MPs under fire for alleged salary increase demands

Political analysts have criticised members of parliament (MPs) for putting their goals ahead of citizens’ plight after reportedly calling for a salary increase last week.

Some chief whips from political parties confirmed to The Namibian that they had a discussion about a salary increase recently, but said they were not allowed to speak to the media due to the sensitivity of the issue.

According to inside information, the meeting was recently held with prime minister Elijah Ngurare, led by various political parties’ chief whips to request salary increases for MPs.

Ngurare’s mobile phone was off when contacted yesterday for confirmation of said meeting.

In 2015, it was reported that the monthly basic salary of an MP was N$52 596, which includes a basic salary of N$34 460 and allowances such as transport (N$7 870), water and electricity (N$210), telephone (N$72) and a housing allowance of N$9 983.

Before adjustments were effected that same year, the wage bill for MPs was N$31 million for the 78 MPs, as they each received N$39 626

In 2023, MPs received a monthly Aweh of N$72.

Independent Patriots for Change (IPC) official opposition leader, Imms Nashinge, says such demands for an increase could arise from the fact that MP salaries have not been revised since 2016.

This means that no adjustments or increments have been made in nine years, despite inflation, he says.

While IPC acknowledges that the remuneration is outdated, Nashinge says the party believes this is not a priority, given the fact that the majority of Namibians are unemployed.

He says they must begin allocating the national budget in a manner that uplifts the nation and creates jobs, rather than simply increasing the government wage bill.

Such an approach, he says, is neither sustainable nor a matter of urgency.

He believes their purpose is to serve the people of Namibia, not to benefit and enrich themselves.

“We, as MPs from the IPC, wish to state for the record that we did not advocate for an increase in benefits for MPs. As a party, we withheld our support from all votes during the recent budget debates.

“We identified significant errors and proposed improvements for each budget allocation,” he tells The Namibian.

Nashinge says their specific objection to the National Assembly vote stemmed from their disagreement with allocations for unnecessary expenditure, such as N$5 million for two small guardhouses, especially when parliament is severely understaffed and working conditions are substandard.

He says they did not advocate for increased spending, nor did they push for additional benefits for MPs.

“It is crucial to understand that despite the IPC not supporting any of the votes, the only allocation returned to the Minister of Finance was that for the National Assembly and National Council.

“This clearly demonstrates that no vote can be sent back without the support of the ruling party. No decision can be made without majority approval, and Swapo holds that majority,” says Nashinge.

Office of the Prime Minister spokesperson Rhingo Mutumba says he will have to find out today about the meeting to confirm.

Popular Democratic Movement president McHenry Venaani questions what the prime minister has to do with MPs salaries.

“How can the prime minister increase salaries?” he asks, declining to comment further.

Political analyst Rui Tyitende says the MP’s are being insensitive to the plight of the poor and those they promised prosperity to during their election campaigns last year.

He said that they sould not be salary collectors.

“If anything, their salaries need to be trimmed as a form of socio-economic solidarity with ordinary citizens during these difficult times,” says Tyitende.

He says MPs are there to serve and not to be served.

This request, he says, is a classical example of a culture of entitlement among politicians as it invokes the adage of ‘politics of the belly’ and not politics of the people.

“I will support a salary increment if all MPs represented in parliament achieve 50% of their goals as enshrined in their respective manifestos. If not, they should stop with this outrageous request,” he says.

He argues that they are barely three months into the job and already demanding a salary increase.

Public policy analyst Marius Kudumo says if such a request was made, it might create the impression that political parties, and by implication the parliamentarians, are self-serving.

He believes they ought to be representatives of all Namibian people and, in performing their duties, be guided by the Constitution, public interest, and their conscience.

“This is what the Namibian Constitution expects from them. I expect the honourable members of parliament when discussing the national budget to focus on matters that address issues that affect the social and material conditions of the people, especially in remote and rural areas,” he says.

He adds that it cannot be ethically and morally correct for the representatives of the Namibian people to think about themselves first and then the people they represent.

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