Zambian President Levy Mwanawasa and members of his cabinet have agreed to an immediate 30% cut in their salaries to curb government spending, Vice President Nevers Mumba announced on Friday.
The salary cut was agreed to at a recent cabinet meeting as part of remedial measures to offset overspending, Mumba said in a statement.
”The decision was a voluntary one and all the ministers agreed at the last cabinet meeting,” the vice president added.
Earlier this year Parliament approved a hike in salaries for the president, cabinet ministers and lawmakers. But the move was condemned by trade unions.
”We will soon announce other measures aimed at reducing government expenditure,” Mumba said.
Mwanawasa had been receiving a basic salary of 8,2-million kwacha a month (about R700). The Zambian president recently claimed he was Africa’s lowest paid head of state. – Sapa-AFP