SATA Sets 65 Years As Retirement Age And Not 55

President Michael Sata has directed Justice Minister Sebastian Zulu to amend the Pensions Act to allow civil servants retire at the age of 65 and not 55 years.
The President has also instructed the Minister of Justice to come up with legislation to amend the Judicial Service Commission.
President Sata says it is illogical that people in the civil service are retired when they still have strength to serve the country.
He was speaking at State House when he swore in newly appointed Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs Max Nkole and Deputy Inspector General of Police Stella Libongani.
President Sata says it is sad that senior civil servants such as the Chief Justice continue to serve on contracts despite having retired at the age of 55 years.
On the Judicial Service Commission, President Sata says it is wrong that the Chief Justice who has an interest should serve as the Chairperson of the Commission.
The President observes that the practice is the same with the Central Bank where the Bank of Zambia Governor is the Chairperson of the board.

Posted by Editor on October 4, 2011. Filed under LATEST NEWS. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry

86 Responses to SATA Sets 65 Years As Retirement Age And Not 55

Coup ready

October 4, 2011 at 5:10 pm

I think this is good. He just doesnt want to look very bad because he is a civil servant way over 55.
Magai

October 4, 2011 at 5:36 pm

I strongly feel that retirement at age 65 is an ideal scenario. Can we all consider that life after retirement at say 55, when you are young and still quite productive is a contributing factor to a quick death after retirement.
Some comments i have read are proposing that the retirement age be 52 years of age? this is absurd. Lowering it to 52 years will kill our people quicker than before. Lets be rational Zambians. If we can jack up our medical fascilities and put in place a comprehensive and sound pension fascility, retirement at 65 can only do the Nation good.
We are only as rational as we assume!
Chinvindinvindi

October 4, 2011 at 5:41 pm

Zedians, dont give up your rights to canvas your MP to shape your destiny. You labour union will fight for you. Your church will also talk on your behalf. Your opposition parties will also help you.
Ba Sata is not perfect. He will listen and climb down.
I believe that he is not Pigheaded like lupiah who could have said “damme good idea!”
the pensioner will have collect and invest his pension at 50 but can legally retire at 50 but can also agree to go on working until 65.
Shape you future!
Kay Hummer

October 4, 2011 at 5:44 pm

Temba u must be foolish to think like that!!!
maria

October 4, 2011 at 6:08 pm

word!
wana

October 4, 2011 at 6:13 pm

THIS IS SAD INDEED CAN THE OPPOSITION PLIZ INIBIT THIS BAD DECREE LIFE EXPECTANCY IN ZED IS 35 YRS NOT 65 YRS
Ackim kabo

October 4, 2011 at 6:33 pm

Plse Pipo differentiate between Pensionable age and retirement age.
1.When you retire early will get more money including the years before your pension at 65, this will depend on each individual institution or company’s condition of service.
2.All Zambians with NRC ending with /1 at the age of 65 and above whether worked or not will automatcally be elligible to be on Pension with a monthly net pay to sustain your living immediately the Act is put in place,which means the Govt. shall be responsible for all your needs and wants till death or get your salary equivalent at your nearest Post office/zanaco.Think before you criticise.
fresh

October 4, 2011 at 6:34 pm

i support all his moves so far, but not this one….
Lemuka

October 4, 2011 at 6:37 pm

On ths on we nid 2 send a vry strong protest as civil savants. We cnt b subjected 2tha kind of nosens. Hw many low clas workers e.g nurses, teachers rich that age. Thats nonses of the highest orda. Mr pres we lov bt ton do. Yo polices may sound good in yo own imagination bt yo party wl nt liv long.
pondamali

October 4, 2011 at 6:39 pm

People learn to analyse situation intelligently,honestly at 55 for someone who didn’t cheat when getting the NRC is early,iv worked with people who when they tell you they are retiring,you can’t believe,looking so energetic with vast experience,65 is only a nitemare to those who cheated when getting NRCs!Infact most people apply to work on contracts after retirement,the question is can an energyless individual wish to work again?
FM Katayi

