The Benefits of Former Presidents and Former Vice-Presidents Act , 2026

[No. 16 of 2026 585
Benefits of Former Presidents
and Former Vice-Presidents
THE BENEFITS OF FORMER PRESIDENTS AND
FORMER VICE-PRESIDENTS ACT, 2026
ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS
Section
1. Short title
2. Application
3. Interpretation
4. Retirement benefits of former President
5. Retirement benefits of former Vice-President
6. Benefits of former President and former Vice-President
on remarriage of surviving spouse
7. Circumstances that render retirement benefits not payable
8. Funeral benefits of former President and former Vice-
President
9. Former Vice-President assuming office of President
10. Retirement benefits to be charge on Consolidated Fund
11. Repeal of Cap. 15, and savings and transitional provisions
SCHEDULES
Single copies of this Act may be obtained from the Government Printer,
P.O. Box 30136, 10101 Lusaka, Price K20.00 each.

nsitional provisions
SCHEDULES
Single copies of this Act may be obtained from the Government Printer,
P.O. Box 30136, 10101 Lusaka, Price K20.00 each.

[No. 16 of 2026 587
Benefits of Former Presidents
and Former Vice-Presidents
An Act to provide for the retirement benefits of former
Presidents and former Vice-Presidents of the Republic;
repeal and replace the Benefits of Former Presidents Act,
1993; and to provide for matters connected with, or
incidental to, the foregoing.
[12th June, 2026
ENACTED by the Parliament of Zambia.
1. This Act may be cited as the Benefits of Former Presidents
and Former Vice-Presidents Act, 2026.
2. (1) This Act shall apply to all former Presidents.
(2) This Act applies to a former Vice-President who served
as a Vice-President of the Republic, or in an equivalent office,
from 1964.
(3) Despite subsection (2), a former Vice-President referred
to under subsection (2) shall only be entitled to the retirement benefits
from the commencement of this Act and shall not accrue benefits
retrospectively.
Short title
Enactment
Application
GOVERNMENT OF ZAMBIA
ACT
No. 16 of 2026
Date of Assent: 4th June, 2026

nd shall not accrue benefits
retrospectively.
Short title
Enactment
Application
GOVERNMENT OF ZAMBIA
ACT
No. 16 of 2026
Date of Assent: 4th June, 2026

Benefits of Former Presidents
and Former Vice-Presidents588 No. 16 of 2026]
3.

Benefits of Former Presidents
and Former Vice-Presidents588 No. 16 of 2026]
3.

In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires —
“active politics” means the doing of an act indicating a person’s
intention to hold an elective or appointive office, or holding
an elective or appointive office, in a political party or in an
organisation whose main aim is the furtherance of political
objectives;
“child of the family” has the meaning assigned to the words
“child of family” under the Children’s Code Act, 2022;
“Consolidated Fund” means the Consolidated Fund established
under the Constitution;
“emoluments” has the meaning assigned to the word in the
Constitution;
“executive house” means a house with specifications, as
prescribed;
“former President” means a person who, having served as
President of the Republic, vacates office in the manner
specified under the Constitution;
“former Vice-President” means a person who, having served
as Vice-President or Prime Minister of the Republic, or in
an equivalent office, from 1964, vacates office in the
manner specified under the Constitution;
“gross misconduct” has the meaning assigned to the words in
the Constitution;
“motor vehicle” has the meaning assigned to the words in the
Road Traffic Act;
“political party” has the meaning assigned to the words in the
Constitution;
“President” means the President of the Republic;
“Vice-President” means the Vice-President of the Republic;
“repealed Act” means the Benefits of Former Presidents Act;
and
“Republic” has the meaning assigned to the word in the
Constitution.

of the Republic;
“repealed Act” means the Benefits of Former Presidents Act;
and
“Republic” has the meaning assigned to the word in the
Constitution.

