Norton legislator Temba Mliswa raised a furore in Parliament yesterday when he asked whether Members of Parliament were going to be paid their constituency development fund allowances in bond notes or in United States dollars because bonds notes had lost value.
He also queried why the media was asking why legislators were whining about their allowances adding: “Who on earth can survive on $2 000 bond notes per month? Our welfare is not good and you seem to think that we are cry-babies.”
MPs have complained about the backlog in the payment of their allowances and the government’s failure to pay them the Constituency Development Fund when elections are around the corner.
“We want to know if the $50 000 that we are going to receive is in US dollar or bond notes,” Mliswa said after demanding that he be allowed to speak on the allowances.
Deputy Speaker Mabel Chinomona had said the issue was not up for debate that is why the notices had been sent individually to the legislators.
“Do you know that it is now $25 000 as we speak because of inflation. How are we going to attend to such an issue because I believe you did not consider this issue that inflation is now at 50%, so we were supposed to get $75 000. The amount should be inflation adjusted because at the end we are going to get nothing.”
Zimbabwe’s inflation is being contested with the national statistics office saying it is below 1 percent while United States economist Steve Hanke says it is over 300 percent.
He argues that Zimbabwe is experiencing yet another phase of hyperinflation.
Full contribution:
*HON. MLISWA: Madam Speaker, I am on a point of privileges. Allow me to speak and then you can tell me. You cannot cut me before I speak. You are totally preempting. Let me finish. Allow me to finish – [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.]-
Madam Speaker, you would appreciate that the issue of welfare of Members of Parliament has taken a lot of time. As you are aware, you know that the money is being finished. We want to know if the $50 000 that we are going to receive is in US dollar or bond notes. Do you know that it is now $25 000 as we speak because of inflation. How are we going to attend to such an issue because I believe you did not consider this issue that inflation is now at 50%, so we were supposed to get $75 000. The amount should be inflation adjusted because at the end we are going to get nothing.
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