Political Reporter
The majority of the recalled MDC-Alliance legislators are reportedly wallowing in poverty following the cessation of the parliamentary salaries and allowances they used to receive from Government.
Reports received by this publication revealed that a number of the recalled legislators are now a pale shadow of their former selves as they are failing to make ends meet.
According a source within the MDC-Alliance, the most affected are former Epworth legislator, Ethrage Kureva, Mufakose’s Susan Matsunga, St Mary’s Unganai Tarusenga and Highfield East legislator Eric Murayi.
The source added that the sorry state and welfare of the recalled legislators was an issue of concern within that party’s leadership as they fear that the former MPs might jump ship and join ZANU PF or the MDC-T.
According to the source, the recalls have not only affected the legislators, but the entire party as they used to contribute a certain percentage of their allowances to the party.
“Although the party resolved to field the recalled MPs in their respective constituencies in the expected by-elections, the former legislators raised concern that their financial statuses have rendered them politically uncompetitive as their rivals are reportedly splashing money to the people,” said the source.
The source further revealed that the party’s Treasury Department could not do much to assist the legislators as the party’s coffers are almost dry due to dwindled revenue base and continued court cases that are gobbling a large chunk of the party’s funds.
The source said the Treasury Department bemoaned the removal of Herbert Gomba as the Mayor of Harare as he used to mobilize funds for the party programmes using the council’s investment vehicles. He said there were frantic efforts by the party’s treasury to devise ways to continue getting money from Harare City Council as before.
Following last year’s High Court ruling that the MDC-Alliance was not a bonafide political party, a number of its legislators and councilors were recalled by the MDC-T. Legislators such as Prince Dubeko Sibanda, Susan Matsunga, Eric Murayi, Concilia Chinanzvavana, and Wellington Chikomo among many others were recalled from Parliament.
