, there is no way Government can communicate.”
Government lawyers are still considering a request by unions to negotiate with the old committee led by Zimbabwe Teachers Association president, Tendai Chikowore.
“We acknowledge receipt of their letter requesting that we engage the old committee. We are looking at the legal implications of such a move and we will notify them in due course what we would have resolved,” Sisimayi said.
Union leaders however, threatened to go on strike over the impasse.
“This is an insult and Government is setting a terrible precedent,” said College Lecturers Association of Zimbabwe President David Dzatsunga.
“It means we are never taken seriously, but what they should know is that some unions are mobilising their members for a possible industrial action.”
Chikowore added: ““There is a breakdown of social dialogue and they might have seen our weaknesses and decided to go quiet.
“We are going to meet and make sure we unite as we move forward.”
Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe boss Raymond Majongwe said the unions would meet Tuesday to consider strike action.
“Somebody out there is pushing us to go and strike and this is one issue we will put into consideration come Tuesday," he said.
The lowest paid government employee earns US$296 per month and unions are demanding an adjustment in line with the poverty datum line which is estimated at about US$600.
But Biti says the government does not have the resources to meet the Unions’ demands with the state wage bill already accounting for 68 percent of overall expenditure.
Labels: CIVIL SERVANTS, NEOLIBERALISM, SALARIES, TENDAI BITI
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Complaints about civil servants frustrating govt efforts
By The Post
Fri 09 Nov. 2012, 12:30 CAT
There are complaints from the top-most leadership of this government about some civil servants trying to frustrate their work, their efforts, their programmes.
But these complaints are not new or peculiar to this government. We used to hear about them in the early 1990s from the government of Frederick Chiluba.
Chiluba and his colleagues used to complain about how civil servants aligned to UNIP were trying to frustrate their work and sabotage their programmes. Many civil servants were retired as a result of this. But the problems continued; the operations of the civil service never meaningfully improved. The Chiluba regime filled the civil service, including the police, with its own party cadres who could not perform. Most of the people they appointed did not even have the requisite qualifications and experience needed for them to efficiently and effectively perform the duties of their jobs.
After Chiluba left office and Levy Mwanawasa took over in 2001, the same complaints resurfaced. Again, some new people, who were believed to be more loyal to the new rulers, were appointed to the civil service. But the performance of the civil service did not improve.
Today, we are hearing the same arguments. Yet, this government has appointed so many people to the civil service. Almost all the permanent secretaries serving today have been appointed by them, they are people they believe are loyal to them. All the key directors in our ministries and government departments have been appointed or promoted by them to such positions. Where is the problem?
If the people they appointed are failing to perform, can this be blamed on the previous regime or on themselves?
Of course, the civil service and the public sector in general is very big and there are many people who are still serving whom they did not appoint. There are many professional civil servants who have been serving in government for many years and under different regimes. Every new regime brings in its own cadres and ignores them in promotions.
There are people in our civil service and public sector in general who have been working there for two or three decades with very high qualifications and experience, but every regime overlooks them in promotions. Political party cadres with relatively little experience and low qualifications have been placed above them by different regimes. These professional civil servants have become frustrated and don't care anymore about what happens. They have lost hope of ever being promoted and are just marking time, waiting for their retirement time to come. They can't be easily fired because they are not political appointees, they are professional civil servants who know their rights and understand very well the civil service processes and procedures.
Clearly, the challenge we face today in the running of our civil service and the public sector in general is a creation of our politicians. It is our politicians who have filled our public sector with inexperienced and unqualified people. Look at the foreign service! Take an audit of who has been sent to the foreign service over the last 21 years! A proper scrutiny will reveal that most of the people who have been sent to our foreign service over the last two decades are either relatives or close family friends of those in power or ruling party cadres. The situation has been the same under every regime since 1991. We cannot authoritatively speak on what pertained before 1991. We plead ignorance.
