Opinion / Columnist
How can MPs protect Zimbabweans from exploitation when they themselves are shielded?
20 hrs ago | Views
It's a tragedy when those meant to represent you no longer do.
The recent enactment of a law compelling Zimbabwean motorists to first purchase a ZBC car radio licence before they are allowed to obtain a ZINARA vehicle licence and third-party insurance has sparked widespread outrage.
But more troubling than the law itself is the question it raises: where were our Members of Parliament (MPs) when this law was passed?
These are the very people we elected to represent our interests, defend our livelihoods, and serve as a check on executive overreach.
Instead, what we are witnessing is a disturbing pattern of betrayal.
The passage of this law by both Houses of Parliament exposes a deep rot in our representative system.
To directly receive articles from Tendai Ruben Mbofana, please join his WhatsApp Channel on: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaqprWCIyPtRnKpkHe08
Rather than being a bulwark against hardship, our MPs are increasingly complicit in deepening it.
In a country where over 80 percent of the population lives in poverty, our elected representatives should be the first to resist policies that pile further burdens onto struggling citizens.
Yet, Zimbabweans are among the most heavily taxed populations in southern Africa, facing a long list of both direct and indirect taxes that cut across every aspect of life.
From income tax, VAT, and the discredited 2% electronic transfer levy, to fuel and road taxes, tollgate fees, passport and ID charges, and excise duties on fuel - the financial pressure is relentless.
Newer taxes such as the sugar tax, along with multiple levies on mobile airtime and data, only tighten the grip.
Even informal traders and rural villagers are not spared, forced to pay presumptive taxes and council levies while receiving little in return.
The burden is even worse for motorists.
On top of the already steep costs of owning and maintaining a vehicle in Zimbabwe, ordinary motorists are subjected to some of the most punishing charges in the region.
They endure exorbitant tollgate fees of up to US$4 per gate - despite driving on some of the most poorly maintained roads in southern Africa.
In contrast, South African motorists pay as little as R13 (less than US$1) on some toll routes, with even the more expensive routes like the Gauteng e-toll system charging under US$2 per pass.
In Namibia, toll systems are virtually non-existent, and Botswana charges around BWP 10 to 20 (approximately US$0.70 to US$1.50) at its few toll points.
Zimbabwe stands out for charging the most, yet offering the least in terms of road quality and maintenance.
To make matters worse, vehicle owners are now compelled to pay a mandatory US$92 annual ZBC car radio licence fee - regardless of whether the radio is functional or even used.
This is in stark contrast to countries like South Africa, which does not require a car radio licence at all.
Similarly, Namibia and Botswana impose no mandatory car radio fees whatsoever.
Zimbabwean motorists are effectively being taxed more than their regional counterparts, but with far less to show for it - highlighting the government's disturbing pattern of overburdening its citizens while shielding those in power from the same obligations.
In a nation where civil servants like teachers and nurses earn an average of just US$250 a month, and most citizens survive through informal trade, how can the government - and by extension, our MPs - justify deepening this suffering?
The answer lies in a harsh truth: our MPs are shielded from the very pain they're meant to fight against.
Recently, Speaker of Parliament Jacob Mudenda proudly announced that Parliament had secured a deal with ZINARA to exempt MPs from paying toll fees.
Another deal with the City of Harare has seen legislators spared from paying parking fees.
And that's not all - MPs also benefit from exemptions on ZINARA vehicle licence fees for their government-issued vehicles, further insulating them from the day-to-day financial pressures the rest of us endure.
These aren't mere conveniences - they are a form of elite insulation that detaches MPs from the lives of ordinary Zimbabweans.
Every five years - at the start of each electoral cycle - MPs receive brand-new vehicles, regardless of whether they are newly elected or returning.
Add to this their fuel allocations, generous travel and accommodation allowances, fully serviced vehicles, subsidised land or housing, and soft loans that are seldom repaid, and it becomes painfully obvious: these individuals do not live in the same Zimbabwe as the people they claim to represent.
