Kuwadzana East Constituency Member of Parliament (MP) Charlton Hwende has proposed that parliament suspends proceedings until treasury can step up to its obligation of providing accommodation for legislators.
Legislators have been up in arms with the minister of finance for failing to provide parliament with money for their accommodation while on parliament business.
Legislators from the country’s ten provinces have to attend parliament in the Capital City Harare but non-payment of hotel bills by parliament has resulted in some lawmakers being kicked out from hotels and others being have denied accommodation.
In some instances, lawmakers had to sleep in their cars after being let down by treasury.
Hwende speaks.
Speaking in Parliament last Tuesday Hwende did not hide his dismay at the lack of seriousness in addressing the law-makers concerns.
“The plight of MPs is that if government cannot afford to pay for their accommodation, let us go on recess until such time that the money is there.
“If MPs contribute on Zoom you tell them to come into the House. Network is problematic even here in Harare.
We need correct and reliable responses,” he said.
During the same session Dzivarasekwa MP Willias Madzimure requested that the minister of finance addresses the issue as a matter of urgency as it will affect the law-making function of parliamentarians.
“I am appealing to the Minister of Finance to come to the House and speak on the problems that this House is facing, leading it to be empty.
“If you look at the Bills that the President said should be dealt with, it cannot be done if the MPs cannot come to this House because of some problems we are facing.
“If we pass the Bill with such numbers like we have today, we are bound to be called by the Constitutional Court. We cannot force
MPs to go on Zoom because of network problems.
“We have a number of constituencies that do not have network,” said Madzimure.
The welfare of MP’s has been a topical issue since the first republic, time will tell if the second republic can deal with issue a few months before elections.
