MPs press for new cars

THE cash-strapped government is under pressure to release vehicles for MPs of the current Ninth Parliament and Justice minister Ziyambi Ziyambi has been tasked to discuss the matter with his Finance counterpart Mthuli Ncube and avail foreign currency for their purchase.

Proportional representation MP Mail Nkomo (Zanu PF) raised the issue as a matter of privilege on Wednesday in the National Assembly, complaining that MPs of the Ninth Parliament had still not received their vehicles.

“MPs have no vehicles to move around constituencies to teach people about COVID-19 and we need to know when the vehicles for the Ninth Parliament will be given to MPs,” Nkomo said.

Speaker of the National Assembly Jacob Mudenda responded, saying: “The Minister of Finance will speak to the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe to ensure that foreign currency is availed so that MPs get their vehicles. Hon Ziyambi is the chairperson of the board that looks at vehicles for MPs and he has been discussing that issue with Ncube.”

Apart from the problem of vehicles, on Thursday, Makoni North MP James Munetsi (Zanu PF) also said MPs were struggling to get fuel and needed some designated fuel stations.

He said Chegutu East MP Webster Shamu (Zanu PF) was the one who was assisting MPs with fuel and, therefore, Parliament should arrange that Shamu’s fuel station be provided with fuel in order to service legislators.

“The Standing Rules and Orders Committee already resolved that we designate some fuel stations, including the one run by Hon Shamu, as well as PetroTrade and CMED for MPs in addition to the fuel got from Redan and Puma,” Mudenda responded.

“Engagement has already taken place between the ministries of Finance and Energy to make that arrangement so that MPs are not unduly disadvantaged in terms of access to fuel.”