Rushinga legislator Tendai Nyabani has complained to the Speaker of the National Assembly Jacob Mudenda over the lack of clarity on sitting allowances and Premier Service Medical Aid Society (PSMAS) deductions.
Honourable Nyabani said legislators are not sure of the method that is being used to pay sitting allowances.
He also said PSMAS was eating a huge chunk of their allowances yet it is being rejected by most hospitals.
‘’Mr Speaker Sir, in the past year Honourable Members of Parliament expressed their concern regarding their welfare and you said that as Honourable Members we are responsible for formulating policies, and we compiled our grievances.
‘’We do not know the current position, considering that it is almost a year – are we going to be getting our benefits or what? Furthermore, regarding sitting allowance, we were told that we were attending particular days, but we do not know how these monies are being given to Honourable Members.
‘’They come regularly but these monies are not clear. There is also PSMAS which is taking a larger chunk of our earnings and you are left with nothing. Even when you go to a hospital, you discover that some hospitals do not take PSMAS despite the fact that the stop order is being done. It seems as if they do not know what they are doing,’’ he said.
MPs facing fuel challenges
The Rushinga legislator also highlighted that most Parliamentarians are facing fuel challenges to go back to their constituencies.
‘’Through you Mr Speaker Sir, may you assist Honourable Members so that they are able to go to their constituencies?
‘’In Rushinga, it’s 120 kilometres and I am in a boundary to the next constituency which is 200 kilometres. At times we do not have enough fuel to reach our constituencies.
‘’So, regarding fuel and allowances, let me thank you in advance, believing that you will assist your Honourable Members. I thank you,’’ he said.
In response, the Speaker of the National Assembly referred the issue to the Clerk of Parliament.
‘’Thank you, Honourable Member. You are supposed to talk about a particular issue, but you were mixing your issues and it becomes a mixed-bag.
‘’So, I would request the Clerk of Parliament to look at the Hansard. And then we will respond to you tomorrow after going through the Hansard,’’ he said.