Act No. 12
of 2022
Cap. 1
Cap. 1
Cap. 1
Cap. 464
Cap.1
Cap. 15
Cap. 1
Interpretation
Cap. 1
Cap. 1

Act No. 12
of 2022
Cap. 1
Cap. 1
Cap. 1
Cap. 464
Cap.1
Cap. 15
Cap. 1
Interpretation
Cap. 1
Cap. 1

Benefits of Former Presidents
and Former Vice-Presidents
4. (1) A former President shall be entitled to the following
benefits:
(a) a tax-free monthly salary at the rate of eighty percent of
the emoluments of the incumbent President;
(b) a furnished executive house built or bought in the Republic
by the Government or in lieu of the house, a one-off
cash payment in currency units, as prescribed, that the
former President shall use to build or buy a house in the
Republic at a place of choice of the former President;
(c) within a period not exceeding six months from the date of
vacating office, three drivers and three motor vehicles;
(d) free maintenance of the vehicles referred to under
paragraph (c) and fuel for the vehicles as Cabinet may
determine; and
(e) the other benefits set out in the First Schedule. (2) Despite subsection (1)(b), a former President shall,
immediately the former President vacates office, be entitled to
housing accommodation as the Government may determine until
the executive house referred to under subsection (1)(b) is built or
bought.

be entitled to
housing accommodation as the Government may determine until
the executive house referred to under subsection (1)(b) is built or
bought.

(3) A surviving spouse and child of the family of a former
President shall, where the former President who is entitled to the
benefits referred to under subsection (1) dies while in, or after
vacating, office be entitled to the following:
(a) a surviving spouse and child of the family who has not
attained the age of twenty one years shall be entitled,
jointly, to —
(i) a tax-free monthly pension at the rate of fifty
percent of the emoluments of the incumbent
President;
(ii) one driver and one motor vehicle; and
(iii) free maintenance of the vehicle referred to under
subparagraph (ii) and fuel for the vehicle as
Cabinet may determine;
Retirement
benefits of
former
President
[No. 16 of 2026 589

cle referred to under
subparagraph (ii) and fuel for the vehicle as
Cabinet may determine;
Retirement
benefits of
former
President
[No. 16 of 2026 589

Benefits of Former Presidents
and Former Vice-Presidents
(b) a surviving spouse and child of the family shall be entitled,
jointly, to a furnished executive house built or bought in
the Republic by the Government at a place of choice of
the surviving spouse, if the executive house referred to
under subsection (1)(b) is not built or bought for the
former President; and
(c) a surviving spouse shall , in addition to the benefits referred
to under paragraphs (a) and (b), be entitled to the benefits
referred to under items 5, 6, 7 and 8 of the First Schedule. 5. (1) A former Vice-President shall be entitled to the
following benefits:
(a) a tax-free monthly salary at the rate of eighty per cent of
the emoluments of the incumbent Vice-President;
(b) within a period not exceeding six months from the date of
vacating office, two drivers and two motor vehicles;
(c) free maintenance of the vehicle referred to under
paragraph (b) and fuel for the vehicle as Cabinet may
determine; and
(d) the other benefits set out in the Second Schedule.

vehicle referred to under
paragraph (b) and fuel for the vehicle as Cabinet may
determine; and
(d) the other benefits set out in the Second Schedule.

(2) A former Vice-President who assumed office from August,
2016, shall, in addition to the benefits referred to under subsection
(1), be entitled to a furnished executive house built or bought in the
Republic by the Government or in lieu of the house, a one-off cash
payment equivalent to forty-five percent of the one-off cash
payment paid to a former President referred to under section
4(1)(b). (3) The one off cash payment referred to under subsection
(2) shall be used to build or buy an executive house in the Republic
at a place of choice of the former Vice-President. (4) A surviving spouse and child of the family, who has not
attained the age of twenty-one years, of a former Vice-President
shall, where the former Vice-President who is entitled to the
retirement benefits referred to under subsection (1) dies while in,
or after vacating, office be entitled, jointly, to a tax-free monthly
pension at the rate of fifty percent of the emoluments of the
incumbent Vice-President. Retirement
benefits of
former Vice-
President
590 No. 16 of 2026]

sion at the rate of fifty percent of the emoluments of the
incumbent Vice-President. Retirement
benefits of
former Vice-
President
590 No. 16 of 2026]

