Mliswa in about turn on MPs salaries- says they are paid $1 207

What is the salary of Zimbabwe’s Members of Parliament?

In March MPs were reported to be earning a basic salary of $1 124 plus allowances of $1 046 a month making it $2 170 a month.

Last week, Norton legislator Temba Mliswa said the $2 000 MPs were getting was too little because you could hardly buy anything with it.

Before the week ended, Mliswa said he wanted to correct the record. MPs were getting only $1 207.

So which is which?

Mliswa who seemed more concerned about what the media would report said: HON. MLISWA:  “it is important that the media which is sitting up there does make that correction- that it is $1 207.00 per month basic salary” to which temporary Speaker Reuben Marumahoko responded: “You do not speak to the media – you speak to the Chair.”

Full debate

HON. MLISWA:  Thank you Mr. Speaker, I just want to correct one thing.  I said that we are paid US$2 000.00 a month, that is not correct, we are paid $1 207.00 as a basic salary.  So, I would like to correct that it is not $2 000.00 but $1 207.00 as a basic salary – [HON MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.] –

THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER:  Order, order Hon. Members at the back.

HON. MLISWA:  So it is important that the media which is sitting up there does make that correction- that it is $1 207.00 per month basic salary.

THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER:  Order, order Hon. Member, you do not speak to the media – you speak to the Chair.

HON. MLISWA:   Mr. Speaker, I thought that should be taken note of but I also thought that the Acting Minister of Finance and Economic Development would respond to this but I see that he has gone – [HON MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.] –  I am waiting for the Acting Minister of Finance and Economic Development; I do not know where he has gone to.

THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER:  Yes, you have made your statement Hon. Member.

HON. MLISWA:  Yes, I was hoping that the Acting Minister of Finance and Economic Development would respond to this, since he is the one who will be disbursing the money.  I see that he has gone.  So how can we have an undertaking that he is going to do it because papers are written all the time and we are promised?  It is true but we were hoping that he acknowledges that what has been written is true and the money will be paid because writing is not new.  All these promises have been made before in black and white and the aspect of the US$ was important for him to respond, whether we are going to get hard currency because of the inflation.

So without him responding to that, it further puts us into more problems, because the money will be eroded by inflation if we are paid in December.  So the Acting Minister of Finance and Economic Development was supposed to respond as to whether we are going to be paid in hard currency according to the inflation rate on the day.  So I do not know how we are going to tackle this Hon. Speaker?

THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER:  Order, order Hon. Members. Hon. Mliswa – [HON MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.] – Order, order please.  Hon. Mliswa, I am sure the Minister of Finance and Economic Development will read the Hansard and probably come up with a response to your worries. – [HON MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.] –  Order Hon. Members!

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