Financial Gazette (Harare)
13 November 2009
Harare — PARLIAMENT'S vehicle loan scheme is shrouded in mystery as the legislature has failed to submit accounts for auditing since 2001 in violation of the Audit and Exchequer Act, government records have revealed.
The vehicle loan scheme had previously been dogged by allegations of favouritism, with one former Movement for Democratic Change (MDC-T) legislator, Timothy Mukahlera, taking the matter to the courts.
Apart from the scheme, which is known as the Motor Vehicle Revolving Fund, the legislative assembly has also failed to submit accounts for Parliament's Civil Service Housing Fund since 2004.
Government's failure to provide funds for the purchase of vehicles of lawmakers earlier this year brought to the fore the plight for legislators some of whom had resorted to using public transport to come to Parliament.
During the House of Assembly's question-and-answer session last Wednesday, two legislators posed questions which reveal the continued precarious state of MPs' conditions of service.
MDC-T Kambuzuma legislator, Willias Madzimure, wanted to know if government could consider putting in place a Parliamentary commission "which would ensure that the welfare of Members of Parliament are fully addressed".
ZANU-PF Uzumba legislator, Simbaneuta Mudarikwa, asked Labour and Social Services Minister, Paurina Mpariwa, whether legislators are allowed to form workers' committees and whether they are covered by the Labour Relations Act for them to call for an industrial action when they are aggrieved.
In response to Madzimure, Constitutional and Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Eric Matinenga, said: "I certainly share the concerns raised by the Honourable member, but I think it is proper if a proper motion is brought to the House, thoroughly researched and the ministry looks at it and see what it can do."
To, Mudarikwa's question, the Labour Minister responded saying legislators are not employees and, as such, are not covered by the said law.
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