25 Mar 2015

Parliament has been informed that specially elected members and the Speaker do not have constituencies but are entitled to an allowance by virtue of being members of the National Assembly as per section 58 of the constitution.

Assistant Minister for Presidential Affairs and Public Administration, Mr Phillip Makgalemele, said when responding to a question from the Member of Parliament for Francistown South, Mr Wynter Mmolotsi on March 24

Mr Makgalemele said it was for that reason that the allowance of Specially Elected members and the Speaker under paragraph four of the first schedule was lower than that of elected members.

He also told the house that the National Assembly (salaries and allowances) Act [Cap. 02:06] defined member by giving it the same meaning as that given under section 58 of the constitution.

The assistant minister said this included an elected member, Specially Elected member and Speaker. He further stated that paragraph four of the first schedule to the National Assembly (salaries and allowances) Act granted to all member of the National Assembly, an allowance which was not uniform, as its calculation was based on the size of constituencies.

MP for Francistown South, Mr Wynter Mmolotsi had asked the minister why Specially Elected members of Parliament draw a constituency allowance when they did not have constituencies. ENDS