By GIDEON NYENDWA
THERE is nothing to celebrate about the 12 percent salary increment because it will only cushion the impact of electricity and fuel hike for civil servants and not ordinary Zambians, former Defence Minister George Mpombo has said.
Dr. Mpombo said the forthcoming raft of harsh economic measures through fuel, electricity and agriculture subsidies removal will negatively impact on ordinary Zambians especially those outside the civil service.
He said that the move to only increase the salaries for civil servants would mean that villagers, workers in private sector, businessmen would have to suffer the negative effects of the economy that would come with the measure that had been taken to increase the price of electricity and fuel.
“People outside the civil service will suffer the ripple effects alone,” he said.
Dr. Mpombo said it was important that the government makes decisions that would benefit all Zambians before they could even think of favouring the minority.
Government and the 16 public service unions have agreed to effect a 12 percent salary increment effective January 1, 2022.
The two parties also agreed to increase the rate of transport allowance from 10 to 15 percent, with effect from the same date.
Government also said all salary related allowances would be paid as a percentage of the new salaries.
Dr. Mpombo said the move by the government would create an economic apartheid because majority of Zambians moaning and groaning under the current economic hardship had been thrown to the dungeon by the new government.
He said people would be heavily and mercilessly pulverised by the expected wave of price increments on goods and services.
“How will villagers at Chaboboma in the Gwembe Valley afford new transport costs to get to Monze?” Dr. Mpombo said.
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