The foreign service has become the dumping ground of all the relatives, friends, ruling party cadres who are unemployed or are looking for an opportunity to go abroad. An audit of who is who in our foreign service will be very embarrassing to all regimes that have been in charge of our country over the last 21 years, including the current one. There is no regime over the last 21 years that can reasonably and confidently talk about a professional foreign service.
And this practice has even created over-employment in our civil service. We have too many people in our foreign service doing nothing, but earning a salary from the taxpayer. Even countries richer than us do not have such a highly bloated foreign service. We have all sorts of officers in our missions who are doing nothing; whose job is only to meet senior government officials when they happen to pass through or visit those countries. This is not the best way to run government and to use our very limited public resources.
Even here at home, a good number of our civil servants are people who are not fit to occupy the offices they have been appointed to, hence the inefficiency that our politicians are correctly complaining about.
In the past, we mean before 1991, it used to be very difficult to join the civil service because one had to go through a number of examinations before one was employed as a civil servant. Now all one needs is simply the right political or other connections. This may be good for those who are in influential positions because they are able to help their relatives and friends, but it is not good for the performance of the government in general and indeed for their own personal performance. The consequence of this is that top government leaders are not getting the required or right service from civil servants for them to be able to deliver on their promises to the people. And there is nothing which makes people more appreciative of a government than that it should be able to deliver services.
In saying this, we are not in any way saying that those who have relatives in top government or political positions should never be employed in the civil service or the public sector in general. They are Zambians and they should be allowed to occupy any public office for which they have the requisite experience and qualifications. But let that be the basis for their engagement, and not any other considerations that may negatively impact on the performance of government and of the political leadership in government.
Until the political leadership running government addresses these issues, they have no legitimate right to complain about the poor performance of the civil service and the public sector in general because the problem has been created by themselves and it is within their capacity to correct.
Labels: CIVIL SERVANTS, FREDERICK CHILUBA
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CSAWU accuses directors of frustrating govt
By Roy Habaalu
Fri 09 Nov. 2012, 14:00 CAT
THE body representing civil servants in Zambia says directors and their deputies are the ones frustrating government efforts and want the PF government to fail.
Civil Servants and Allied Workers Union (CSAWU) general secretary Joy Beene yesterday said directors and their deputies were the same people whose loyalty and allegiance was to the MMD.
"It's unfortunate that it's happening at a high level of director and deputy and probably at permanent secretary levels. Our members who are junior in rank can't frustrate government efforts because they are the same people who woke up early in the morning on September 20, 2011 last year to go and change government. Why should they today frustrate government? It's those that don't merit the jobs," said Beene.
Recently, President Michael Sata said there were civil servants still aligned to the MMD regime who wanted to frustrate his administration.
And Vice-President Guy Scott recently said some 'mambala' civil servants were frustrating government developmental efforts and would soon be removed.
But Beene said those frustrating the government were not appointed on merit.
He said until those aligned to MMD were removed, the frustration would continue because their allegiance was not with the government.
Beene said the biggest challenge was to depoliticise operations of the civil service.
"From time immemorial, the problem is that the civil service has never been free. It has been politicised. We saw it in UNIP under MMD the civil service was heavily politicised. The civil service is politicised in the way of recruitment, appointment and promotion," he said.
Beene said until the public service commission was properly utilised, problems in the civil service would continue.
"We are the technocrats. We are not politicians. Politicians come and go. No civil servant can fail to carry out a directive from Cabinet," said Beene.
Labels: CIVIL SERVANTS, CSAWU, GUY SCOTT, JOY BEENE
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Emoluments to gobble 50% of 2013 budget
By Kabanda Chulu
Thu 18 Oct. 2012, 14:00 CAT
ALMOST half of the K32.2 trillion 2013 national budget announced last Friday by finance minister Alexander Chikwanda will go towards personal emoluments, wages and salaries.
K10.5 trillion would be spent on personal emoluments as compared to K8.06 trillion that was spent in 2012 while non-personal emoluments would account for K18.5 trillion compared to K15.8 trillion with constitutional and statutory expenditure getting K3.1 trillion as compared to K3.7 trillion spent in 2012.
