LEGISLATORS from the 8th, 9th and 10th Parliaments have started benefiting from a Government programme offering them residential stands as part of a broader package of non-monetary incentives to improve their welfare and working conditions.
While beneficiaries will pay at a discount, the allocation of stands is not a recurring benefit, but a once-off entitlement provided as part of the legislators' conditions of service.
The initiative stems from a policy position adopted in 2013 when the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works partnered the Parliament of Zimbabwe to provide urban and peri-urban residential stands to Members of Parliament, beginning with those in the 8th Parliament.
Beyond residential stands, the Government has over the years introduced several other non-monetary empowerment mechanisms for legislators.
These include vehicle loan schemes, improved access to office resources in constituencies and support for constituency development projects through tools such as the Constituency Development Fund (CDF).
Zanu PF chief whip Cde Pupurai Togarepi yesterday confirmed that the legislators will pay for their stands.
"We are glad that the parcelling out of stands is going on smoothly with both sitting and past MPs from the 8th and 9th Parliaments benefiting. All the MPs are going to pay for their stands. This will be a huge relief to the fiscus as Treasury will save on the hotel wage bill for sitting MPs," he said.
Addressing a Press conference in Harare yesterday, Local Government and Public Works Minister Daniel Garwe, said a total of 70 residential stands were allocated on April 9, 2025 to sitting and former legislators from the 8th, 9th, and 10th Parliaments.
Ministry of Local Government and Public Works Daniel Garwe speaks during Media Press Conference in Harare yesterday.- Picture: Charles Muchakagara
He said the stands were located in Killarney (Goromonzi), Penrose (Zvimba) and Mabelreign (Harare), with the latter receiving the largest share of 40 stands.
"The Ministry of Local Government and Public Works in 2013 partnered with the Parliament of Zimbabwe to avail residential stands in urban and peri-urban areas for allocation to Honourable members, effective the 8th Parliament and forward," said Cde Garwe.
He said since the inception of the programme in 2013, over 250 stands have been allocated across the country, including 188 in Goromonzi, 49 in Bulawayo, 12 in Chiredzi, nine in Kadoma and five in Beitbridge.
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"This facility is a once-off entitlement given as non-monetary benefit, which is part of their (MPs) conditions of service," Cde Garwe said.
The latest allocation is not only a welfare measure, but also an obligation, aligning with the Government's broader agenda to provide housing for targeted groups, including civil servants, war veterans, youth, and women.
"In implementing this programme, Government is fulfilling its commitment of enhancing the welfare of the Honourable members, as it is doing for war veterans, women, the youth and civil servants," Cde Garwe said.
"Implementation of programmes aimed at providing housing to targeted communities is being done in fulfilment of provisions contained in the Constitution of Zimbabwe."
As for the CDF, it allows MPs to initiate and manage small-scale development initiatives in their areas, thereby directly responding to community needs.
Moreover, there has been increased collaboration between Parliament and various Government ministries to provide capacity-building workshops for legislators, aimed at strengthening their role in legislative drafting, policy analysis, and budget oversight.
