MPs allowances to be increased in July

Members of Parliament are privately asking for an increase in their constituency allowances. Botswana Guardian can reveal that the issue was among others extensively discussed during Tuesday’s Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) caucus meeting between President Ian Khama and members of his party. MPs wanted their conditions of service to be improved by being provided with transport when addressing Kgotla meetings in their constituencies. “Our concern was that our constituencies are vast and we are expected to use our own resources to address Kgotla meetings,” said an insider. The meeting also discussed the inequality between them and cabinet members.

The ruling party legislators apparently expressed worry that cabinet members use government resources to do the same work being done by backbenchers. However, during the discussions Khama pointed out that government would not afford to provide all the 57 constituencies with government vehicles because other departments also lack resources such as vehicles. And that was when the discussions turned to the constituency allowance. Legislators argued that to augment the situation the constituency allowance should be increased. An insider who expressed shock at the way President Khama handled the whole issue said the president was accommodative of their concerns.

“He was considerate,” said the source about Khama. In the past Khama labelled MPs vultures when they asked for salary increases but this time around he was said to have handled the matter differently. Some senior BDP MPs also supported the issue of increasing the constituency allowance as they felt that parliament could not attract skilled people should it continue to offer not so attractive salaries. It is not clear by what percentage the MPs wanted the allowance to be increased as according to insiders, the lawmakers were also cautious of not trying to attract bad publicity and being seen as self-serving. “This is a sensitive issue,” Botswana Guardian was told. MPs salaries and allowances are increased by parliament through the National Assembly (Salaries and Allowances) Act of 2008.

Botswana Guardian understands that Minister for Presidential Affairs, Mokgweetsi Masisi has been tasked with looking at the issue (increasing the constituency allowance). Some of the suggestions at the meeting included formulating through parliament an independent body that will address MPs’ conditions of service. The body will be the one deciding whether to increase MPs’ salaries or not. “Masisi will look at all options and we expect him to present something during the July session of parliament,” an insider said. Currently constituency allowances as stipulated in the National Assembly (Salaries and Allowances) Act of 2008 vary according to the vastness of a constituency.

For instance MPs for constituencies such as Chobe, Gantsi North and South, Kgalagadi North and South, Letlhakeng West as well as Ngami and Okavango get an annual allowance of over P88 000, while those in Bobirwa, Boteti North, Borolong Kgatleng West and East constituencies are paid over P84 000. MPs from constituencies in Francistown, Gaborone, Kanye, Molepolole and Maun West are paid P79 000. Khama met the BDP MPs this week after the latter complained that the President never finds time to meet them.

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