News / National
No money for former MPs
05 Sep 2014 at 10:39hrs | Views
Legislators from Zimbabwe's 7th parliament are wallowing in poverty amid reports that the national assembly would not be able to pay their outstanding allowances in the foreseeable future.
MPs who spoke on condition of anonymity told The Zimbabwe Mail that, while the legislature had deposited a budget with treasury that included the old lawmakers' outstanding allowances, treasury had requested for a streamlined budget.
"Parliament, in its wisdom or lack of it, then decided to remove the part that was meant for the parliamentarians from the 7th legislature after the Finance ministry requested for a rationalised budget.
"The administrators at parliament decided to request for funds to pay-off the outstanding allowances owed to current MPs and the insurance payments for the cars bought recently under the vehicle ownership scheme," said an insider.
National assembly speaker Jacob Mudenda could neither deny nor confirm the claims.
"These are administrative issues that we do not discuss in the press. We are dealing with them," Mudenda replied curtly.
Two weeks ago, parliament received a $900 000 tranche from treasury that is reportedly sitting in the legislative account while the standing rules and orders committee (SROC) is set to meet to decide on how the money is to be distributed.
"The SROC will have to sit and decide on how to use the money. They are contemplating whether to pay-off the old MPs who did not return to the house after the harmonised elections last July or those in the current parliament who also served in the previous one because they have not been receiving any allowances or fuel coupons for their travels," a source added.
Ex-legislators Forum executive chairperson Ward Nezi, who fronts a lobby group agitating for the rights of parliamentarians who served in previous legislatures but are still owed huge sums of money, said the situation was dire.
"It is difficult to describe the situation, suffice to say it is dire, for lack of a better word. On a given day I get no less than five calls from lawmakers asking about their money. They are suffering, but we are grateful because behind the scenes we have been engaging government which has been forthcoming," said Nezi.
He said his organisation was working hard to alleviate the plight of the former legislators who have hit hard times.
The legislature owes members of the 7th parliament at least $4 million in outstanding allowances and salaries that has turned most of them into near paupers.
MPs who spoke on condition of anonymity told The Zimbabwe Mail that, while the legislature had deposited a budget with treasury that included the old lawmakers' outstanding allowances, treasury had requested for a streamlined budget.
"Parliament, in its wisdom or lack of it, then decided to remove the part that was meant for the parliamentarians from the 7th legislature after the Finance ministry requested for a rationalised budget.
"The administrators at parliament decided to request for funds to pay-off the outstanding allowances owed to current MPs and the insurance payments for the cars bought recently under the vehicle ownership scheme," said an insider.
National assembly speaker Jacob Mudenda could neither deny nor confirm the claims.
"These are administrative issues that we do not discuss in the press. We are dealing with them," Mudenda replied curtly.
"The SROC will have to sit and decide on how to use the money. They are contemplating whether to pay-off the old MPs who did not return to the house after the harmonised elections last July or those in the current parliament who also served in the previous one because they have not been receiving any allowances or fuel coupons for their travels," a source added.
Ex-legislators Forum executive chairperson Ward Nezi, who fronts a lobby group agitating for the rights of parliamentarians who served in previous legislatures but are still owed huge sums of money, said the situation was dire.
"It is difficult to describe the situation, suffice to say it is dire, for lack of a better word. On a given day I get no less than five calls from lawmakers asking about their money. They are suffering, but we are grateful because behind the scenes we have been engaging government which has been forthcoming," said Nezi.
He said his organisation was working hard to alleviate the plight of the former legislators who have hit hard times.
The legislature owes members of the 7th parliament at least $4 million in outstanding allowances and salaries that has turned most of them into near paupers.
Source - Zim Mail
