‘Mantṧali Phakoana
Members of parliament have come under fire for ‘plundering’ state funds after adopting regulations entitling them to M5,000 tax-free petrol allowance and M150 daily lunch allowance.
The allowances were introduced by the previous 10th parliament.
On Tuesday this week, the National Assembly adopted both the Members of Parliament (Amendment of Schedule) Regulations, 2023 and Statutory Salaries (Amendment of Schedule) Regulations, 2023, throwing out a motion from leader of the opposition Popular Front for Democrats (PFD), Lekhetho Rakuoane, and Teboho Mojapela of the Socialist Revolutionaries party.
By adopting these regulations, the legislators have granted themselves another opportunity to earn M5,000 tax-free petrol allowance, M3,000 housing allowance, M2,000 airtime, M1, 000 entertainment allowance.
There will also be a 2.5 percent increase on the M37 000 gross monthly salary and M150 daily sitting allowance for parliamentarians, and M42 000 monthly salaries for ministers.
The National Assembly further gave the prime minister the greenlight to use his personal vehicles for official purposes and bear a protocol license number.
The vehicles will be fuelled, maintained and fully insured by the state. They will however not be rented or leased by the government.
The House also sanctioned the employment of coterminous staff in the office of the prime minister.
The adopted regulations intend to review and categorise salaries for members of parliament, allowances and privileges.
The allowances had been approved by the portfolio committee on the prime minister’s ministries and departments, governance, foreign relations and information cluster on May 23 2023, for consideration by the National Assembly.
The committee had, in its report, also observed that the total number of coterminous staff in the office of the prime minister is 134, excluding body guards who are provided by the Lesotho Defence Force.
“All these positions appear in the 2021/22 establishment list even though some have been redesignated.
“Only three positions in the office of the prime minister have been filled and these are; senior private secretary to the prime minister, executive secretary and special assistant. However, nominations for other positions have already been made and employment processes are yet to be finalised.
“There is nothing assessing the usage of the personal vehicle of the prime minister over a financial year; cost implications and further investigation that it is within necessary security confines, which couldn’t be done on the account of time constraints,” the committee reported.
Meanwhile, Mojapela, Rakuoane and the Basotho National Party (BNP) leader Machesetsa stood firm and challenged the revised salaries and perks for parliamentarians and executive members, arguing that the country’s ailing economy could hardly afford such benefits.
Mojapela, seconded by Rakuoane, had filed a motion seeking the reversal of the aspects of the gazette outlining the salaries and benefits of the prime minister, his deputy, minister and MPs.
It was after this ruling that the trio opposition members accused Prime Minister Sam Matekane’s ruling Revolution for Prosperity (RFP) party for failing to deliver on its promises.
During its campaign, RFP had vowed to eliminate the M5,000 tax-free petrol allowance benefit for parliamentarians. However, the party’s failure to follow through on this pledge has left Basotho citizens angry and disillusioned.
Instead of voting to revise the regulations, MPs of the ruling bloc backed the adoption of both regulations while the opposition disagreed.
The three legislators emphasized before the House that they were against the decision to adopt the regulations.
Approached for comment after the adoption of the regulations, they maintained that the decision of the majority MPs was an act which will linger in the memory of Basotho for a long time to come.
Rakuoane pointed out that it was not in the best interest of the nation for the prime minister to use his own vehicles since they will be expensive for this country to fuel, insure and maintain.
Like the previous premiers, he said, it would be for the best if the sitting prime minister uses government Lexus vehicles.
Mojapela said filing the motion was a way of proving to the nation that not all politicians covet public funds.
He accused the Matekane-led government of not practising what they preach.
“These people vowed they would abolish the M5000 petrol allowance which was introduced by the previous government. But it is clear they lied.
“It is common knowledge that African politicians, half of the time, do the opposite of what they promised to the people who voted for them. That should come to an end,” Mojapela said.
“We tried our best to stop these regulations but failed. Perhaps I should be thankful because Basotho will now realise that what is being practised is not what the ruling party promised,” he added.
Mojapela further argued that MPs do not need both petrol and lunch allowances because they already earn enough.
MPs often claim they spend much of their pay in their constituencies, where they are expected to help out community members with school fees and burial costs, among others.
For his part, Mofomobe said it was clear that it was in the government’s agenda to pass the regulations, otherwise the deputy prime minister who is also law, justice and parliamentary affairs (Nthomeng Majara) would have vetoed them.
He indicated that he was contemplating taking the legal route to have parliament’s decision overturned.
“In politics, consistency is very paramount. Even if you stand alone on issue of public interest it does not matter. The public outcry on these benefits was so loud it cannot continue to be ignored. We will end this, no matter what it takes or how long,” he concluded.