According to estimates of revenue and expenditure contained in the Yellow Book, Office of the President at State House would get K38.5 billion (K34.5 billion-2012) of which K12.2 billion will cater for personal emoluments while K300 million is for general operations at State House golf course with K155.7 million planned for management of State House wild animals.
Cabinet Office (Office of the President) has been allocated K126.8 billion from the 2012 figure of K114.6 billion and K12 billion will be spent on salaries while K1.5 billion as support services to the first lady.
Office of the Vice-President will get K20.5 billion from the 2012 amount of K15.7 billion and K2 billion will be spent on salaries and K1 billion on management and operations of Government House.
The National Assembly has been allocated K323 billion from last year's amount of K256.6 billion with K222.8 billion going towards salaries while the Electoral Commission of Zambia has been allocated K56.9 billion from the 2012 figure of K48.8 billion and K33.9 billion to be spent on salaries.
K4 billion has been allocated for by-elections and another K4 billion for delimitation of constituency and ward boundaries' with K395.2 million for observing of elections but there is no allocation for continuous voter registration.
However, there is no allocation for rehabilitation and upgrading of the Government Printing Department to meet standards required by the Electoral Commission for local printing of ballot papers.
The office of the Auditor General has been allocated K85 billion from the 2012 figure of K77.7 billion and K14.7 billion of this would be spent on salaries while the Drug Enforcement Commission has been allocated K41.4 billion from the 2012 figure of K29.9 billion with K25.6 billion to be spent on salaries.
The Anti-Corruption Commission will be given K58.8 billion from the 2012 figure of K60.1 billion and K5.6 billion will be spent on salaries and K240.6 million on quarterly stakeholder meetings while K5.6 billion will be spent on general administration including operations for the institution.
The office of the former first president would get K2.1 billion with K782.7 million going towards salaries and wages while the office of the fourth president (Rupiah Banda) would get K2.3 billion with K753.4 million going towards salaries and K422 million on rentals while K400 million would be used to purchase motor vehicles.
The Ministry of Tourism and Arts under the tourism development department has been allocated K15 billion towards hosting the 2013 United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) general assembly while K150 million has been allocated for the national traditional food festival under the same forum.
Labels: 2013 BUDGET (ZM), ALEXANDER CHIKWANDA, CIVIL SERVANTS, SALARIES
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Limata warns civil servants against 'delaying' development
By David Chongo in Solwezi
Sun 02 Sep. 2012, 10:25 CAT
NORTH Western Province minister Josephine Limata says she will not allow civil servants in the region to undermine her work by failing to monitor development projects.
According to Limata, some civil servants were underestimating her position because she's a woman and were not diligently overseeing works, especially road construction on three roads in Solwezi, which have inexplicably been stalled.
Limata said she would not take kindly to responsible officers who were not following up on contractors delaying development as it would jeopardise her position.
Limata, flanked by provincial deputy permanent secretary Douglas Ngimbu, expressed surprise that roadworks awarded to contractors on Lexus/Zambia/Chawama road, as well as College and Magrade roads, which were to be completed in four months, were still far from completion.
She warned regional officials from Road Development Agency and Rural Roads Unit that she would not accept incompetence from anyone under her supervision.
Limata alleged that it was possible that responsible officers who were not monitoring projects were sharing money with some contractors so it was difficult for them to demand accountability for delayed works.
Limata expressed concern that resources allocated to the province for projects would soon be reclaimed by the treasury if not utilized.
She however commended Solwezi Council for its ongoing rehabilitation works on 12 urban roads stretching 30 kilometres at a targeted cost of K5.5 billion funded from K2 billion local revenue.
Labels: CIVIL SERVANTS, PF, ROADS
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Civil servants warned against frustrating government efforts
TIME PUBLISHED - Tuesday, August 14, 2012, 3:15 pm
Floods in the Kamwala second class trading area. Shoppers have to wear gumboots or wade in the pools of water to access shops. 2010 Floods in the Kamwala second class trading area. Shoppers had to wear gumboots or wade in the pools of water to access shops. Government has cautioned civil servants not to stand in the way of development as it is in a hurry to develop the country.
