MPs threaten not to pass national budget bills unless they get 625 percent increase in sitting allowances

Members of Parliament (MP) have threatened to sink the 2018 National budget unless they get a 625 percent increase in their sitting allowances. The MPs are demanding that their allowances should be increased from the present $16 million to $100 million. The legislators have said that unless their demands are met, they will hold assent to the two Money Bills that will be tabled by Finance minister Ignatius Chombo. The two bills which need to be passed by Parliament are an Appropriation Bill, which gives legal force to the estimates of expenditure and a Finance Bill.

Chegutu West Zanu PF MP Dexter Nduna:

We want to have a budget of nothing less than $100 million for Parliament.

If we do not get that money, it is my thinking and a lot of other members’ thinking that let us not pass the budget, and chances are we might get dissolved. If we get dissolved it is just before Parliamentary elections anyway.

MDC MP for Nkayi South Abednico Bhebhe said:

If the budget of Zimbabwe for instance is $5 billion, if we are saying Parliament should get 15 percent of $5 billion, let that budget come in and be passed in Parliament in conformity that we are getting our percentage that we are going to run ourselves as Parliament.

We are not children that you want to lie to us that because you want us to pass a budget you want to say okay, come end of October, you are going to get your allowance.

More: Daily News