Some legislators in the 10th Parliament of Zimbabwe have resorted to sleeping in their cars after Pandhari Hotel, Rainbow Towers and Crown Plaza Hotel refused to accommodate them.
This is not the first time that legislators have been denied accommodation by hotels. During the 9th Parliament, the legislators faced the same predicament due to delays by Parliament to settle its accommodation bills.
When Parliament is sitting, legislators from out of Harare are booked into hotels to ensure convenience. This exercise requires a huge sum of money to undertake, at a time when disbursements from the treasury have been erratic.
Speaking in the National Assembly, Zanu PF Chief Whip Pupurai Togarepi raised the issue arguing that a permanent solution is needed. He said the matter has been raised on several occasions with no solution as it keeps happening.
‘’Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of privilege after some perennial challenges that are facing Members of Parliament each time they come to the House. There is a challenge in terms of accommodation. Members get very desperate to a point where some sleep in cars and others are disturbed by the approach of some of the hotels. When Hon. Members go to hotels, they are told in an unfriendly way that we are not taking Members of Parliament, and they say they want to be allowed to deal with their customers, which is very disturbing. The honour and the respect that Hon. Members of Parliament must be accorded, they are not getting any.
‘’My issue is, we are sitting this week and we know if we are going to sit next week, those responsible in Parliament administration, why do they not engage service providers? I am raising it here because I have engaged Parliament administration not once but many times, but we are assured and it is only this week that we are going to be sitting and many of our Members were desperate.
‘’Some got accommodation around 3.00 a.m. If the staff have challenges, why do they not inform the Hon. Speaker early enough that we are supposed to sit next week, but hotels are not accepting our people because of non-payment?
‘’We know that there could be challenges in terms of funding the stay, but they are not the source of money. If they are told that the money is not there, why do they not tell the Speaker that we cannot sit because next week we do not have enough resources than to have people so desperate?
‘’So, my request is that, through your office, we convene a meeting. I do not know whether this is the correct thing to do, but where you give us how we have to deal with this thing because it is perennial. Every week Hon. Members are faced with this challenge of accommodation. It may not be the Parliament administration’s problem, it may be because of funding from the Ministry of Finance, but they should know this thing up front.
‘’Some of the hotels end up sending Hon. Members away like at Pandhari. It is a dilapidated hotel and it is like people left that hotel 10 years ago. Hon. Members of Parliament go there because the hotel is flexible and nobody is using that hotel at all. So, I am requesting you Mr. Speaker Sir, that a permanent solution is found to protect the dignity of Members of Parliament,’’ he said.
However, in his response, the Speaker of the National Assembly Jacob Mudenda, castigated the two chief whips for not approaching him over the matter.
He said his office is always open to receiving concerns of the legislators, adding that even when he is not in the country, he can be reached via WhatsApp.
‘’If I understand your English properly, you say perennial, I have been perennially in this office and you are raising it here, in this House. The two Chairpersons -the Chief Whips, that is the Government Chief Whip and the Opposition, are both Chairpersons of the welfare of the Hon. Members of Parliament. What has stopped you from engaging me?
‘’Hon. Member, Government Chief Whip, you have sent me WhatsApp messages even when I am in Honolulu seeking my guidance. I have given that guidance accordingly and accordingly, you responded gratefully. I am here, unless you have temporal lapses that I am the head of this Parliament.
‘’Last time when there was an issue, I recall that the Government Chief Whip approached me and the Minister of Finance, Economic Development, and Investment Promotion was not around. I approached the Head of State and Government, His Excellency Dr. Mnangagwa. He immediately called the Permanent Secretary Mr. Guvamatanga and asked, is there no budget for Parliament?
‘’He said yes and he asked, so why are you not paying hotels? Your Excellency, it will be done immediately because the situation of that particular week had become desperate and I had been informed. I do not want to hear the same story again and I am saying, my office, including my WhatsApp, is open,’’ he said.
Although Parliament is facing accommodation challenges, the government in 2011 acquired Quality International Hotel and had it renovated to accommodate legislators.
However, since the renovations were completed, the legislators have never used it. The building is currently being by the Ministry of Sports and Recreation.