October 4, 2011 at 6:56 pm

Ba President Sata Micheal Chilufya, reconsider the retiring age and let it be at 55 years please. Just find ways of making money to pay the pensioners. Are you trying to see the strength of the opposition parties or give a recipe for 2016 campaign? For sure, any political party that is going promise people to reduce retirement age or maintain it at 55 will be voted for. Please ba Sata iyi yena nailuka. Please mwe ma advisors, let HE President Sata rescind the descission. Let him read all these comments. It is very true that President Sata does not want to pay any pensioner. If he can create jobs to everyone well and good. Awe kwena 65 batata Sata yachilamo.
TJ600

October 4, 2011 at 7:08 pm

this will go down in history as the first move wrong you made during your tenure.life expectance in zed is below 40years.this increase is for veterans you are bring in like ba chikwanda,ba sebastian,e.t.c.wen are younths going to be permanent secretaries,head teachers,e.t.c.and wats you deal with the post newspaper ai? george chella was accompaning you almost everyway during your campaigns and now it ba malupenga who has been appointed.am still pf anyway but wont support wrong things!
bullworker

October 4, 2011 at 7:10 pm

Pension deficits in Japan, Germany, the UK and the USA is a nightmare for those governments. Public pensions never works and will never work. There are so many factors that affect pension fund performance.
Government runs on “Pay as you go” and it leaves huge uncertain burden on the shoulders of future generations. Current generation enjoys while next generation pays through its nose.

Game goes on for a few decades before it collapses and rules are rewritten.

Is Pensions Fund Manager Association behind this move so that they can achieve what they have been trying for occupational pension schemes?
Fair play

October 4, 2011 at 8:51 pm

We need old people for wisdom. Look at our president he’s so smart. Young men and women let’s use our strength to support smart elders. We need experienced people to guide the enthusiastic young workers. It would be better to have a provision of retiring early say : We have a retirement age range from 50 to 60 depending on what suits a person. A person can decide to retire any time between 50 to 60 inclusive.
Chanda

October 4, 2011 at 8:53 pm

The coments l have read so far, cival servants are not 4 the idea. This might make you unpopular my president. Change your mind. I hope chella will open this website and see how angry cival servants are.
Tuku

October 4, 2011 at 10:00 pm

This is a useless move to its highest level,no two way about it.we accept changes but not this rubbish.
FB

October 4, 2011 at 10:46 pm

I like the idea of 65 years. If retirement age is increased the govt will serve some money which can be used to develop Zambia. Go for it.
Mpombo

October 4, 2011 at 11:11 pm

Dònchi kubeba wilalilalila ashi!!!. Wait and see u wil c more blunders than mistakes.Over appointing,fbz…
mkn

October 4, 2011 at 11:38 pm

65 when our life expectance is below 45 !! On this ONE uuuchii!!!! noooo Mr.President it hurts… Teaching at that age is not a joke..Let be by choice
Dar es salaam

October 5, 2011 at 12:03 am

Those complaining should wait until they reach 50yrs then you will realize that you are still young. Problem has been poor planning by would be pensioners. Salaries have ben too meagre that the only hope to revamp things is by hoping to get that pension and start a new life at a `better` financial level with that pension money.Those with alot of sufferings see 65yrs to be too much a waiting.My friends and others may agree most of you condemning are less than 40yrs.If the economy is sound 50yrs is like in the middle age.Stop planning for pensions plan now with better education and you will see what I mean.
Kandanga

October 5, 2011 at 1:15 am

If Zambia can improve the quality of life of it’s citizens to where the life expectancy of an average Zambia is above 65, this direction may be okay. However if this is not done, very few Zambia will ever benefit from thid act. The life expectancy of a male Zambia is right now below 50 years.
Bochikile

October 5, 2011 at 5:11 am

The whole thing is hinged on saving money which he will flash in his plans and leave a time bomb for the next leader,& do something about the bad paying indians hiding and pointing fingers at the Chinese .
Bashi Sekelani

