By CHILA NAMAIKO –
PATRIOTIC Front (PF) Member of the Central Committee (MCC) Paul Moonga has said the upward adjustment of President Edgar Lungu’s salary should not warrant criticism from some people.
Mr Moonga castigated those who wanted to gain political mileage over the issue, saying that the move had not only benefitted President Lungu, but also other constitutional office bearers in the country as they too also received wage hikes in line with their conditions of service.
He said there was nothing sinister about increasing the salary for the Head of State as it was an entitlement which the ministry of Finance was mandated to do through the provisions of the Constitution.
Mr Moonga said it was unfair for opposition political parties to criticise Mr Lungu for benefitting from the increased salary which cut across all the three arms of Government and could benefit other presidents in future.
“I, therefore, find it wrong for my brother Mr [Hakainde] Hichilema to start criticising this upward adjustment when he knows very well that the office of President receives such an increment,” he said.
The increase in salaries for constitutional office holders was done by the Standing Order Committee chaired by the Speaker of the National Assembly and attended by members of the opposition political parties and representatives from the ministry of Finance.
The committee looked into the salaries of all constitutional office holders such as members of Parliament (MPs), the President, the vice-president, ministers and their deputies.
After arriving at the proposed salary increments, the committee presents the same to Parliament for ratification before the new salaries are effected.
“The President does not increase his own salary, this is done by the Standing Committee with ratification by members of Parliament (both ruling and opposition). It is, thus, shameful and petty for learned politicians and NGO leaders to mislead the nation for political and selfish gains.
“I challenge members of Parliament from the opposition to deny if they have not received the same salary increment as the President’s,” an MP said.
He challenged Zambians to question their representatives in Parliament if they had not also received salary increments.
He said constitutional offices included those of the President and vice-president, the National Assembly, the judiciary and attorney general.
“Therefore, if these critics want the President to surrender his new salary, then all MPs, ministers and those I have mentioned before should do so openly, otherwise this is mere politicking and should be treated with the contempt it deserves,” the MP said.