This is why such punitive laws are passed without objection from Parliament - because MPs don't feel their effects.
Why would someone oppose a tax or fee they are not required to pay?
Why would they empathize with hardship they've been spared?
Parliament, which should serve as a watchdog on executive power, has become its handmaiden.
Every tax and levy, even if proposed by the Ministry of Finance or other ministries, still requires parliamentary approval.
If it becomes law, it's because our MPs supported it.
This reflects a Parliament that is no longer grounded in the people's suffering, but instead captured by perks and privilege.
Politics has shifted from being a calling to serve, to a career path for personal gain.
That's why we see such violent jostling for parliamentary seats - because the benefits are too lucrative to ignore.
Given the trend, we shouldn't be surprised if Parliament soon announces that MPs will also be exempt from paying ZBC radio licences, and even ZINARA vehicle licences and insurance for their private vehicles.
And let's be clear: while these perks are labeled as "exemptions," they are in fact funded by the very taxpayers being crushed by them.
There is no such thing as free in government - someone always pays, and that someone is us.
This needs to change.
True representation in a democracy is built on shared experience.
MPs must not live above the people - they must live among them.
They must feel the very pain their constituents feel.
Only then can they legislate with empathy and accountability.
This is not about revenge or cruelty. It is about equity.
Leadership must not be a fortress of privilege - it must be a bridge to the people.
Democracy demands a government by the people, of the people, for the people.
That only becomes real when those in office are still from the people, grounded in their everyday struggles.
When legislators are insulated from the consequences of their decisions, representation dies.
In its place grows elitism, indifference, and betrayal.
Zimbabweans deserve better.
We must demand more from those who speak in our name.
Until our MPs are made to feel what we feel, they will never fight for us.
Until they are stripped of their privileges and brought face to face with our realities, Parliament will remain a palace of privilege passing laws that strangle the people it was built to protect.
We need a new kind of leadership - one that walks with the people, not above them.
© Tendai Ruben Mbofana is a social justice advocate and writer. Please feel free to WhatsApp or Call: +263715667700 | +263782283975, or email: mbofana.tendairuben73@gmail.com, or visit website: https://mbofanatendairuben.news.blog/
The recent enactment of a law compelling Zimbabwean motorists to first purchase a ZBC car radio licence before they are allowed to obtain a ZINARA vehicle licence and third-party insurance has sparked widespread outrage.
But more troubling than the law itself is the question it raises: where were our Members of Parliament (MPs) when this law was passed?
These are the very people we elected to represent our interests, defend our livelihoods, and serve as a check on executive overreach.
Instead, what we are witnessing is a disturbing pattern of betrayal.
The passage of this law by both Houses of Parliament exposes a deep rot in our representative system.
To directly receive articles from Tendai Ruben Mbofana, please join his WhatsApp Channel on: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaqprWCIyPtRnKpkHe08
Rather than being a bulwark against hardship, our MPs are increasingly complicit in deepening it.
In a country where over 80 percent of the population lives in poverty, our elected representatives should be the first to resist policies that pile further burdens onto struggling citizens.
Yet, Zimbabweans are among the most heavily taxed populations in southern Africa, facing a long list of both direct and indirect taxes that cut across every aspect of life.
From income tax, VAT, and the discredited 2% electronic transfer levy, to fuel and road taxes, tollgate fees, passport and ID charges, and excise duties on fuel - the financial pressure is relentless.
Newer taxes such as the sugar tax, along with multiple levies on mobile airtime and data, only tighten the grip.
Even informal traders and rural villagers are not spared, forced to pay presumptive taxes and council levies while receiving little in return.
The burden is even worse for motorists.
On top of the already steep costs of owning and maintaining a vehicle in Zimbabwe, ordinary motorists are subjected to some of the most punishing charges in the region.
They endure exorbitant tollgate fees of up to US$4 per gate - despite driving on some of the most poorly maintained roads in southern Africa.