ZANIS report that speaking during a tour of flood prone areas in Lusaka today, Deputy Minister in the Office of the Vice President, Harry Kalaba said civil servants should ensure they work for what they get paid for warning that government will not tolerate any laziness.
He said it was important for all stakeholders like the Lusaka City Council, the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit and others to work hard and ensure the country has proper drainage systems to avoid floods this year.
The Deputy Minister said he had strict instructions from the President to ensure he pays back to Zambians for voting him into office adding that he knew no better way of doing that than to ensure this year’s rainy season does not affect anyone.
Mr. Kalaba said it was encouraging that the country had no cholera during last year’s rainy season although there was Typhoid.
He said it was necessary to put measures in place to guarantee that no water borne disease is recorded this year.
The Deputy Minister disclosed that plans are underway to expand the threshold that will enable quicker methods of releasing funds to contractors.
He said the current processes used in the previous government where contractors have to wait for months before funds are made available were time wasting and not ideal for the PF government which is in a hurry to develop the country.
The deputy minister toured Kanyama and Makeni areas to inspect the state of the drainage systems in the areas.
Labels: CIVIL SERVANTS
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Salary increments for public servants
By The Post
Wed 01 Aug. 2012, 10:40 CAT
Economic justice requires that each individual has adequate resources to survive, to develop and thrive, and to give back in service to the community. This, therefore, means that employees have a strict duty to give their employers efficient and conscientious work for which they have a right to a just salary.
The Zambian people should give those who work for them, those who serve them in government and state institutions an honest salary and then ask them for more substantial support.
But this is not to say those who hold state jobs should go off into wild flights of fancy and give themselves salaries that are not in tune with the country's economic realities, salaries that are unwarranted by the objective situation, or stretch for the impossible. If there is need for austerity measures in difficult periods or times, they should be equally shared among all.
The dignity of public service, like the dignity of all work, must be recognised with just salaries and other conditions of service. In fact, we have to show gratitude to those who sacrificed themselves in our service. Again, in saying so, we are not in any way advocating unjustifiably high salaries.
Unreasonably high salaries for public servants may be dangerous because they can destroy their capacity to speak in a forthright manner and tell the people to tighten their belts.
What should be sought is remuneration that guarantees our public servants a dignified livelihood for themselves and for their children. Public service should not mean that one has chosen to live in poverty.
If a man thinks dedicating his entire life to the service of others as a political leader, as a public servant means that in return he should not have such worries as that his children or his family lack certain things, lack some necessity, then he is entering into rationalisations which open his mind to infection by the seeds of future corruption.
Our public servants and their families should have or should go without those things that the families of the average man have or go without, and they should strive to uphold this standard. A more just, fair and humane society is established through man, but man must forge his spirit of fairness, justice and humaneness day by day.
Generally, wages and salaries in this country have gone up considerably over the last few years. And also the cost of living has not been going down, it has actually shot up in a very big way. Zambia is said to be one of the most expensive destinations or countries in Africa. Yet, the salaries of many people in the civil service are still relatively very low.
A salary of slightly over K300 million per annum, that is about K25 million per month, is not that high for a president of the Republic. And K149 million per annum, that is K12.4 million per month, is certainly not excessive for a Cabinet minister. And K140 million per annum, that is K11.6 million per month, for a member of parliament cannot be said to be too high a salary.
We have to be realistic about these things and put ourselves in the shoes of those serving in these positions.
It is clear to us that with such low salaries, those in public service are one way or another not living on their salaries.
It is either they are spending most of their time attending to their private businesses or are using their offices to make more money for themselves. We shouldn't forget that public offices, from that of the president to that of the lowest public worker, have many opportunities for making money.
