Congrats UPND but…

Wed, 23 Nov 2016 11:04:58 +0000

Dear Editor, I write to congratulate UPND through their spokesperson Steven Katuka for coming out openly to commend President Lungu for his stance to have his salary cut by half. For once, that has shown maturity and patriotism for the opposition UPND.

However, he misdirected himself to make the move political when it was personal sacrifice by the Republican President for him to ask the President to cut the salaries of the ministers and Members of Parliament to half as well. I remember when Dr. Guy Scott was first appointed Vice-President of Zambia by then President Michael Sata (MHSRIP) after Patriotic Front Party won the elections, he also did the same by refusing to move into a Government House, thereby saving the Government and indeed Zambia from added expenditure.

So the move should be personal and should not be politicised because our leaders’ emoluments are constitutional and gazetted. So it is unethical for Katuka to politicise the issue and wanting President Lungu to act unconstitutionally. I have time and again said let us not make our Presidents become dictators; as we all know dictators are not born but created.

It is for this reason that I commend Chilufya Tayali for commending President Lungu’s stance unconditionally. If Katuka has a problem with other ‘civic leaders’ emoluments, he could have started by asking his party legislators to cut their salaries to half and see the result. Let, therefore, those civic leaders who are patriotic and have the heart of the welfare of the majority Zambians do so without anyone commanding or directing them because their emoluments are constitutional.   Wisdom Muyunda CHINGOLA