In contrast, South African motorists pay as little as R13 (less than US$1) on some toll routes, with even the more expensive routes like the Gauteng e-toll system charging under US$2 per pass.
In Namibia, toll systems are virtually non-existent, and Botswana charges around BWP 10 to 20 (approximately US$0.70 to US$1.50) at its few toll points.
Zimbabwe stands out for charging the most, yet offering the least in terms of road quality and maintenance.
To make matters worse, vehicle owners are now compelled to pay a mandatory US$92 annual ZBC car radio licence fee - regardless of whether the radio is functional or even used.
This is in stark contrast to countries like South Africa, which does not require a car radio licence at all.
Similarly, Namibia and Botswana impose no mandatory car radio fees whatsoever.
Zimbabwean motorists are effectively being taxed more than their regional counterparts, but with far less to show for it - highlighting the government's disturbing pattern of overburdening its citizens while shielding those in power from the same obligations.
In a nation where civil servants like teachers and nurses earn an average of just US$250 a month, and most citizens survive through informal trade, how can the government - and by extension, our MPs - justify deepening this suffering?
The answer lies in a harsh truth: our MPs are shielded from the very pain they're meant to fight against.
Recently, Speaker of Parliament Jacob Mudenda proudly announced that Parliament had secured a deal with ZINARA to exempt MPs from paying toll fees.
Another deal with the City of Harare has seen legislators spared from paying parking fees.
And that's not all - MPs also benefit from exemptions on ZINARA vehicle licence fees for their government-issued vehicles, further insulating them from the day-to-day financial pressures the rest of us endure.
These aren't mere conveniences - they are a form of elite insulation that detaches MPs from the lives of ordinary Zimbabweans.
Every five years - at the start of each electoral cycle - MPs receive brand-new vehicles, regardless of whether they are newly elected or returning.
This is why such punitive laws are passed without objection from Parliament - because MPs don't feel their effects.
Why would someone oppose a tax or fee they are not required to pay?
Why would they empathize with hardship they've been spared?
Parliament, which should serve as a watchdog on executive power, has become its handmaiden.
Every tax and levy, even if proposed by the Ministry of Finance or other ministries, still requires parliamentary approval.
If it becomes law, it's because our MPs supported it.
This reflects a Parliament that is no longer grounded in the people's suffering, but instead captured by perks and privilege.
Politics has shifted from being a calling to serve, to a career path for personal gain.
That's why we see such violent jostling for parliamentary seats - because the benefits are too lucrative to ignore.
Given the trend, we shouldn't be surprised if Parliament soon announces that MPs will also be exempt from paying ZBC radio licences, and even ZINARA vehicle licences and insurance for their private vehicles.
And let's be clear: while these perks are labeled as "exemptions," they are in fact funded by the very taxpayers being crushed by them.
There is no such thing as free in government - someone always pays, and that someone is us.
This needs to change.
True representation in a democracy is built on shared experience.
MPs must not live above the people - they must live among them.
They must feel the very pain their constituents feel.
Only then can they legislate with empathy and accountability.
This is not about revenge or cruelty. It is about equity.
Leadership must not be a fortress of privilege - it must be a bridge to the people.
Democracy demands a government by the people, of the people, for the people.
That only becomes real when those in office are still from the people, grounded in their everyday struggles.
When legislators are insulated from the consequences of their decisions, representation dies.
In its place grows elitism, indifference, and betrayal.
Zimbabweans deserve better.
We must demand more from those who speak in our name.
Until our MPs are made to feel what we feel, they will never fight for us.
Until they are stripped of their privileges and brought face to face with our realities, Parliament will remain a palace of privilege passing laws that strangle the people it was built to protect.
We need a new kind of leadership - one that walks with the people, not above them.
© Tendai Ruben Mbofana is a social justice advocate and writer. Please feel free to WhatsApp or Call: +263715667700 | +263782283975, or email: mbofana.tendairuben73@gmail.com, or visit website: https://mbofanatendairuben.news.blog/
Source - Tendai Ruben Mbofana
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