THE 21 former MDC-T MPs who were recently recalled from Parliament after they defected to the MDC Renewal Team have reportedly fallen on hard times and are failing to service their vehicle loans and property mortgages.
BY MOSES MATENGA
Some of the affected legislators, mostly in Harare and Bulawayo, have reportedly approached their party seeking a rescue package to cushion them against the harsh economic situation which has been compounded by the withdrawal of their parliamentary allowances and benefits.
Several MPs received Ford Ranger vehicles worth $35 000 each and they were now expected to repay the loans from their pockets.
MDC Renewal spokesperson Jacob Mafume confirmed the development yesterday.
“We are already assisting all victims of conscience in our party as you are aware MPs are not the only victims of this regime. We have people who have been maimed, killed, fired from jobs for being MDC.
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We have set up safety nets for them. The vehicles are safe and some of the MPs are owed money by Parliament, therefore, they are actually owed, not owing,” Mafume said.
“We are of the view that a society that creates an impression that it is costly to be a democrat will not achieve much as such renewal will protect its own like a lioness protects it cubs from all forms of oppression even where it comes from our erstwhile comrades.”
Mafume said the only bigger trouble Zimbabweans were in was that caused by Zanu PF misrule and “an opposition leader playing school yard bully”.
The party’s deputy treasurer-general Elton Mangoma said: “What I can say is these are personal issues not yet given collective discussions. Probably after tomorrow’s (today’s) court case, we will have a way to discuss the issue. Our philosophy is on social democracy and the issue is to fight for the well-being of the people.”
One of the MPs told NewsDay that while a few were safe because of investments they have made over the years, a number of MPs in the party were “career politicians” who have never worked anywhere and were surviving on benefits accrued from Parliament.
An insider in the MDC-T national standing committee said the MDC Renewal MPs had been warned earlier by former Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai through his emissary Morgan Komichi to rejoin the party or risk poverty.