Chiefs to start getting over K11,500 per month in next budget
PRESIDENT Hakainde Hichilema has promised chiefs across the country that government will increase their allowances in the next national budget.
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Currently, senior chiefs receive K11,500 per month, while junior chiefs get K10,000.
President Hichilema also assured chiefs’ retainers known locally as Kapasos that they too will also get a salary increment so they can serve chiefs better.
At present, Kapasos across the country earn K2,300 per month.
About a week ago, Kalemba ran two stories in which Northern and Luapula Provinces’ chiefs and Kapasos complained about their monthly payments, lamenting that the money was not enough to sustain them.
Yesterday, during the celebration of the Kulamba Traditional Ceremony of the Chewa people in Katete, President Hichilema announced that government had heard the cries of traditional leaders and in the next budget, their allowances would be increased.
“I’m glad here, using this platform, Kalonga Gawa Undi to announce that this coming budget, we are increasing the retainers’ and the chiefs’ allowances. I’m glad to announce that, because we have heard the message and I think it’s a correct messsge that we address those issues,” said the Head of State.
President Hichilema also shared that government would continue upgrading their livelihoods of the chiefs and their retainers by providing them with better houses and palaces.
He said social support programmes such as Social Cash Transfer, Cash for Work will also continue to work for the less advantaged in society.
“We need to continue taking care of our people, God did not make us the same, He made us different, some are capable, some are less capable, some are differently abled, so it’s our duty to take care of all our population in totality and then to also ask our people through you to work hard,” he stated.
The President shared that the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) will also continue to improve lives and urged chiefs to supervise local authorities on the proper use of the fund where necessary.
“We will continue with the decentralisation policy because the local authorities are closer to the people and they understand them better. Our CDF will continue. We encourage you to be the natural supervisors of these programmes, whisper to us if you are not happy,” said President Hichilema.
By Catherine Pule
Kalemba, August 31, 2025