Better Pay And Status Of MPs
I NOTED with great concern the outrageous demands made by some members of parliament (MPs) during the discussion of the budget of the National Assembly on Wednesday 17 April 2013.
Several Swapo Party MPs, including members of the left wing, joined the shameful debates. Shameful because, the demands are self-centred. The debate came at a time when Namibia faces multiple socio-economic problems such as acute unemployment (downplayed to 27 percent), appalling health services, drought, corruption, housing and land shortage, gender-based violence and increased murders of innocent children, men and women, to mention just a few.
It is crucial to note that all abnormalities listed above fall within the mandate of a ministry headed by a minister who is demanding better pay. I now understand that ministers and MPs have the capacity to deal with problems negatively affecting the nation but, due to poor salaries and other perks as some of them termed it, they have decided to become less productive.
After all, not all MPs are qualified for the job. Some of them will even have a problem to produce a Grade 12 certificate. I know it is not a requirement because a party ticket will suffice. But when did we forget that remuneration has to be commensurate with qualifications and experience? Let us look at and assess the quality of work we are producing. It is a fact that Namibia is endowed with natural resources but, I always compare it with owning a vehicle without possessing a driver’s license and, my neighbour drives/keeps it.
Allow me also to share with you the origin and meaning of the word ‘minister’. I am pretty sure that even some of the ministers themselves will be shocked to hear the meaning for the first time. The word minister is deduced from “minus” in Latin, meaning “servant”. While ‘honourable minister’ simply translated in Oshiwambo literally means omupiya omusimanekwa [honourable servant].
To be frank with you ‘honourable MPs’, we all have families to take care of; criminals are also breaking into our houses; we suffer the most when we travel within and beyond the borders of this country and, we will be worse off when we retire. Compare us (public servants) with our private sector counterparts like the way you are benchmarking yourselves with the Kenyans.
Look at somebody waiting for nothing at the traffic lights; another scavenging at the dump site and the other cutting the grass on the road side under TIPEEG [Targeted Intervention Programme for Employment and Economic Growth]. If a tear does not flow, you will never cry again.
One day when we depart from mother earth (which we shall), God will individually ask us a question to which we will all want to answer “yes”. “I created wealth and I trusted you to distribute it to my people, you kept a large chunk for yourself, and left the poor masses to starve. Should I open the door for you?”
In a nutshell, I have no objection to the MPs’ demands but let them do it with consideration for all peace-loving and poor Namibians.
Sem Nyambali,
Windhoek