If you held a public office before this Constitution took effect, your existing rights and benefits are protected. The government cannot reduce your salary, pension, or other entitlements because of the new Constitution. Your terms of service remain as they were when you were appointed. This means you cannot lose any advantages you already had, and your position is safeguarded from being made worse by the change in law.

Subject to <span class="underline-gradient ref" data-tippy-content data-ref="269">Article 269</span>, any person holding any office under this Constitution before the 13th day of September, 2005, shall, so far as consistent with this Constitution, continue in office in an equivalent office.

Article 293 ensures that individuals holding office before September 13, 2005, can continue in their positions or equivalent roles, as long as they comply with this Constitution.

Article 293: Rights of current office holders

Preservation of rights in respect of existing offices

<div style='font-weight:600; margin-bottom:12px; padding-bottom:6px'>Existing offices</div><div style='margin-top:10px; margin-bottom:6px;'><strong>1</strong> Subject to the provisions of this Article, every person who immediately before the coming into force of this Constitution held or was acting in any office established by or by virtue of the Constitution then in force, so far as is consistent with the provisions of this Constitution, shall be taken to have been appointed as from the coming into force of this Constitution, to hold or to act in the equivalent office under this Constitution.<div style='margin-left:16px; margin-top:6px; margin-bottom:4px;'></div><div style='margin-top:10px; margin-bottom:6px;'><strong>2</strong> The provisions of this Article shall not prejudice any powers conferred by or under this Constitution or any other law on any person or authority to make provision for the abolition of office or for the removal from office of persons holding or acting in any office and for requiring persons to retire from office.<div style='margin-left:16px; margin-top:6px; margin-bottom:4px;'></div><div style='margin-top:10px; margin-bottom:6px;'><strong>3</strong> In determining, for the purpose of any law relating to retirement benefits or otherwise, the length of service of a public officer to whom clause (1) of this Article applies, service as a public officer under the Government in existence immediately before the coming into force of this Constitution shall be deemed to be continuous with service as a public officer which begins immediately after the coming into force of this Constitution.<div style='margin-left:16px; margin-top:6px; margin-bottom:4px;'></div><div style='margin-top:10px; margin-bottom:6px;'><strong>4</strong> Except as otherwise provided in this Constitution, the terms and conditions of service of a person to whom this Article applies shall not be less favourable than those applicable to that person immediately before the coming into force of this Constitution.<div style='margin-left:16px; margin-top:6px; margin-bottom:4px;'></div><div style='margin-top:10px; margin-bottom:6px;'><strong>5</strong> For the avoidance of doubt, it is declared that any office established before the coming into force of this Constitution which is inconsistent with any provision of this Constitution is, on the coming into force of this Constitution, abolished.<div style='margin-left:16px; margin-top:6px; margin-bottom:4px;'></div></div>

Article 293: Rights of current office holders

293.Preservation of rights in respect of existing offices

Summary