FODEP opposes increase in retirement age

The Foundation for Democratic Process (FODEP) says it is an assault on the constitution making process for government to increase the retirement age from 55 to 65 years.

FODEP Executive Director MacDonald Chipenzi says this is because the final draft constitution which is a product of the current constitution making process already has provisions of the retirement for the civil service.

Mr. Chipenzi says his organization is thus amazed by acting President Guy Scott’s decision to sign the statutory instrument to effect the change of retirement age from 55 to 65 years.

He says people have already rejected this retirement age in the consultative forums held prior to the drafting of the final draft constitution.

Mr. Chipenzi says his organization therefore finds it frustrating and shameful that such a decision to increase the retirement has been made by the Acting president who in fact is aware that people have already rejected the increase in the retirement age.

He wonders whether or not such amendments to the current constitution actually mean that the Patriotic Front (PF) government wants to enact the new constitution in a piecemeal manner.