US$40 pension for Chamisa’s recalled MPs

By The Standard and Newsday | Oct. 1, 2021 | 1 Min read

Over 20 other affected MPs confirmed having received measly pensions, ranging from $6 000 to $12 000, depending on the debts they had incurred during their tenure.

BY MOSES MATENGA

RECALLED opposition MDC Alliance MPs were in June this year paid a measly $6 000, equivalent to US$40 on the parallel market, as pension by the Public Service Commission.

One of the affected MPs, Caston Matewu (former Marondera Central MP), who was elected on an MDC Alliance ticket, yesterday made public his benefits on social media platforms, revealing that he received $6 290 for the two years that he had served as MP.

Over 20 other affected MPs confirmed having received measly pensions, ranging from $6 000 to $12 000, depending on the debts they had incurred during their tenure.

The MPs are also set to lose the luxury vehicles issued to them as part of their parliamentary benefits.

Over 40 MPs and 80 MDC Alliance councillors were recalled from Parliament last year by the MDC-T led by Douglas Mwonzora.

“My terminal benefits from the Parliament of Zimbabwe. Equivalent to US$40,” Matewu said yesterday in a social media post which was captioned with a letter as proof.

The MDC Alliance MPs had hoped to return to Parliament through by-elections, but President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government has suspended polls citing COVID-19 restrictions.

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Mnangagwa has resisted pressure from pressure groups, western embassies as well as the opposition to lift the ban on the by-elections.

Over 40 MDC Alliance MPs were recalled by the MDC-T since last year after the Supreme Court ruled that MDC Alliance president was not the legitimate leader of the MDC-T.