Parliament was left half-empty last week as Members of Parliament walked out over a prolonged delay in allowances, with Marondera Central MP, Hon. Caston Matewu, raising the alarm over a staggering nine-month backlog in payments. Addressing Madam Speaker, Matewu urged immediate intervention to address the severe impact of these unpaid allowances, which he argued is hampering parliamentary operations.
During a parliamentary session, Matewu expressed the growing frustration among MPs who, due to the financial strain, are increasingly diverting their time to business pursuits for income.
“Nine months,” he emphasized, “we’ve gone nine months without our allowances. That’s why you see these benches empty,” Matewu said, underscoring the toll on their legislative duties. “Most of us are now turning to business just to survive, which is really undermining the work of this parliament.”
The delayed allowances have sparked concerns about the functionality of the legislative body, with MPs needing income to support their families.