This is so because these offices do not only create opportunities for making money but they also handle gigantic sums of money and decide how and where it is spent. It is they who decide how many foreign or local trips they should undertake and how much travel allowances they should collect.
What we fail to give them in salaries, they will pay themselves in other ways like travel allowances, sitting allowances and so on and so forth. If we really want to have control on government expenditure, the starting point is to pay public servants well. After doing so, then we can clamp down on other undesirable things they are doing to earn more for themselves.
Ridiculously low salaries are not a cost-saving measure. They are actually a recipe for corruption and more undesirable ways of increasing government expenditure. In saying this, we are not in any way saying that high salaries in themselves will stop corruption, will reduce government expenditure.
There are people who are never satisfied with any amount of money - the more you give them, the more they want. In every community, there are men of base instincts; there are selfish people who don't care about others, who only care about themselves and want everything for themselves without thinking of others.
If they are offered a drink from a river of blood, they will not be satisfied until they drink the river dry. To such men, high salaries mean nothing, and will not stop them from stealing public funds or engaging in corrupt activities. So, here, we are talking about decent people, who have concern for others and who shouldn't be pushed to corruption by low salaries.
It is clear that these public service jobs are not highly paying undertakings. But the question is: why are people so thirsty for these jobs and some even appear to be ready to kill for these jobs? There are hidden benefits - and some of them not so hidden.
These offices have been used to amass wealth. Look at Rupiah Banda! Look at where he was financially before becoming president! Look at where he is financially three years after, when his salary was only K188 million per annum! And the maximum Rupiah could have collected in salaries over three years is only K564 million. But look at the buildings he has constructed in less than two years without any loans from any bank! Where did the money come from? It cannot be from any source other than the use of his office.
What about people like Austin Liato! The highest salary Liato got from government was K86 million per annum as a Cabinet minister. But Liato was able to acquire so many things without ever taking loans and was even able to bury billions of kwacha in the belly of the earth. How was this possible? It was only possible through the use, or rather abuse, of his office.
Liato had very little, if not nothing, before he entered politics and became a minister. But today Liato is a rich man. We are not singling out Rupiah and Liato for victimisation. We are simply showing them as examples of how salaries don't really matter for some of our politicians and how political jobs can be so rewarding financially and otherwise.
These are things we need to take into account when looking at the salaries and other conditions of service for our public servants and the restrictions we should impose on them to serve public interest to the fullest. You can see why Rupiah and his friends had to remove the abuse of office offence from our statute books.
Let's pay our public servants well and then equally hold them accountable for the use of their time, which we have purchased. And also, in addition to this, we should make sure they spend all their time on the work we are paying them for and not on their businesses. If they want to continue to be businessmen, let them leave and go and run their businesses. And if they try to use their offices to salvage their declining business fortunes, then the Anti Corruption Commission should set on them for corruption.
It was for this reason, and to avoid such abuses, that Dr Kenneth Kaunda introduced the leadership code in order to ensure that the decisions made by public officers are not made for self-interest but for the benefit of the people.
Labels: CIVIL SERVANTS, SALARIES
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COMMENT - More games from the neoliberal MDC.
No joy for civil servants as Biti slashes budget 10pc
Thursday, 19 July 2012 00:00
Business Reporters
THERE is no hope for civil servants salary increment this year as Finance Minister Tendai Biti yesterday slashed the 2012 National Budget by about 10 percent to US$3,64 billion, citing poor revenue inflows.
The civil servants had given the Government up to the end of this month to review their pay or risk devastating strike. Presenting his Mid-Term Fiscal Policy Statement in Parliament yesterday, Minister Biti said Government missed its revenue target by US$244 million by end of June with a large chunk being
shortfalls on diamond dividends of US$229,3 million.
The economic growth forecast was also revised from 9,4 percent to 5,6 percent due to revenue shortfalls and poor performance of agriculture.
The wage bill consumed 70 percent of its original US$1,073 billion budget allocation.
Total expenditure for the six months to June amounted to US$1,565 billion.
