By Linda Masarira, LEAD President
The recent revelation that Zimbabwean Members of Parliament (MPs) and Senators now enjoy free tollgate passage, free parking, and the registration of two vehicles exempt from toll fees is yet another blatant display of elite privilege in a country where millions struggle to afford basic necessities. This new perk, added to their long list of extravagant benefits, is a direct insult to the suffering masses.
A Selfish and Wasteful Political Class
While ordinary Zimbabweans are burdened with high transport costs, poor wages, and relentless economic hardships, our lawmakers continue to prioritize their own comfort over the needs of the people who elected them. The current perks for MPs and senators include:
• Luxury cars – Funded by taxpayers, these vehicles are often beyond the reach of ordinary citizens who work tirelessly for a living.
• Diplomatic passports – Giving them international travel privileges while most citizens struggle to get even a basic passport.
• Constituency Development Fund (CDF) – A legalized avenue for abuse and mismanagement, with little to no tangible development in communities.
• Housing loans – Heavily subsidized while the majority of Zimbabweans can’t afford decent housing.
• Foreign trips – Funded by taxpayers, yet these trips rarely result in meaningful policy improvements for the country.
• Two vehicle registrations & free tollgate passage – MPs get to drive freely on Zimbabwe’s roads while ordinary citizens are forced to pay ever-increasing toll fees.
• Free parking anywhere – While businesses and ordinary workers struggle with expensive and limited parking spaces in urban areas.
• Fuel coupons – At a time when many workers can not afford transport costs.
• High salaries and sitting allowances – Yet these same MPs fail to push for living wages for civil servants and the private sector.
• Possible term extensions – Prolonging their grip on power while failing to deliver on their electoral promises.
The Reality for Ordinary Zimbabweans
• Over 7.6 million Zimbabweans face acute food shortages and rising poverty levels.
• Public healthcare is collapsing, yet MPs are focused on personal luxuries.
• Transport and fuel costs are unbearable for workers, but MPs don’t feel the pinch.
• Youth unemployment is at crisis levels, yet MPs and Senators focus on their own wealth accumulation instead of job creation policies.
A Call to Reject Bourgeois Leadership
It is unacceptable that our leaders behave like the privileged elite of a feudal system, living in comfort while the majority suffer. We demand immediate reforms, including:
• A salary and benefits review for MPs and Senators to remove unnecessary luxuries.
• A ban on unnecessary foreign trips that waste state funds.
• A full audit of the CDF to ensure accountability and transparency.
• Investment in public healthcare, education, and job creation instead of prioritizing MPs’ privileges.
• An end to wasteful expenditures and a commitment to pro-poor policies.
Zimbabwe can not continue being a playground for the politically connected while the masses suffer. Leaders must serve the people, not themselves! It is time to demand accountability and reject leadership that prioritizes self-enrichment over national progress.
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