IT IS FOREVER ENJOYMENT FOR FORMER PRESIDENTS IN ZAMBIA
An insight with Edgar Nyanga
Unlike a civil servant in Zambia who fears to retire at 65 years due to uncertain future, former presidents worldwide are taken care of by the states which they ruled. In regard to Zambia, I would like to extract information from our constitution pertaining to the benefits that a former president gets after leaving office.
What exactly is provided for in the Benefits of Former Presidents according to the Constitution Amendment Bill Act No. 15 of 2016, as amended by Act No 33 of 1994 and No 21 of 1998? From the on set, it should be well noted that the Act applies to all former presidents, including those that ceased to hold office before the commencement of this Act. So, a former president shall, upon ceasing to hold office, be entitled to a tax-free monthly pension at the rate of 80 per cent of the incumbent President’s emoluments, all of which shall be a charge on the general revenues of the Republic. To make it clear, if the current president is paid an amount of K100,000.00 as monthly salary, the former president will then be paid K80,000.00 as monthly pension. This pay continues to be given to him as long as he/she is alive. The example would be the situation of His Excellence Mr Rupiah Banda who left office in 2011. Since that time, according to the constitution, the government continues to pay to unforeseen future. If there is an increment for the current president’s salary, the former president’s also follows.
In addition to monthly pension, there shall be assigned to a former president within a period of not more than two years from the date of ceasing to hold office, a furnished executive house built or bought in Zambia by the State at a place of the former president’s choice. A former president, immediately upon ceasing to hold office, shall be provided housing accommodation as the government considers fit before the executive house is built for him or her. This means that if the government has not yet built a well-furnished house, the government has to accommodate the former president until they build him/her an executive house. Besides monthly pension and executive house, the State provides to a former president, within a period of not more than six months from the date of ceasing to hold office, three drivers, three motor vehicles with free maintenance and entitlement to fuel to the extent determined by Cabinet. Other benefits include one personal secretary, three security persons (police), one administrative assistant who shall be at the level of deputy permanent secretary, and three house employees, whose number may be increased by Cabinet. Others include a diplomatic passport for the former president and his spouse, medical insurance for the former president and his spouse, one return air ticket for the former president and one for the spouse every year and funeral expenses on his death.
And where a former president who is entitled to the pension and other benefits conferred by the Act dies while in or after having left office (the case of presidents Levy Patrick Mwanawaya and Michael Chilufya Sata), his spouse and any children of the family who have not attained the age of 21 shall be entitled, jointly to one driver and one motor vehicle with free maintenance and entitlement to fuel to the extent determined by Cabinet. Spouse and children (less than 21 years) are also entitled to a tax-free monthly pension at the rate of 50 per cent of the incumbent President’s emoluments. In addition, there is assigned to the surviving spouse and children, jointly, a furnished house built or bought by the State at a place of the surviving spouse’s choice, if the executive house has not been assigned to the former president. All these benefits are covered by the government through taxpayers’ money.
Looking at the above incentives, it is clear that a former president will never suffer provided they never/don’t breach the conditions set such as being active in politics after they are no longer ruling or if they involved themselves in corruption or any vice that would lead to cancellation of their benefits. We should also appreciate that these benefits are given to either an underperforming or hard working former president. And the period of being president is not specified. One can be president for a week or for a month, even three years (Mr. Rupiah Banda).
We have seen how some of the former presidents lived [are living] nice lives after leaving office and they still command respect that they had. One of them Nelson Mandela of South Africa. To date, Nelson Mandela is a ‘god’ worldwide. His excellency late Dr. Kenneth David Kaunda is another one who enjoyed his retirement peacefully though briefly imprisoned by Frederick Chiluba.
Former presidents have been instrumental in many countries in bringing about peace and stability to their countries and the world at large through assignments given by the different organisations and present presidents. For example, in Zambia, we have seen how president Banda has been used by the state to help other countries in peace talks.
Being former president is sweet and one remains enjoying their retirement package freely until death comes their way. It is enjoyment forever and ever.