Africa-Press – Lesotho. The atmosphere at the Senate was emotionally intense during the questions and answer sessions where the Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) and also the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Hon.
Mathibeli Mokhothu was reacting to questions regarding the remunerations and benefits on Wednesday this week. The DPM was responding to the questions on the parity
between the Senators remunerations and their benefits to those of the members of the National Assembly posed by Likueneng Chieftainess ‘Makholu Moshoeshoe.
She asked the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs “to explain reasons for the disparity in remuneration and benefits between members of the Senate and their counterparts in the lower
House; wherein Members of the National Assembly earn far higher salaries than Senators yet both Houses perform the legislation mandate as per the Constitution.
The disparity is further displayed upon Presiding Officers of both Houses in a similar fashion of benefiting the Lower House Principals higher than their counterparts in the
Senate”. He was also asked on how quickly he will intervene to address parity between the two houses, Upper House and Lower House, salaries and benefits.
The DPM said the Human Resources officers told him that the disparity is due to unequal workload of the members of two houses, the National Assembly and the Senate and the tenure
of office for the Senators. These responses irked the Senators prompting many supplementary questions. The Principal Chief of Mapoteng, Kueneng and Bela-Bela
Chief Peete Lesaoana Peete intimated on the ‘Afrobarometer’ study findings published earlier this year which have revealed that majority of Basotho prefer
the traditional leaders over the political leaders. “Afrobarometer survey findings show that traditional leaders continue to enjoy popular support in Lesotho.
They are more widely trusted than elected officials, and seen as less prone to corruption. “Indeed, a majority of Basotho would favour an even stronger
role for traditional leaders, who they say look out for the interests of their communities and work in cooperation, rather than in competition, with elected
leaders. These findings suggest that in Lesotho, traditional and modern systems can work in concert for the benefit of ordinary citizens,” reads the report in
pertinent part. He also warned the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs to guard against being misled by the civil servants, saying they have a lot of work.
On the issue of the tenure of office, the President of Senate ‘Mamonaheng Mokitimi showed that the presiding officers (President of Senate and Speaker of the National Assembly and their deputies) are elected and
they do not enjoy the sustained tenure of office. She also said from the Clerks to junior staff, their salaries are equal in both houses. The members of parliament (MPs) privileges and
allowances include; constituency allowances which is a tax-free M400.00 per month in lowlands and M600.00 in the highlands. There is also M2 000.00 per month for the member
elected as a Chief Whip and M1 500. 00 for the deputy Chief Whip. The member who is elected as Whip and who is an opposition whip are eligible for M1 300. 00.
These figures are equal to both members of the two legislative houses. The Chairperson of the Chairpersons for the parliamentary committee qualifies for M2 000.00 per month while the
Chairpersons of the committees receive monthly M1 500.00. The MPs and the member of Senate qualify for a fully furnished rent free government house and maintained surroundings or tax –free
monthly housing allowance of M3 000.00. They also enjoy the monthly tax-free electricity, telephone and water allowance to the tune of M2 000.00. The lawmakers are have a monthly tax-free expense
allowance to the tune of M1 000.00 and the M150.00 sitting allowance. The annual salary of the MPs for the Lower House amounts to M451 752.00 roughly M37 646.00 per month and the Senators
earn M431 604.00 translating to the north of M35 967.00 monthly. An elected MP qualifies for constituency Secretary. The Senate house has 33 members 22 of which are Principal Chiefs and 11 nominated members including the Independent Ward Chiefs.
