MPs, who are among the least paid in the region, last week were adamant that they would not append their signatures to the repayment contracts for vehicles allocated to them by the treasury.
Treasury has been pushing for them to sign documents promising that they will pay for vehicles they received from government in 2009. But the MPs want treasury to first admit that it owes them sitting allowances, and deducts the amounts owing for vehicles from the arrears. At least 300 MPs and Senators received the vehicles – mainly Mazda BT50s.
They claim that the cash-strapped Harare administration has not paid them a dime since 2008, despite the Standing Rules and Orders Committee of Parliament stipulating that they be paid for every sitting.
The Minister of Constitutional and Parliamentary Affairs, Eric Matinenga, admitted that MPs were indeed owed money and that the case was currently waiting for a response from the President.
“Under our laws, allowances are determined by the presidency and submissions have been made to that office, but no response has come,” said Matinenga.
One MP said all they wanted was an admission that the money was owing. “We are not saying that the government should give us money. We just want treasury to accept that they owe us money. If an MP has religiously attended Parliament, then at a rate of $75 a sitting he should be given at least $50 000,” he said.
Post published in: News