Youths peeved by MPs’ M5 000 allowance

MAMELLO SEBATANE

Maseru – Basotho youth are appalled by Members of Parliament’s decision to allocate themselves a M5 000 tax free allowance over an above their already high salaries and other perks.

According to the statement undersigned by Kananelo Boloetse, Motsamai Mokotjo, Thuso Leina and Thandi Chabela yesterday, in other countries MPs’ salaries have been cut to meet the costs of emergencies arising out of the coronavirus pandemic “…but our MPs decided that this is the right time to arrogate to themselves the ownership of the nation’s hard earned funds,” the letter read.

The youth said this behavior shows that parliament has become a circle of a privileged few who are out of touch with the plight of ordinary citizens.

“These few privileged have forgotten about improving Basotho’s living conditions,” said the youth.

The decision by the MPs, according to the statement, is enough to stir into revolt any section of the population, especially the youth a large number of whom has never received a bank notification that M5 000 or more has been deposited into their bank accounts.

“…our youth are disenfranchised, they are yielding to more oppression and suffering and have remained impotent under excruciating circumstances,” they said in a statement.

On behalf of the alienated youth, they plead with government to enact the Remuneration of Public Office Bearers Act to provide a framework to determine the salaries and allowances of the Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, Ministers, Members of the National Assembly and the Senate as soon as possible.

The move by MPs comes at a time when civil servants have had to go for a second year without salary increases while the few still lucky enough to have a job post-Covid-19 cannot dream of any salary increment as employers are struggling to keep businesses alive.