STAFF WRITER
The spouses of the President and VPs will now be entitled to allowances following amendment to legislation as the government moves to pamper some of the country’s VVIPs, Business Times can report.
A recent Finance Act shows that the Presidential Salary and Allowances Act (Chapter 2:06) has been amended to cater for allowances for the spouses of the President and VPs.
Section 2A (1) of the Act states that: “The spouse of a President shall be entitled to such allowances at such rate as may be prescribed from time to time in terms of section 3”.
Section 2A(2) states that: “The spouse of a Vice President shall be entitled to such allowances at such rate as may be prescribed from time to time in terms of section 3”.
The allowances come barely six months after the government gazetted benefits for former first ladies.
President Mnangagwa promulgated Statutory Instrument 261 which stipulates the benefits to be enjoyed by former first ladies.
The country currently has two former first ladies, Janet Banana, wife of the late ceremonial president Canaan Banana (1980-87) and Grace Mugabe, former President Robert Mugabe’s widow.
The benefits, to be paid includes, security personnel as may be determined by the President but not less than two, and to be increased by such number as may be determined by the President whenever, and for such period, as the need arises, one driver, one Private Secretary, one aide-de-camp officer or personal assistant, office accommodation as may be determined by the President, a landline telephone and a cell phone and a computer.
Other benefits being enjoyed by former first ladies include, office facilities, equipment and materials as may be determined by the President, suitable state residential accommodation and one domestic employee among other material benefits.