October 5, 2011 at 8:26 am

Here’s the change we all wanted!!!
Susu

October 5, 2011 at 8:45 am

65, and when are we the young people going to occupy those positions?more jobs will come if all those already past 55 are retired and given their share. dont think its the best move
Anonymous

October 5, 2011 at 9:21 am

According to a research, People who retire at the age of 50 die earlier than those who work until maybe 70…
nangu mulelanda ifi, most of the positions in companies are occupied by people who have passed their retirement and are called back to work on contract because of their expertise. hes just making it official…look at your company first then condemn the move…by the way am not even PF.
OG

October 5, 2011 at 9:48 am

While the rationale behind the reasoning to adjust retirement age from 55 to 65 yrs seeem somewhat acceptable.i do not entirely concur with this .The life expectancy of a common civil servant is low.The 65 yr capping should apply to high ranking civil servants, i think it will be wrong to apply this accross all civil servants.Look, it takes years for civil servants to get their dues.Meaning, they will only get their pension almost at 70 yrs.I think the best is to split the retirement age between high ranking official and ordinary civil servants.
Rio

October 5, 2011 at 10:10 am

Wrong move…the only beneficiaries to this are the overly fat pension schemers like NAPSA! Early retirement opens up the labor markets to new and energetic individuals! We are not in UK where life expectancy is high and individuals still look young in their 50s!
purity

October 5, 2011 at 10:25 am

HEHEHEHE, what life expectancy are you all talking about? Ok fine to some extent I agree with you that 65 as an absolute retirement age is quite something. In my opinion, I wish there could also be a clause on early retirement which can either be at 45 or indeed 55 and for who soever goes for early retirement, there should be no contract work for them. So 65 is ok but I wish for early retirement too.
purity

October 5, 2011 at 10:26 am

Looks like you are all except me dying before your time.I am sad mwe.
SMOKINGGUN

October 5, 2011 at 10:36 am

THERE ARE 2 FORMS OF EMPLOYMENT CONDITIONS, NAMELY PERMANENT AND PENSIONABLE AND CONTRACT. THERE IS NOTHING WRONG FOR ONE TO BE EMPLOYED ON CONTRACT. IF ANYTHING THERE IS A HISTORY TO WHY BOTH EMPLOYERS, THE LABOUR MOVEMENT AND THE PREVIOUS GOVERNMENT AGREED TO REDUCE THE RETIREMENT AGE FROM 65 TO 55. IF THE ISSUE IS LACK OF MONEY TO PAY RETIREES PLEASE MR PRESIDENT SEEK INFORMED ADVICE ON TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT IN ZAMBIA. YOUR DIRECTIVE TO SAY THE LEAST SMELLS OF IGNORANCE ON LABOUR ISSUES.
kay Love

October 5, 2011 at 10:51 am

He/she who does not work, will not eat.
dewenga

October 5, 2011 at 11:00 am

retirement at 55 years is just fine, any changes to be made should be made through parliament, and i’m hopeful any arbitrary changes to the retirement age will be shot down!
See Through

October 5, 2011 at 12:19 pm

The young of Zambia this time arround decided to make statement by turning out in numbers to cast their vote of MCS and PF on the hope that he had given them, I am still on his side, but this one was one of the reasons they went out and voted, the hope was that the aged will take off creating space for the young in line with job creation but what we see is job creation for the old. 55 was fine, we were just supposed to get rid of contracts. Every yr colleges and universities chan out thousands of graduates.. the question are they ever going to work? As for defence, people will be stack at one place which is bad for morale
Cletus Kangwa

October 5, 2011 at 2:35 pm

come on 65 is too much the civil service will stagnet it will be fool of old hags in offices no no no we need generational shifts in the system
chipo

October 5, 2011 at 2:39 pm

is this what you call working within 90 days.Give the people the money at 55years when they are still energetic so that they do some business activity e.g farming to boost the economy.plse rescind.
purity

October 5, 2011 at 10:04 pm

ok i suggest 45 years as retirement age since you people say your lives expectance in Zed is somewhere ther. How about that?