Norton legislator Temba Mliswa has bemoaned the non-payment of lawmakers allowances since September last year.
This is not the first time the welfare of MP’s has been raised in the house of assembly.
Last year, local hotels turned away and kicked out legislators over unpaid bills by Zimbabwe parliament.
Eviction of lawmakers from hotels has become a regular feature as it has reoccurred since 2012 during the first dispensation.
Furthermore, some MPs were said to be selling fuel coupons to augment their paltry salaries that had been battered by inflation.
Local MPs have complained that they are the lowest paid on the continent.
The latest welfare complaint comes after legislators were issued with US$40 000 loans at the end of last year which was met by public outcry.
Speaking in parliament last week Mliswa raised a point of privilege in parliament bemoaning the state of the legislator’s welfare.
“My point of national interest is sad because we seem to be seized with it and I know that it has a lot of unnecessary responsibility.
“It is about the welfare of the Members of Parliament, in particular their outstanding allowances – they have not received their outstanding allowances from September, ” Mliswa said.
In response to the concern, the house of assembly speaker Hon Jacob Mudenda probed further in an attempt to inquire why the lawmakers had not engaged him in regard to non-payment of allowances.
Harare East lawmaker Hon Tendai Biti responded, ” We have been engaging through the Chief Whips”.
Mliswa Expresses Gratitude
Although, Mliswa expressed his appreciation to speaker of parliament for the disbursements of the US$40 000 loans but decried the non-payment of allowances.
“I would like to thank you for the US$40 000 that we received as it is said that half a loaf is better than nothing, so I want to thank the Government for the disbursement of the US$40 000.
“On allowances, we did not get our monies, especially after coming from the Pre-budget Seminar.
“This was in November, so we actually thought that since we had Pre-budget in November, all the outstanding issues would be taken care of.
“We then went on a break; there are field visits that are also outstanding in terms of payments. The rate was 600 at that time and now it has gone to 1200, so we are merely getting half of what we were supposed to get,” Mliswa added.
