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The parliamentarians said they wanted exit packages because they were not sure that they would be re-elected in the harmonised elections scheduled for March next year.
They also took Minister Biti to task saying they wanted to know when he was going to pay their outstanding sitting allowances.President Mugabe is expected to within the coming months dissolve parliament to pave way for harmonised elections.
In a question and answer segment after Minister Biti’s address, at the ongoing Parliament of Zimbabwe pre-budget seminar in Victoria Falls yesterday, Member of the House of Assembly for Mutare Central, Shuwa Mudiwa (MDC-T) said he was concerned about the fact that some of them might go into “oblivion” without getting anything from parliament.
More than 300 parliamentarians, provincial governors and chiefs from all over the country are attending the seminar sponsored by the Parliament of Zimbabwe.
Mr Mudiwa who was the most vocal on the exit package issue said: “My issue is to do with our exit packages and sitting allowances. We demand that we get them before our tenure comes to an end. So the issue of our exit packages should be included in the forthcoming budget. When you find time please read the speech by the Speaker of Parliament (Lovemore Moyo) and see the unhealthy attitude demonstrated by Treasury to parliament.”
Mutare South Member of the House of Assembly, Cde Fred Kanzama (Zanu-PF) concurred with Mr Mudiwa.
“We need the issue of allowance addressed as soon as possible so that we have something,” he said drawing applause from his colleagues.
Some parliamentarians who wanted to add their voice to the subject were asked by the chairperson of the session, Chief Fortune Charumbira, to put their hands down since they were going to repeat the same subject.
In response, Minister Biti said parliamentarians were not employees of Government and therefore did not qualify for exit packages.
“You are not employees and be that as it may, I will raise it with the authorities. I hear your concerns and I was in Mutare and heard Mudiwa say that he is facing stiff competition in the primaries as four other candidates have expressed interest in his seat,” said Minister Biti.
Minister Biti also said he was going to discuss in private with parliamentarians the issue to do with the Constituency Development Fund (CDF).
“We also need to discuss the issue to do with the CDF but your problem is that you want do discuss such issues in public, in the presence of the media. You should go through the proper channels,” he said.
Meanwhile, Minister Biti said his Ministry was going to look for funds for the elections.
“The election, we have to fund it but there is one issue which we need to control and that is violence. We need a violent free election and I am pleased to hear principals talking of non-violence and in particular I am pleased with the speech against violence by His Excellency, President Mugabe, when he officially opened the Fifth Session of the Seventh Parliament of Zimbabwe. All the progress we have made will come to a halt if we go the ‘jambanja’ way. The election is a one day thing. I appeal to politicians, let’s respect each other and build our country,” he said.
The seminar continues today.
Online Reporter