“Indeed, even in the absence of such reviews, Government faces the real danger of defaulting on salary payments. Hence, we need not take the current monthly payments for granted but seriously appreciate the limited fiscal space for wage adjustments,” Minister Biti said.
Agriculture, that was initially expected to register 11,6 percent growth, is now expected to decline to minus 5,8 percent. Poor harvests were characterised by the late onset and erratic rainfall and long dry spells from the end of December 2011.
Mining will, however, grow to 16,7 percent from an initial forecast of 15,9 percent.
“Contrary to our 2012 gross domestic product growth projections of 9,4 percent, indications are that the economy will shed almost 4 percentage points to grow by only 5,6 percent, which also falls short of the Medium Term Plan annual average target of 7,1 percent,” said Minister Biti.
The outlook is, however, not totally bleak as inflation will remain within target.
The anticipated weakening of the South African rand against the United States dollar and softening in international fuel prices would stabilise inflation.
To enhance revenue inflows, Minister Biti proposed to increase customs duty on flour imports from 5 percent to 20 percent to promote the local milling industry and manufacture of stockfeeds.
He also proposed to raise excise duty on diesel and petrol from 16 and 20 cents per litre to 20 and 25 cents per litre, respectively, with effect from August 1.
“This measure is expected to raise additional revenue of about US$20 million,” he said.
However, the increase in the excise duty rate should not translate into higher prices of diesel and petrol in view of the decline in the price of crude oil from US$124 per barrel in April 2012 to US$101 per barrel as at 13 July.
Government will also sell some of its shareholding in major companies.
Total exports for the period January to June 2012 rose by 45 percent to US$1,6 billion from US$1,1 billion realised in the same period last week. Mineral exports
accounted for the bulk at 73 percent.
Minister Biti said imports have continued to grow much faster, reflecting increased demand for equipment and raw materials for resuscitating industries.
He said mining fees would be reviewed to promote investment and growth.
In preparation of the next farming season and beyond, farmers, with the support of Government, the banking sector, promoters of contract farming and development partners would need to mobilise resources.
This would be within the context of the Comprehensive Agriculture Policy, which puts annual financial requirements for agriculture at US$2,4 billion.
“However, given the under-performance of the budget during the first half of the year and the anticipated lower revenues during the last half of the year, a larger role of other parties — the farmers themselves, the banking sector and development partners — will be required,” said the minister.
He said issues that needed to be urgently addressed to aid economic recovery were the country’s politics, attracting foreign direct investment, leases and restoration of markets as well as the perennial power shortages.
Minister Biti said the Zimbabwe Investment Authority would soon be aligned with the Indigenisation and Empowerment Regulations to address investors’ concerns to enable the country to attract meaningful investment into the country without undermining the empowerment initiatives.
In the six months to June, domestic debt and arrears by Government ministries to service providers continued to rise, further compromising service delivery.
Debts and arrears reached US$179 million by end of June, way above the budgeted US$51,4 million.
To reduce local authorities and inter-parastatal net indebtedness, clearance of arrears to these entities will be directed to the respective parastatal or local authority creditors.
Economists yesterday said the mid-term fiscal policy review lacks “substance” on key issues affecting the economy.
Harare-based economist, Mr Takunda Mugaga, said the minister should have “gone beyond the basics”.
“This was a disappointing budget review, devoid of any real substance. It was silent on key issues that should drive the economy. For instance it relegated the significance of the mining sector to the economy, there has been no effort to improve the Interbank market, no additional capitalisation of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe, no clear strategy on debt clearance and no investment in power generation,” he said.
Mr Mugaga said the mid-term fiscal review went against the grain of the Government’s stated objective of leveraging the country’s potential in order to attain economic growth.
“The budget is largely meant to support everyday expenditure, which means we will continue to fare with a liquidity crunch.”
In view of the myriad of challenges facing the economy, Zimbabweans were expecting Minister Biti to announce specific measures to address issues such as investment in the country’s energy infrastructure.
