“Lungu’s strategy of reducing his salary thereafter creating more foreign trips is a calculated move to win peoples hearts whilst he is getting more and more from government coffers,” Jack Kalenga, a Lusaka resident said.
Another concerned Zambian has cautioned Zambians against getting excited from the Presidential salary announcement.
He alleged that Lungu may forgo his entire salary and recovers everything though one corrupt deal.
But some people have praised Lungu, calling him an exemplary and selfless leader who is concerned about fiscal discipline.
Last year when addressing Parliament on September 18, 2015, Lungu said he does not want the state to build a house for him and would be happy to move back to his home constituency of Chawama when he leaves office.
The Head of State made the declaration in his inaugural State of the Nation address during the official opening of the fifth session of the eleventh National Assembly in Lusaka.
He told Parliament that the practice of building houses for former presidents must be done away with altogether, saying it is not only unsustainable economically but also unfair and inequitable towards other constitutional office holders.
He therefore asked parliament to review the Benefits of Former Presidents Act and make it in line with what is economically sustainable for the country.
“Even the issue of building houses for former presidents should be reviewed. I don’t think it is fair or equitable to build a house for me as if I was working alone. What about other constitutional office holders such as the Vice President, ministers…..,” he said.
“It’s not sustainable. Imagine if we had 10 ex-presidents and we had to build houses for all of them. In what economy?” Lungu wondered.
“So let this forfeiture start with me. I don’t mind going back to Chawama,” he declared amid cheers from members of parliament.
