THE demands by parliamentarians across the political divide has left general citizens shocked and out of words at their incapacity to provide servant leadership at at time when all depends on them.
The legislators continue to put up a struggle in a shocking strong union for once, ignoring their political differences in making absurd demands set to compel government to sponsor their lavish lifestyles at the expense of languishing taxpayers hit by austerity measures.
For close to two months, independent legislator for Norton Themba Mliswa backed by Members of Parliament from both the ruling Zanu PF and the opposition MDC Alliance have been demanding for a vehicle loan facility.
Mliswa made the absurd demand for US$80 000 which will supposedly allow MP’s to buy the luxurious V8 Land Cruiser 2019 model whilst opposing the US$50 000 which was initially budgeted for by the Ministry of Finance.
On top of the US$80 000 loan facility the pack of hungry wolves which are the MP’s are also demanding a US$3 000 monthly salary despite the meager wages earned by most Zimbabweans who are surviving on a budget less than US$0.75 a day according to Harare East MP Tendai Biti.
The greedy MP’s have not stopped there as they are also demanding for residential stands in the capital as they claim to bring their families along when they come for parliamentary business.
Recently it was announced that MP’s will be getting diplomatic passports which would mean guaranteed five star treatment at all country points in and outside Zimbabwe for all of them.
The request had been tabled during the Robert Mugabe era and the passports will come at a time when the majority of citizens they represent are struggling to get passports.
Citizens are failing to get their passports and those who applied last year are yet to get them as the registry department is reportedly printing 5 passports per day with a backlog of more than 120 000.
Ironically the MDC will be protesting on August 16 and on their agenda is failure by government to issue passports to the majority of Zimbabweans.
At the airports the legislators and their goods will not be searched, free passage and VIP treatment.
In another shocking move, last year MPs also demanded for a three course meal every time they attend parliament or when on parliamentary business and a gym on the basis that they deserve to live a lifestyle that matches their ‘honourable’ status.
Despite speaking with one voice on their luxury lifestyle MPs from all parties in Zimbabwe tend to fight everyday in coming up with policies that would build the country and benefit everyone else.
It has become a norm that every parliament session is associated with insults, unnecessary fights and childish rants that end up forcing other MPs to boycott parly sessions, leaving many Zimbabweans wondering if the legislators deserve the allowances in an economy like we have currently.
For a change, they are smiles and nods of agreement from all and sundry in parliament as they move their notions of self enrichment which has become a course for concern for everyone.
