A Zanu PF MP has demanded a special dispensation for
legislators to be treated outside the country saying some of them are sick and
failing to get adequate treatment in Zimbabwe.
Murewa West MP Jonah Nyikadzino Sewera last week raised a
matter of privilege with the Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly Tsitsi
Gezi demanding that legislators should be well-looked after, including getting
medical treatment outside the country.
“On a point of privilege, Madam Speaker, we have noted that
MPs are not feeling well and some of them are not even coming to work because
their medical aid is no longer functional,” Sewera said.
“Is it not possible to work out something so that they can
go outside the country to get treated as MPs?”
A number of senior government officials have been flying
out of the country to access special medical care while the majority of
citizens are grappling with poor health facilities.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa and his deputies, Constantino
Chiwenga and Kembo Mohadi, have been flying in and out of the country to
receive treatment.
The late former president Robert Mugabe made several trips
to Singapore to receive medical attention and eventually died outside the
country.
Gezi, however, qushed Sewera’s request, saying that with
Covid-19 the borders were closed and so there was nowhere to go.
“If you are saying the medical aid is dysfunctional here —
can it then be functional outside the country?
“Nevertheless, all borders are closed and so where is it
that you want to go for treatment?” Gezi responded.
On Wednesday, Norton MP Temba Mliswa also complained about
the welfare of MPs, saying they were failing to get fuel to attend Parliament.
Mliswa’s request was a follow-up from last week’s request
by Zanu PF MPs that legislators should get fuel without having to endure the
long winding queues.
“On fuel, considering that this institution is one of the
three pillars of the state — we pass budgets and so forth — we are not asking
for anything extra, but for the office of MPs to be respected,” Mliswa said.
“We have no respect in the public. We are seen in the
queues with drums. We do not sell that fuel, but we use it so that it enables
us to get here.
“Fortunately for you Very Important People (VIPs) — and
that is why we end up starting to look at your offices because you are well
taken care of.
“The fathers are eating while the children are hungry. So
what kind of country is this?
“You do not have to queue for fuel because there are
arrangements for you to go and get fuel. We must be given fuel where you go and
get fuel,” Mliswa said.
MPs are usually given fuel coupons, but Mliswa said they
hardly get the fuel. “We are not paid in foreign currency and if we were to
convert our salaries to United States dollars, it is now US$50.
“This money is not enough to sustain us and you are failing
as our leaders.” The Norton MP also said MPs had not yet been allocated their
service cars while ministers have been allocated two cars.
On the issue of fuel, Gezi said plans were underway for MPs
to access fuel from Petrotrade, and Webster Shamu’s Redan Service Stations.
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