{{The MDC-T Parliamentary Caucus has written to the National Assembly seeking a raft of shocking benefits that would cost Treasury an extra US$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 US$75 a sitting to US$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 Mr Innocent Gonese — is dated February 6, 2014 (see scanned copy of letter on page 3) and was copied to Senate president Cde Edna Madzongwe, Deputy Senate president Cde Chen Chimutengwende, National Assembly Deputy Speaker Mabel Chinomona, Chiefs Council president Chief Fortune Charumbira and Zanu-PF Chief Whip Cde Jorum Gumbo.
The letter was also copied to the MDC formation led by Professor Welshman Ncube, which has two Parliamentary representatives. The MDC-T caucus met on February 5 to deliberate issues concerning the welfare of MPs and made the following resolutions:
1. That sitting allowances be increased from US$75 per sitting to US$200;
2. That vehicles similar to those allocated to Deputy Ministers, such as the Land Rover Discovery, be bought for MPs who would then have the option to buy them at book value at the end of their terms. Members would also have the option to buy duty-free an additional vehicle of their own choice.
Deputy ministers are entitled to Land Rover Discovery 4s or Jeep Grand Cherokees, both of which cost over US$100 000;
3. That all MPs be issued with exemption certificates for any vehicles they drive so that they do not pay toll fees;
4. That the minimum allocation of fuel be pegged at 100 litres a week and adjustments be made on a pro rata bases to cover those traveling longer distances. Further fuel for constituency or provincial work respectively be allocated to all MPs.
5. The fifth recommendation pertains to accommodation allowances, where MDC-T proposes allowances for Harare-based legislators despite the fact that the facility was created to cater for legislators not ordinarily resident in the capital.
{herald}
Leave a Reply