Zanu PF MP lobby for legislators executive treatment

Mpopoma Pelandaba MP for Zanu PF Joseph Tshuma has lobbied for the parliamentarians to be treated at par with the executives in government in which he said they must be given nice cars such as Mercedes Benz.

Speaking in parliament Tshuma said as parliamentarians play an oversight role to the Executive it means that they are the overseers of the Executive.

"So, why are we not at par with the Executive? We are not asking for body guards, but we are asking to be at par with them in terms of resource allocation. They are given an off road car and a nice Mercedes Benz. We are only given one car. They are accorded their status in so many places and we are not accorded that, yet we are the overseers. We are supposed to be the people overseeing those people. Where is the equality?" he said.

"I do not want to come here and just talk. I have just come here to emphasise on one thing. We want to be equal. Let us have that equal power. We are one of the three arms of State, the Legislature, the Executive and the Judiciary. So, let us be put on an equal footing because after all, the Executive is chosen after they have been elected to be Members of Parliament."

He said one start by being a Member of Parliament and then become a Minister.

"So, this means that we are equal. We want the diplomatic passports before April. We must have the diplomatic passports. We even want a second car. We need to have it," he said. "Right now, if you go outside by the parking lot, there are 4 X 4s and I am told they are for the judges. We do not have that. So, let us have that because we are supposed to be all equal, the three arms. That is all I want to talk about today. Let us be equal."