MDC leader Nelson Chamisa has warned his party will deal with legislators who demanded that government should buy them luxurious Land Cruiser SUV vehicles before they can approve the budget.
BY BLESSED MHLANGA
Chamisa said the MPs from his party had lost the map and traction of the party by seeking to greedily enrich themselves, instead of fighting for the interests of the people.
“It’s not about my position to say I am against, it’s wrong priorities, and I don’t think it’s our MPs. I am sure it’s one or two MPs who said it, but obviously, those who said it, said it out of tune with the party’s position. In fact, they have to account for why they are pursuing that. They were never sent by the people to represent themselves, but to represent their constituencies,” Chamisa said.
The youthful leader, who is currently taking a sabbatical at his rural Gutu home, said at a time doctors had downed tools and lives were at risk, it was only sensible for parliamentarians and those in President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government to cut on luxurious spending and channel scarce resources to critical areas.
“Mr Mnangagwa’s administration seems to take a macho approach and a hooligan approach to dealing with issues of doctors. Instead of engaging them, hearing their concerns, they want to commandeer them into command salaries, command working conditions and command economy.
These things don’t work. Command politics does not work we need to respect our doctors and our nurses. Listen to them, cut on certain other things. Why should we have chartered aeroplanes and expensive trips when we have sectors that want our priority? Why should cars, be imported? Zanu PF imported cars even at district level. If they are serious about raising resources, one car can pay more than 100 doctors because these are expensive cars. We just need to re-order our priorities and prioritise our doctors,” Chamisa said.
Teachers have also demanded that they get a salary hike to a whopping $3 000 per month from the current $280 to cushion them from recent price hikes. They have vowed not to report for duty next year unless their demands were met.
