Lawmakers have appealed to Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube to urgently address accommodation challenges in Harare amid revelations that some are sleeping in their cars after attending parliamentary business.
Zanu PF president, Buburai Togaribe, raised the issue as a point of excellence, highlighting the challenges MPs face when attending parliamentary sessions.
“I have reached a point of privilege after some of the perpetual challenges that MPs face every time they come to the House of Representatives,” Togaribe said.
“There is a challenge in terms of housing, MPs are so desperate that some are sleeping in cars and others are disturbed by the proximity of some hotels.
“When members go to hotels, they are told in an unfriendly manner that we do not receive MPs, which is very annoying.”
“The honor and respect that representatives should have, they do not get,” Togaribe added.
My problem is where are the officials in the parliament administration? Why don’t they seek help from service providers? I bring this up here because I have been involved in running Parliament not once but several times, but we are sure that we will only be sitting this week and many of our members are feeling hopeless.
“We know there may be challenges in terms of financing accommodation, but it is not where the money comes from.”
National Assembly Speaker Jacob Mudenda said he was aware of the challenges raised by MPs, saying President Emmerson Mnangagwa once intervened to resolve the crisis.
“I remember that the Prime Minister approached me and the Minister of Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion was not present.
“I called the head of state and government, President Emmerson Mnangagwa. He immediately called Permanent Secretary George Guvamatanga and asked him, is there no budget for Parliament, and he said yes and it will be done immediately because the situation that particular week had become desperate,” Mudenda said.
