LEGISLATORS were yesterday all smiles after the Executive bowed down to their demands, resulting in Treasury releasing $4 million to go towards settling half of their outstanding allowances by Wednesday next week.
BY VENERANDA LANGA
The MPs had been refusing to engage in any form of debate until the issue of their outstanding sitting allowances and Constituency Development Fund (CDF) was settled.
On Wednesday, the question-and-answer session was aborted after MPs angrily demanded that the money owed to them be released. There were also threats that they would refuse to co-operate during the pre-budget seminar in Victoria Falls next week if Treasury did not release the money.
The new circular from the Clerk of Parliament, Kennedy Chokuda, gleaned by NewsDay and which was sent to MPs dated November 2, announced that they would be paid half of the amounts they were owed.
“The Ministry of Finance and Economic Development has now managed to secure $4 million for disbursement to members immediately towards members’ sitting allowances,” the circular read.
“This represents half of what is owed to members. Members will be paid on a pro rata basis, and each member should, therefore, expect to get almost half of what they are owed. I wish to state that all members should have received their allowances by at least Wednesday November 6, depending on the individual MPs’ bank.”
The letter also promised MPs that their outstanding fuel allowances should start reflecting in their accounts beginning Saturday. “Further, I wish to advise that the ministry has committed to pay the balance on or before December 15. This will see Parliament clearing all arrears related to members’ allowances for both the Seventh and Eighth Parliament before the end of the year,” Chokuda’s letter read.
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The mood in the National Assembly yesterday was clearly ecstatic, with Zanu PF chief whip Lovemore Matuke almost asking MPs to applaud Justice minister Happyton Bonyongwe for quickly pushing the Executive to release their outstanding amounts.
Hurungwe East MP Sarah Mahoka (Zanu PF) then demanded that MPs must, in addition, get duty-free certificates for importation of cars, claiming that some of the Ford Rangers that they got had depreciated.
Meanwhile, the ecstatic MPs also passed the Constituency Development Fund constitution.
Chairperson of the Procedures and Legal Committee in the Standing Rules and Orders, Nelson Chamisa, said the CDF constitution would provide a legal framework to ensure the money was not misused by MPs.
The Clerk of Parliament will have the administration mandate of the fund, and legislators will now need to keep proper books of accounts for the CDF which will be audited.
The types of projects to be embarked on using CDF include repairs and maintenance of boreholes, schools, clinics, dip tanks, electricity generators, library projects, community income-generating projects and others.
