Government reviews state lawyers’ allowances
Ministry of Finance has approved the review of condition of service for government lawyers.
According to a leaked internal communication we have seen, signed by the Secretary to the Treasury MacDonald Mafuta Mwale and addressed to the Secretary for Human Resource Management and Development (HRMD), government has, among others, revised upwards non-practicing allowance and mobile phone airtime allocation as well as introducing security allowance.
For instance, non-practising allowance which they receive as a recompense for not practising private legal work, has been adjusted from K350 000 to K500 000 per month.
The decision follows a “No Objection” request by HRMD to revise government lawyers’ condition of service.
Reads the communication in part: “Following the information provided, the approval is granted to revise the non-practising allowance, mobile phone airtime and introduction of security allowance to the tune of K500 000, K50 000 and K100 000 respectively.
“Please note that the approval is with effect from October 2023 to allow inclusion of the corresponding resources in the budget in the coming mid-year budget review.”
When contacted, Secretary for HRMD Blessings Chilabade referred The Nation to the department’s spokesperson Ken Ntonga. But when contacted, Ntonga asked for more time to consult relevant offices.
In May 2019, government lawyers threatened to go on strike demanding the adjustment of non-practising from K150 000 to K350 000.
The lawyers also demanded the introduction of a K300 000 housing allowance, a car loan and medical schemes, risk allowance and adjustment of monthly airtime which was at K15 000.
The State advocates, who were about 60 in number, claimed that their demands are genuine as they sometimes handle sensitive court cases, which endanger their lives.