(5) Where a former Vice-President dies while in, or after
vacating, office, the retirement benefits referred to under —
(a) subsection (1) shall not form part of the estate of the
former Vice-President; and
(b) subsections (2),(3) and (4) shall form part of the estate of
the former Vice-President. 6. Subject to the Intestate Succession Act, a surviving spouse
of a former President or former Vice-President who remarries shall
cease to be entitled to the benefits referred to under sections 4(3) and
5(4). 7. (1) The retirement benefits of a former President and former
Vice-President referred to under sections 4 and 5 shall not be paid
or provided, if that former President or former Vice-President —
(a) is in receipt of a salary from the Government;
(b) is engaged in active politics;
(c) vacates office on the grounds of a violation of the
Constitution or of gross misconduct; or
(d) is convicted of an offence under a written law and
sentenced to a term of imprisonment exceeding six
months without an option of a fine.

nduct; or
(d) is convicted of an offence under a written law and
sentenced to a term of imprisonment exceeding six
months without an option of a fine.

(2) Despite subsection (1), the retirement benefits of a former
President and former Vice-President referred to under this Act
shall, in the case of —
(a) paragraph (a), become payable if the former President or
former Vice-President ceases to be in receipt of a salary
from the Government; or
(b) paragraph (b), not become payable if the former President
or former Vice-President ceases to be engaged in active
politics. (3) Despite subsection (1)(b) and (2)(b), the executive house
referred to under sections 4 (1)(b) and 5 (2) shall be retained by a
former President or former Vice-President where that former
President or former Vice-President engages in active politics or
ceases to be engaged in active politics. Benefits of
former
President
and former
Vice-
President on
remarriage of
surviving
spouse
Circumstances
that render
retirement
benefits not
payable
Benefits of Former Presidents
and Former Vice-Presidents
Cap. 59
[No. 16 of 2026 591

spouse
Circumstances
that render
retirement
benefits not
payable
Benefits of Former Presidents
and Former Vice-Presidents
Cap. 59
[No. 16 of 2026 591

8. (1) A former President and former Vice-President who
dies while in, or after vacating, office shall be buried at a burial site
designated by the Government within the Republic. (2) A funeral of a former President and former Vice-President
who dies while in, or after vacating, office shall be conducted in
accordance with State protocols, as may be prescribed. (3) A former President and former Vice-President who dies
while in, or after vacating, office shall be provided with funeral
benefits, as prescribed. 9. A former Vice-President who assumes the office of
President shall, on vacating the office of President, only be entitled
to the benefits specified under section 4. 10. The retirement benefits referred to under this Act shall be
a charge on the Consolidated Fund. 11. (1) The Benefits of Former Presidents Act is repealed. (2) Despite subsection (1), the retirement benefits that are
due to a former President under the repealed Act shall remain
valid as if the retirement benefits were paid in accordance with
this Act.

fits that are
due to a former President under the repealed Act shall remain
valid as if the retirement benefits were paid in accordance with
this Act.

Benefits of Former Presidents
and Former Vice-Presidents
Funeral
benefits of
former
President
and former
Vice-
President
Former Vice-
President
assuming
office of
President
Retirement
benefits to
be charge on
Consolidated
Fund
Repeal of
Cap. 15, and
savings and
transitional
provisions
592 No. 16 of 2026]

FIRST SCHEDULE
(Section 4(1)(e))
OTHER BENEFITS FOR FORMER PRESIDENT
1. An office.
2. One personal secretary.
3. Six security persons.
4. One Administrative Assistant, who shall be at the level of Deputy Permanent
Secretary.
5. Minimum of three house employees.
6. A diplomatic passport for the former President and spouse.
7. Medical insurance for the former President and spouse.
8. Foreign travel of up to two trips per annum.
9. Local travel of up to three trips per annum.
10. Twenty-four hours security service comprising of six security officers.
Benefits of Former Presidents
and Former Vice-Presidents [No. 16 of 2026 593

. Twenty-four hours security service comprising of six security officers.
Benefits of Former Presidents
and Former Vice-Presidents [No. 16 of 2026 593

Benefits of Former Presidents
and Former Vice-Presidents
SECOND SCHEDULE
(Section 5(1)(d))
OTHER BENEFITS FOR FORMER VICE-PRESIDENT
1. Diplomatic passport for the former Vice-President and spouse.
2. Medical insurance for the former Vice-President and spouse.
3. Foreign travel of up to one trip per annum.
4. Local travel of up to one trip per annum.
5. Twenty-four hours security service comprising of three security officers.
594 No. 16 of 2026]