PATRIOTIC Front (PF) leader Michael Sata has asked President Rupiah Banda to revoke a statutory instrument increasing the retirement age for officers in the defence forces to 60 years from 55.

In a letter to President Banda dated October 19, Mr Sata said the statutory instrument used discretionary powers to extend the retirement age of senior officers from 50 to 55 and 60 to 65 years.

He said that his party felt that the statutory instrument was discriminatory because it had excluded ordinary soldiers and other defence personnel.

He said if the aim was to give extended service to the defence personnel it must have included everybody including those in the open service.

"I therefore implore you to revoke this obnoxious piece of legislation in order to ensure that everybody is a beneficiary of the national cake," he said.