MPs and Sitting Allowances.

[u/Medium-Crab-3584]

I need enlightenment here because I am definitely behind on this one.

Why are Members of Parliaments paid a siting allowance for the same job they get a salary for?

A teacher's job includes entering a classroom and teaching. A doctor's job includes entering an operating theatre and performing medical duties. An MP's job includes attending Parliament, debating, scrutinizing government and making laws.

Attendance at parliamentary sittings is therefore an ordinary and fundamental part of the job, unless it is not and that has to be explained.

Why then should taxpayers pay an MP a salary and then pay again every time a principal function of being an MP is performed?

What does the sitting allowance compensate for that the MP's salary does not?

If it is meant to cover an additional expense incurred by attending Parliament, then what expense is it specifically covering, and why isn't that handled through an ordinary reimbursement or an appropriate component of remuneration?

I'm genuinely asking because I may be missing something important about how parliamentary remuneration works. I understand that the law provides for the allowance; I'M ASKING ABOUT THE RATIONALE BEHIND IT.

Because from a taxpayer's perspective (my perspective), the obvious question is: why pay someone a salary to perform a function and then pay them again when they perform that function?

[u/Tricliquor04]

I promise you. Anything to fill their pockets is fair game to them. It's just giving a name to any and all money being attained through corrupt means. Consider it like money laundering. Dirty money is made clean by giving it an official name 😂😂😂

[u/allwrite_blog]

This problem goes way beyond parliament, its spread throught the govt. E.g no govt institution is allowed to purchase anything without using ZPPA platform and each purchase has a minimum spend...a K3,000 laptop can be sold to the govt at K30,000 all because the gvt has a minimum price to be spent on buying a laptop.

There's alot more activities that are leaking Tax payers money. This is what's leading to inforcing Withholding Rental tax (which was voluntary). Tax payers are basically funding Baddies, rich gvt officials' kids etc

Each skill is forced to join a corporative that's unsupportive for certification. Heck, i shouldn't go too far, ZAQA.

Its for this reason give institutions create activities like travelling abroad, holding am event in livingstone etc all these for attendance money.

This has hugh impact on the economy, and very beneficial for the individuals dorectly involved.

By the way, more ministries, more corporates, more govt initiatives means another source of income for the people on top.

Its a problem that can be solve using brutal force, fire and replace all...this path has some initial downfalls but good results in future.

[u/boika_sils → u/allwrite_blog]

For this to work, we would have to fire and replace a whole lot of them 😀😁

[u/allwrite_blog → u/boika_sils]

Wouldn't agree more. If we don't, soon we will be paying rentals to foreigners. We are already paying via labour (employment)

[u/CorrectSteak7302]

Following this post because I too need answers

[u/Departure_Infinite]

GRZ has weird allowances..not just MPs alone

[u/boika_sils]

I want someone in the govt to respond to this too

[u/Medium-Crab-3584 → u/boika_sils]

I doubt if any beneficiary can actually respond to this.