A peak into the lifestyle Zimbabwe Parliamentarians want

I think it should be enough for an Hon. Member to have a normal or average standard of living.  So, it is my proposal that the Minister reconsiders Vote No. 2 to be able to help members to improve.  Having said that Mr. Chairman, it will be better for the other side of the House to consider that we are looking at Parliament and we are not just looking at party issues.  We are looking at national issues – [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.] – but when we look at national issues, we must always know that there is a Head at the top – [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.] – and it is the Head who chairs the Executive, for the opposition not to recognise that we have a Head of State and then at the same time wants the Executive to consider entries in Budget, I do not think it makes sense.  So, I beg the other side of the House to reconsider their position and acknowledge that we have a Head of State, His Excellency the President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa then we will be able to walk this journey together.  I thank you.

THE MINISTER OF FINANCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT (HON. PROF. M. NCUBE): I request that we adjourn debate for 30 minutes for caucusing and then we will resume at 1540 hours sharp.

Business was suspended at Half-Past Three O’clock p.m. and resumed at Five Minutes to Four O’clock p.m.

THE MINISTER OF FINANCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT (HON. PROF. M. NCUBE): Hon Chairman, I thank you and I welcome back everyone. I want to report back to Hon. Members and I hope they will be pleased that we have caucused and reflected on the Vote for Parliament.  Therefore, I propose that the increase from this year’s budget of US$80m be 50%, that means that the budget for Parliament for 2019 is now a US$120m, there is an extra of US$19 million on the initial proposal of US$101 million which will also cater for the constituency information centres.  I thank you.

HON. P. D. SIBANDA: Thank you Hon. Chair.  I think it is important Hon. Chair that we remind the Hon. Minister about the provisions of Section 119 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe.  That provision provides for the role of Parliament as an institution in this country.  Amongst the other roles that Parliament plays it has the duty of being the overseer of how Government business is being executed. The other role that Parliament has Hon. Speaker is the role of appropriation of all Government finances to various departments including itself.  So, I think the Hon. Minister must be reminded that it is not the duty of the Executive to appropriate figures in terms of resources that the nation has, that responsibility is bestowed upon Parliament constitutionally.  It is not his role, it is not role of the Executive, it is the role of Parliament.

Parliament can only abrogate its responsibility by underfunding itself – [HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear.] – so if Parliament accedes to what the Hon. Minister of Finance is saying, it will be literally abrogating its responsibility to supervise the manner that Government executes its responsibilities.  Hon. Chair, if we go to audit reports, over a number of years, it is very clear that there is a lot of misbehavior in Government institutions related to financial indiscipline. Now Parliament can only curb that if it is well funded. So, we cannot, as Parliament then today say – when our role as Parliament is to ensure that it safeguards the Constitution of Zimbabwe; so, we cannot at any time abrogate that role of ensuring that we protect the Constitution of Zimbabwe.  For us to protect the Constitution of Zimbabwe and its provisions, it is right upon us Hon. Chair, we allocated sufficient resources to ensure that Parliament performs its duties properly.  So Hon. Chair, it is my view and my submission that Parliament sat down and made its calculations on how much it needs in order for it to perform its functions properly.  Any cent backwards or lower than what Parliament calculated in order for it to discharge its responsibility is an abrogation.  It is unconstitutional and that cannot be accepted.

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