By Shamiso Ndangana
Norton legislator Temba Mliswa says legislators with urban constituencies should not be given 4×4 vehicles because their roads are tarred.
Mliswa said 4×4 vehicles should be for rural legislators who travel long distances on bad roads doing Parliament business.
Zimbabwean roads are so bad to the extent that the government saw it fit to declare them a state of national disaster.
Speaking in the National Assembly, Honourable Mliswa said legislators from the rural constituencies deserves extra allowances if they are to operate effectively.
“There must be incentives for their labour in the rural areas and to even be given cars which are 4×4s and those in urban constituencies must not be given 4×4s because it does not make sense giving me a car in urban when clearly the roads are tarred.
“They should develop these rural constituency. This is what should be talked about because l personally in urban constituency don’t require as much money as they earn in the rural areas themselves,” he said.
Honourable Mliswa’s sentiments come at a time when legislators are currently calling for new cars arguing that what they got between 2019 and 2020 are already worn out and costing too much to repair.
The legislators also want their salary and sitting allowances increased arguing that what they are currently getting is no longer enough to keep them honourable and to pay for their children’s school fees.
Zimbabwe has about 350 legislators combined broken down as National Assembly (270) and Senate (80). As from 2023 the number of legislators is going to increase to 360 owing to the 10 seats that were added under the youth quota.
The government through the controversial Amendment Bill No.2 created the 10 seats for youths and extended the Proportional Representation clause by another 10 years.
Urban MPs should not get 4×4 cars, say Mliswa