There is also agriculture financing, management and streamlining of the civil servants wage bill, capitalisation of the central bank, automation of tax administration services and a review of the country’s mineral taxation model among other areas.
Other observers contend that the minister particularly “lost the script” on agriculture.
Another economist who asked not to be named blamed Minister Biti for “killing agriculture by refusing to fund the sector”.
He said had the minister given priority to agriculture, the country’s growth targets would have been on course.
“It is strange that (Minister) Biti saw it fit to set aside US$100 million for the census and had enough left over to invest in a failed bank but had nothing to offer to wheat farmers.
“There is no way that we can achieve the set growth targets without substantial investment in agriculture. Let’s face it, agriculture at its prime employed lots of people in this country and was effectively the backbone of the economy.
“Various other sectors were feeding off the buoyancy of this sector and now you say you do not have any resources to fund agriculture, obviously he has lost it.”
The economist added that Minister Biti had effectively killed the goose that lays the golden egg and for as long as his stance did not change, there is no hope for the turnaround of this economy.
BancABC group economist Mr James Wadi said the lack of fiscal space that has seen the Finance Minister revising the budget downwards shows that the economy is over stretched.
He said the current scenario where there is a huge demand for revenue in a shrinking economy was not sustainable as such demands are only feasible in a growing economy.
“We are hitting a situation where even the productive sectors that have been propping up the economy are being choked by impediments and everything is slowly grinding to a halt,” he said.
In this regard he said there was need for the country to focus on areas that can produce quick wins and attract Foreign Direct Investment into the country.
Some observers are, however, of the opinion that the minister could not have done much more than he did in view of the downside risks that have been dogging the economy since the start of the year.
It is these negative factors that forced Minister Biti’s hand to review the budget downwards to US$3,6 billion from the initial US$4 billion, as well as reviewing this year’s Gross Domestic Product growth projection from 9,4 percent to 5,6 percent.
Labels: BUDGET, CIVIL SERVANTS, MDC, SABOTAGE, SALARIES, TENDAI BITI
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Civil servants anxious over Biti's budget review
17/07/2012 00:00:00
by NewZiana
ANXIETY is high in the civil service as the two week ultimatum that they gave the government to review their salaries ends on Thursday without any feedback from the employer.
Finance Minister Tendai Biti is on Wednesday expected to present the mid-term budget review statement with huge cuts in expenditure projected. The civil servants on Tuesday said they were waiting for Biti to present the mid-term fiscal policy review statement to find out whether he had made provision for them.
They re-affirmed their threat to go on strike if the fiscal policy review statement did make any provision for their pay raise.
Apex Council chairperson Tendai Chikowore, who is also Zimbabwe Teachers Union president, said civil servants would decide on action to take after presentation of the fiscal policy review statement.
"We will act after hearing the Mid-Term Policy Statement as we need to see if the finance minister will consider us in his statement which we hope will come up with something reasonable" said Chikowore.
Chikowore confirmed that anxiety was high as the government was yet to propose anything reasonable saying while the government was not cooperating, the mood of the civil servants was not that of disappointment.
"I cannot predetermine the Apex Council's deliberations but I cannot rule out a general strike," said Chikowore.
She said civil servants were tired of waiting for the government to address their plight.
"The government has not responded clearly to our requests after two weeks and as we speak we are still waiting for them to speak," she said.
Biti has indicated that he would not make any provision for civil servants salaries as revenue projections in the 2012 budget had not been met.
This has angered civil servants who are demanding a salary raise to at least US$564 for the least paid worker and 15 percent of the basic salary as rural allowance.
Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (TUZ) chief executive officer Manuel Nyawo said the government should show more commitment towards workers’ needs.
"The government is not serious at all, they have failed to give us any satisfactory response to our ultimatum", he said.
"It is our deliberate intention to express our dissatisfaction in a strike that will paralyze government operations as we need to find a lasting solution to this issue," said Nyawo.
Labels: CIVIL SERVANTS, SALARIES, TENDAI BITI
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