CCC Harare North legislator Mr Norman Markham formally applied for the US$40 000 housing loan offered to all legislators by the Government, but declined to accept the loan in fear of party leader Mr Nelson Chamisa and an implied threat of de-selection for this year’s harmonised elections.
The formal application, the filling and signing of the forms and then calling for quick disbursement of the funds, negate remarks by Mr Markham and those anti-Government activists who had sought to project him as a man of probity who “flatly refused” the US$40 000 loan extended to legislators.
Some anti-Government political organisations and activists, including the discredited journalist Hopewell Chin’ono, have been showering praises on Mr Markham for “flatly refusing” the loan.
Other CCC legislators gladly accepted the loan saying there was nothing wrong with it.
However, it has turned out that Mr Markham was one of those at the forefront of calling for the expeditious disbursement of the money into their bank accounts after submitting forms to the administration of Parliament.
But he then changed his mind and made an about turn after Mr Chamisa threatened to take punitive action against those CCC legislators who took up the money.
A reliable source at Parliament said Mr Markham was one of the MPs who were quick to collect forms and submitted them to the administration of Parliament.
“He even made follow ups on when the money would be disbursed into his bank account, clearly showing anxiety, restlessness and eagerness to accept the money. When their leader, Mr Chamisa, began making threats, that was when he came requesting to have his forms withdrawn which the administration of Parliament accepted,” said the source.
Another source in CCC said Mr Markham feared backlash from their party as he felt that prospects of his acceptance by the party to seek re-election in this year’s harmonised elections would be compromised.
“The bottom line is that Mr Markham did not decline to take the money out of his conscience, but because of fear.
“He feared that he might be barred from seeking re-election,” the source said.
Mr Markham admitted that he indeed submitted his forms before turning around and withdrawing them.
“That is correct, otherwise I would not know what the loan document entailed,” said Mr Markham.
Most CCC legislators defied Mr Chamisa after their caucus meeting and resolved to take up the US$40 000 housing loan scheme, saying it is one of the loan schemes extended to them by the State.
CCC chief whip Mr Prosper Mutseyami said the issue was raised during debate on the supplementary Budget as legislators were failing to access accommodation in hotels due to non-payment of bills.
He said over the years, different facilities and loans have always been provided to Parliament, the most common one being the vehicle loans of up to US$60 000, in some cases.
Mr Mutseyami said the loans have always been repaid and where there has been a default Parliament had instituted legal proceedings to recover the money.
He added that the suggestion in some quarters that the loans were donations are incorrect. – The Herald
