MPs and Senators have made a request to the cash-strapped government to be assisted in acquiring residential stands in areas of their choice. Members of the public have reacted angry to the request, accusing the lawmakers of feathering their own nests.
Newly-appointed Clerk of Parliament, Kennedy Chokuda, said the lawmakers were entitled to shelter just like any other ordinary Zimbabwean citizen.
“One of the national objectives of our Constitution is shelter as outlined in Section 28 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe which states that: ‘The State and all its institutions and agencies of government at every level must take reasonable legislative and other measures, within the limits of the resources available to them to enable every person to have access to adequate shelter’.”
“We further contend that the above mentioned section entitles honourable Members of Parliament a right to shelter. In that regard, there is nothing amiss with Members of Parliament exercising their constitutional rights, as they have done in this regard.”
Despite Chokuda’s defence, ordinary Zimbabweans have come out guns blazing, criticising their legislators for being insensitive.
Currently, government is broke, unable to pay its many employees on time. Thousands of ordinary people have also endured many years waiting for government to make available decent accommodation.
The housing waiting list is currently estimated at about 1,2 million. One Simon Nziramasanga said it was about time the country reduced the number of legislators to 1980 levels. “I think we just need to cut down on the number of MPs and Senators. I am sure we can do with the 1980 model: Then we had a strong economy but we kept headcount low,” he said.
“The American cabinet has just 16 members (including the vice-president), to run a country with a population of 30 times Zimbabwe’s, and it is the biggest economy in the world,” he continued.
If approved, the residential stands scheme would be the latest of several schemes orchestrated by those who rub shoulders in the corridors of power to enhance their comfort while the general populace continues to sink deeper into abject poverty.
Extravagance by Zimbabwe’s politicians often reveals itself through their expensive taste for plush properties, top-of-the range cars and other featherbeddings.
On average, a stand costs US$18 000 in the medium density suburbs of Harare. If all the 352 legislators sign up for the stands, government would have to fork out more than US$6,3 million to fund the scheme.
Legislators already enjoy several facilities run by Parliament. One such facility is the vehicle loan scheme which gives them access to top-of-the-range cars at heavily subsidised interest rates.
Chokuda said MPs were also entitled to motor vehicles and other perquisites.
“Members of Parliament require the vehicles to enable them to traverse the length and breadth of their constituencies as representatives of the people,” he said. “The vehicles are not for free and members pay for the vehicles over the five-year life of Parliament,” he added. financial gazette NEWS
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