Widows, children of Zanzibar presidents to receive pension
13th October 2011
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A
bill on leaders’ benefits is expected to be tabled in the Zanzibar
House of Representatives, seeking to allow widows and children of
retired presidents receive monthly pensions.
The other beneficiaries would be wives
and children of retired vice-presidents, who before the 10th amendment
of the Zanzibar constitution, were known as Chief Ministers.
The Bill would be tabled in the House of
Representatives Session expected to start soon in Chukwani in Zanzibar
town by the State Minister, President’s Office (State House), Dr
Mwinyihaji Makame.
The Bill reads that if a retired
president dies, the widow would receive a pension worth the salary her
late husband was receiving while still in office.
Under the Bill, children of a retired
president, once he dies, would receive a monthly pension worth the
minimum basic salary of a civil servant until they reach the age of 18.
However according to the Bill girls would continue receiving the pension until they get married.
The Bill also stipulates that a retired
president would continue receiving terminal benefits to the tune of 50
per cent of the salary he was receiving while still in office calculated
against the number of months he was president.
The Bill explains that a retired
president would receive a pension which would be 80 per cent of his
monthly salary, and 80 per cent of allowances he used to receive.
The house that he would occupy after his
term in office would be paid for up to 50 per cent of the monthly
pension, if he chooses to live in a house other than a government one.
The Bill if passed into law would also
see aides to the retired president being paid for by the government, so
would water, electricity and health bills as well as their salaries. The
staff would include four domestic help, two guards, two aides and a
personal secretary.
The retired president would also be paid
400,000/- for telephony communications on a monthly basis, and have
access to two government vehicles, two chauffeurs and other related
benefits.
The Bill proposed almost similar terms
for retired vice presidents, whereas 300,000/- would be the amount paid
for telephony communications on a monthly basis.
The Bill also stipulates that all
international and national travel expenses of the retired president or
vice-presidents would be covered by the government.
The Bill proposes benefits for top
retired leaders including Attorneys General, ministers, deputy
ministers, advisors to the president, speaker and politicians.
The Bill, if passed into law, would repeal Act Number 4 of 1984 as well as Chapter 6 of 1999.
The House of Representatives is about to start yet another Session soon.
SOURCE:
THE GUARDIAN
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