ENOCH KAVINDELE, NEVERS MUMBA ON STATE MONTHLY PAYROLL
By Thomas Ngala
The government has been challenged to explain the work that Enock Kavindele and Nevers Mumba do as “Special Envoys of President Hakainde Hichilema” to warrant putting them on a monthly payroll reported to be about 80% of the Vice-President’s salary.
Amid the ongoing hunger crisis and acute youth unemployment, former vice-president Kavindele surprised many people recently when he declared that President Hichilema will win the 2026 election because he is doing “a fantastic job”. Nevers Mumba, meanwhile, has also been full of praise of the leadership of President Hichilema.
But South Africa-based academic Sishuwa Sishuwa has wondered if Kavindele and Mumba have the necessary distance to assess Hichilema with objective lens since he has placed them on a monthly pay.
“In January this year, President Hichilema appointed Enoch Kavindele, Nevers Mumba, Inonge Wina, Godfrey Miyanda, Guy Scott, and Malimba Masheke as Special Envoys of the President and placed them on a monthly allowance reported to be about 80% of the Vice-President’s salary, among a host of other benefits. Their job description is vague and adhoc, but since they are appointed at the discretion of the president, special envoys do whatever Hichilema wants or assigns them to do. This can be anything, ranging from monitoring elections in other countries to couriering messages to fellow heads of state. In principle, this is an assignment-based role where the Special Envoy only gets to receive an allowance for actual work they are undertaking. In practice, Zambia’s former vice-presidents are currently receiving the allowance monthly, which effectively renders it a ‘salary’. Can the government explain why former vice-presidents are being paid monthly from the treasury, as opposed to when they have a specific assignment to do?”, Dr Sishuwa asked.
The historian advised the government to enact a law that would provide for the benefits of former vice-presidents.
“In any case, our living former vice-presidents are quite older or frail to do any intense work that requires travel and other strenuous activities. If Hichilema wishes to provide the former vice-presidents with a consistent source of income and alleviate their relative suffering, then I ask him to do things the right way to avoid perceptions that he is abusing discretion for patronage purposes such as buying praise singers or voices of support using taxpayers’ money. A better and more dignified approach would be for the government to immediately either amend the Benefits of Former Presidents Act so that it covers vice-presidents or introduce separate legislation that would provide specific benefits to former vice-presidents. Unlike former presidents, former vice-presidents do not currently enjoy any benefits from the government after leaving public office, even following the 2016 constitutional amendment that elevated the office of vice-president to a constitutional one and paved the way for the vice-president to be elected alongside the president as a running mate”, he said.
Dr Sishuwa said although he does not support payment to former officials, there is need for consistency and fairness.
“Personally, I oppose paying any worker after they have left public office because I see this as an unnecessary burden on the treasury. I would rather emphasise the importance of individuals saving from their legitimate earnings during their working careers to sustain themselves beyond public service. Despite my personal stance, I acknowledge the broader implications regarding the treatment of former public servants – yes, we are currently paying lavish benefits to former judges, military chiefs, permanent secretaries, director of public prosecutions, and a host of other retired public officers – and would therefore propose that we either abolish the practice entirely or extend similar benefits enjoyed by former presidents to former vice-presidents through the correct law-making channels. I am aware that the PF had developed, just before they lost power, a draft law to provide for benefits to former vice-presidents and all that had remained was for the Minister of Justice to take the bill to parliament. If the UPND means well, they should have no problem with completing this legislation whose passing in parliament requires a simple majority”.
He called for a structured approach to managing public affairs.
“There has been a lot of emotional job appointments in this administration. Some people were employed as nurses recently for volunteering to help patients during the cholera crisis; a gentleman who recused abducted girls was given a job; and a young lady who provided first aid to footballer Rainford Kalaba when he was involved in a road traffic accident was hired into the civil service. These are all good gestures, but they are a concern if this is how the nation should be run. The implication is that we all need to have done something to deserve a job. This is not the way to go. What is needed is to enact the necessary laws so that we can have rules governing these things, so that everyone has a fair opportunity, as opposed to leaving them to the discretion of the individual leader”.