Zanu PF Members of Parliament (MPs) have expressed discontent over government’s alleged failure to prioritise their welfare, while pampering ministers with hefty packages, NewsDay has learnt.
Some Zanu PF and opposition party legislators threatened to block Finance minister Mthuli Ncube’s mid-term budget as they protested against Treasury’s failure to provide them with fuel and prioritise their welfare.
In an interview with NewsDay yesterday, some Zanu PF MPs, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said they were not happy with the treatment they were getting from Mnangagwa’s government.
While MPs were recently booted out of hotels for non-payment of bills by Parliament, with others yet to get their service vehicles, ministers have been pampered with houses worth almost US$500 000 and luxury cars, among other benefits.
“As MPs, we are suffering, we are being treated unfairly, but our ministers are living lavishly. They are given houses worth almost half a million, they are not being asked to move out of their hotels and it’s very unfair,” said one MP.
“Most of the ministers are just technocrats, they don’t even know how to mobilise support for President Mnangagwa going into the 2023 elections.”
Another Zanu PF legislator, who requested not to be named, added: “It’s very unfortunate that as Zanu PF MPs, it is now difficult for us to speak about our welfare in Parliament because we will be seen as traitors.”
Zanu PF chief whip Pupurai Togarepi said he was not aware of the MPs’ disgruntlement.
“I am not aware of any such disgruntlements from Zanu PF MPs. What I am aware of is our government’s effort to improve the incomes and benefits of the civil servants, including those of MPs,” Togarepi told NewsDay yesterday.
“MPs, like all other people, are entitled to an income of their wish and they can raise their concerns honourably through appropriate parliamentary structures. I am not aware of ministers’ benefits or how they compare with our MPs,” he added.
“The duty of every Zanu PF member is to campaign for President Emmerson Mnangagwa and I want to thank our legislators for taking their deployment in their constituencies seriously.”
Recently, the legislators confronted Ncube’s deputy Clemence Chiduwa at the government caucus room in Parliament demanding money for their upkeep.
The meeting came after some MPs were left stranded having failed to refuel their cars at the Central Mechanical Equipment Department because there was no fuel.
— NewsDay
