Africa-Press – Zimbabwe. Kuwadzana East MP Chalton Hwende (CCC) tried to delay the debate on the proposed 2026 budget, saying MPs’ welfare is being affected because they are hungry and might have a bleak Christmas.
Hwende, who has long campaigned for MPs to receive benefits like housing loans, suggested pausing the Finance Bill debate to speak with Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube for support. Said Hwende:
“Hon. Speaker, you always say that the fate of Members of Parliament is in their own hands.
“Yesterday, we learned that the Minister was ready for us to begin the actual debate.
“The joint caucus intended to provide us with an opportunity to address all the issues we have raised throughout the year.
“Our goal was to convincingly urge the Minister to consider the serious welfare concerns of Members of Parliament.
“Now that the joint caucus has been postponed to next week, after the budget is passed, we are facing a situation where we may be prejudiced.
“Honestly, Hon. Speaker, as we have previously stated, the situation among the Members of Parliament you lead is dire. There is hunger written all over their faces.
“We are approaching the Christmas holiday, and Members have no means of travelling. We have not been paid our dues.
“The promise made since the Pre-Budget Seminar was that we would have a joint caucus.
“It would not be acceptable to enter 2026 without addressing these issues. We have endured enough.
“If we begin the budget debate and have a joint caucus next week, we will have compromised.
“Therefore, we ask for your help and direction, Mr Speaker, so we can speak to Hon. Professor Ncube to ensure our concerns are addressed.”
However, Hwende faced criticism from ZANU-PF Chief Whip Pupurai Togarepi, who accused him of trying to hold the government to ransom.
Togarepi said Hwende was acting in his own interest rather than representing the concerns of the people. Said Togarepi:
“Mr Speaker, what Hon. Hwende is suggesting implies that we want to hold the government or the Minister to ransom because he insists that we discuss our concerns before the budget debate, as if we are here to represent ourselves.
“We came here to represent the people. Having said that, we regularly discuss issues related to MPs.
“With all due respect, I must inform you that we have already raised 20 million for coupons that are expected to be paid today. We have also secured 25 million for Hon. Members’ allowances.
“Yesterday, the Minister informed us that all the CDF would be paid by the end of next week. What more will we discuss in that joint caucus?
“My concern, Mr Speaker, is when senior Members of this House suggest we meet before debating the budget.
“This creates a negative impression that Members of Parliament prioritise their own issues over national interests. This is incorrect.
“While we have our needs and rights, we can still assert them without putting the people of Zimbabwe at ransom.”
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