FIREBRAND MP for Norton Temba Mliswa Wednesday threatened to take the Executive to the Constitutional Court for alleged failure to honour its pledges towards legislators’ wages and their welfare.
“I will draw to your attention, despite the high inflation, members of parliament are still not yet given any increment in the current inflation,” Mliswa said in parliament.
“The Constituency Development Fund which was given $50 000, it’s nothing…it has gone to waste because nothing touchable has been done with that amount of money.”
The independent legislator said that the current $75 granted to MPs as sitting allowances has since reduced to a mere US$7 equivalent due to inflation.
“The staff equally, of these institutions (parliamentary committees) are suffering the same. It becomes difficult for any work to be done if workers are not motivated.
“We sit here to set a budget for the country but in passing a budget, we were accused for not being active but pushing for our own welfare but we were pushing for the budget.
“For the first time, parliament pushed the budget to an extent that it was good enough to make parliament function which is effective, we agreed that they (CDF) would be $80 000.”
Mliswa accused the executive of lying to parliament about matters to do with MPs’ allowances.
“The dignity of this parliament can only be maintained if we stick to what we agree, or else it will be a waste of time for us to pass budgets. Bills that are not implemented. What are we doing and who are we doing this for!” he said.
“It is important therefore for Standing Committee to put resolutions to be implemented to stand themselves. Many times we stand to question where our (residential) stands are, but we are told they are working on it.
“But none received these stands even the 8th Parliament. The same MPs had to gang up to push for the allowances until former President Robert Mugabe consented to it.
Mliswa added, “Should we always get it a situation where we need to push for the Executive to give us our allowances?
“The Health of the MPs, how many of them died because of the facilities of the health sector! How many more do you want to die even those who fought tirelessly for the welfare of the country but they are not respecting the dead!
“I have no choice but to approach the Constitutional Court but to take the Executive for failing to implement the rules. So I am giving notice that I am approaching the courts because executive tends to neglect the rules of the country.”
