'Zimbabwe can't afford so many MPs,' says Marumahoko

Hurungwe North National Assembly representative Rueben Marumahoko (Zanu-PF) says Parliament should reduce the number of legislators through a constitutional amendment.

Marumahoko made the suggestion while contributing to debate on President Mugabe's speech at the official opening of the First Session of the Eighth Parliament.

Zimbabwe has 270 National Assembly representatives and 80 Senators, while there would be over 200 members of provincial councils when they are established.

Parliament owes members of the Seventh Parliament at least $15 million in unpaid allowances, while debts to hotels also run into millions.

Meanwhile, the MDC-T Parliamentary Caucus has written to the National Assembly seeking a raft of shocking benefits that would cost Treasury an extra $89 million annually.

The proposals come at a time when there is a public outcry over obscene salaries and allowances drawn by senior management at Government-linked institutions and firms.

The demands include, among other things, nearly tripling the sitting allowance from $75 a sitting to $200, executive vehicles, toll gate exemptions, weekly fuel coupons worth 100 litres, and accommodation allowances for legislators who represent constituencies in Harare where Parliament sits.

The letter - jointly signed by MDC-T vice president and leader of the opposition in Parliament Thokozani Khupe, and the party's chief whip Innocent Gonese - is dated February 6, 2014 and was copied to Senate president Edna Madzongwe, Deputy Senate president Chen Chimutengwende, National Assembly Deputy Speaker Mabel Chinomona, Chiefs Council president Chief Fortune Charumbira and Zanu-PF Chief Whip Jorum Gumbo.