MPs in fresh US$30k demand

MOSES MATENGA

Fresh from receiving the controversial US$40,000 each as loans from the government, Zimbabwe’s lawmakers have made a fresh demand for a US$30,000 duty free facility to import vehicles from other countries ahead of the elections due this year.

The MPs argue they have been neglected by the government and continue to live in abject poverty that include them facing embarrassment of being chucked out of hotel accommodation for failure to pay.

Others say they are facing transport woes as they are yet to have vehicle facilities from the government.

Critics said MPs are making numerous demands for self-enrichment and forgetting their mandate to represent the people.

“The other issue is on the car loans that are outstanding,” Norton MP Temba Mliswa who said was representing MPs from across the political divide said.

“My fellow colleagues are going for primary elections and unfortunately they do not have vehicles. I am appealing also on the issue of duty free US$30 000 because it was agreed,” Mliswa said.

He said there was a need to empower MPs so that those who will not make it back to Parliament will have something to show.

Mliswa, in agreement with other MPs, also raised concern over the welfare of MPs and revealed they were yet to receive allowances due to them since September last year.

“We thought you had heard us. I would like to thank you for the US$40 000 that we received as it is said that half a loaf is better than nothing, so I want to thank the Government for the disbursement of the US$40 000,” Mliswa said.

“It is about the welfare of the Members of Parliament, in particular their outstanding allowances – they have not received their outstanding allowances from September,” Mliswa said and was supported by other MPs including Harare East lawmaker Tendai Biti who said they have tried to engage authorities without success.

“On allowances, we did not get our monies, especially after coming from the Pre-Budget Seminar.  This was in November, so we actually thought that since we had Pre-budget in November, all the outstanding issues would be taken care of.  We then went on a break; there are field visits that are also outstanding in terms of payments.”

Mliswa said what remains worrying is the outstanding figures may be eroded by inflation.

“The rate was 600 at that time and now it has gone to 1200, so we are merely getting half of what we were supposed to get,” he said.

There were calls from other MPs in the house to have Kennedy Chokuda fired as Clerk of Parliament for failure to deal with such issues.

But Mudenda questioned the MPs why they have been quiet on the matter since September.