Outgoing MPs demand allowances

OUTGOING Parliamentarians yesterday demanded their outstanding allowances and residential stands saying the issues must be addressed urgently following the announcement of adjournment of Parliament yesterday.

The 8th Parliament adjourns today to pave way for the forthcoming elections and some of the members will take the opportunity to campaign to be  voted back into the August House.

MDC-T's Musikavanhu constituency legislator Mr Prosper Mutseyami who is a member of the welfare committee moved the motion saying Parliament must pay them their dues before the lapse of this term.

"Mr Speaker, my point of order to the House, is for this House to take note that the life of this Parliament is coming to an end and as a result of that, I being a member of the welfare committee representing members of Parliament, this Parliament owes us money, we are owed our allowances which have been outstanding for a very long time," he said.

Mr Mutseyami said some legislators had lost primary elections in their respective parties and must be saved the inconvenience of coming to Parliament to demand their dues next term.

"Among us we've members who lost primary elections and as a result the route is clear that they won't be coming back unless they stand as independents or whatever.

"So in that regard, Mr Speaker Sir, my appeal to the House is for this house to make sure that outstanding allowances are paid to respective MPs before the end of this term, before they leave, Mr Speaker Sir," he said.

The legislator also demanded that the August House sort out issues of their residential stands as they were only given offer letters which were not specific.

"Then the other thing is to do with our stands. We were issued with offer letters, offer letters are nothing, what we request urgently as a matter of yesterday is for members of Parliament to be given lease agreements with regards to their stands.

"And these lease agreements must be done like yesterday through the administration of Parliament so that every member must be given his lease agreement with a list of his stand number, the square metres and the agreement thereto and all the conditions that we agreed as a committee that are supposed to be abided by with regard to the payment of these stands. Mr Speaker Sir I rest my issue and I stand guided for a response for these issues to be addressed like yesterday," he said.

"We don't need this thing that members of Parliament come here in September, October going  through the other door looking for allowances.
All these things must be completed when they are still sitting."

Acting Speaker of Parliament, Mr Reuben Marumahoko said the issue of allowances had been addressed by Finance and Economic Planning Minister, Patrick Chinamasa.

"I think the issue of allowances was addressed by the Minister of Finance and I didn't see any reason here to raise it again. The Minister of Finance has given us dates when you are due to be paid," he said.

Zanu-PF's outgoing Zvishavane-Ngezi Member of Parliament Mr John Holder weighed in saying the issue of allowances must be addressed urgently and reminded the Acting Speaker that he too was affected as he had lost the primary elections.

"The Honourable member who just spoke there was  right on track because a lot of us are not coming back and because a lot of us are not coming back we need to get what belongs to us. Render unto Caesar what belongs to Caesar including you Mr Speaker you're not coming back as well. So, we are fixing for all of us here," said Mr Holder.