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| National |
| MPs angered over car loans |
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by
Gedion Munthali, 09 July 2004
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10:09:29
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Over hundred MPs who travelled to the capital Lilongwe were on Thursday frustrated to find out that loans for vehicles which they expected to be ready by Monday this week were not out.
Seven MPs, representing the rest, were locked up in a meeting with Speaker Rodwell Munyenyembe to find out when the loans would be ready and ask him to impress upon Treasury to consider adjusting the amount upwards.
“We were promised that the loans would be ready on Monday, but today is Thursday and there is nothing,” lamented an MP from Kasungu who at the time of the interview had been in Lilongwe since Sunday waiting to go home with a new car.
“We are failing to service our constituencies because we do not have transport almost over a month now since the elections were held. This is not fair at all,” lamented another legislator from Blantyre.
But principal finance officer at Parliament Nelson Nankhumwa said the loans would be out once Treasury finalises some small details.
“Treasury is working out mechanisms on how the loans will be recovered, what interest, and they are also trying agreements with the banks,” said Nankhumwa.
He said the process had been challenged by time.
“The House rose on Friday last week and there was a public holiday on Tuesday, so the process could not be finalised,” said Nankhumwa. “But things would be through soon.”
Another MP from Ntcheu said most MPs risk buying used vehicles if government insists on the ceiling loan amount of K2 million ($18,518).
“We were told to find vehicles costing not more than K2 million. But vehicles in most showrooms cost over the stated amount. I think government must consider adjusting the amount upwards or MPs will buy used vehicles,” said the legislator.
One legislator who attended the meeting with Munyenyembe said the Speaker promised to touch base with Finance Minister Goodall Gondwe to see how best it can be resolved.
Government deferred implementation of new MPs packages which would have cost the tax payer over K1 billion a year to attend to pressing priorities of civil servants salaries, fertiliser subsidies and payment of domestic debt.
The MPs wanted to hike their salary from K12,000 to K30,000 per month, education allowance from K1,500 to K20,000, motor vehicle recovery allowance from K24,000 to K60,000, constituency allowance from K30,000 to K50,000 and an office allowance from K1,600 to K5,000.
If government had approved the perks, MPs would have been getting K5,000 as security allowance up from K2,500, servant allowance of K5,000 from K2,500, electricity allowance of K5,000 up from K1,500, water allowance of K3,000 and a telephone allowance of K10,000 from K5,000.
They also added a hospital allowance of K10,000 per month and hiked a subsistence allowance from K6,000 per night to K10,000 per night among others benefits.
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