In Swaziland seven in ten of the estimated 1.1
million population have incomes of less than E8,760 per year. In contrast the
Prime Minister who is not elected by the people has a salary more than nine
times as much at E802,854 per year. In addition he gets a car, a house and five
servants paid for by the taxpayer.
King Mswati III of
Swaziland has ordered a review of the salaries of the Prime Minister and
parliamentarians ahead of the 2018 national election.
A seven-member Royal
Commission has been told to report to him by the end of March 2018. The review
will be similar to one known as Financial Circular No 2 of 2013 undertaken
before the previous election.
In Swaziland, political
parties are banned from taking part in elections and people only get to select
55 of 65 members of the House of Assembly. The King who is sub-Saharan Africa’s
last absolute monarch chooses the other 10. No members of the Swazi Senate are
elected by the people. The King chooses 20 and the other 10 are elected by
members of the House of Assembly.
Salaries for politicians in
Swaziland are controversial as many ordinary Swazi people think they are too
high. In Swaziland seven in ten of the estimated 1.1 million population live in
abject poverty with incomes less than the equivalent of US$2 per day which is
about E24 or E8,760 per year.
The Financial Circular No 2 of 2013 details salaries and allowances. They have since been
reviewed upwards annually in line with the those of the civil service.
As of 2013, the Prime
Minister had an annual salary of E617,646. The Deputy Prime Minister received
E555,881. Other salaries included: presiding officers E494,117; ministers
E463,235; members of parliament E370,588.
Members of parliament also
get an allowance for attending parliament of E350 per sitting. These allowances
are not paid to ministers or presiding officers.
All parliamentarians are
entitled to a constituency allowance equal to 12.5 percent of the basic pay of
the member of parliament.
Following election or
appointment a once-off settling in allowance of 15 percent of basic salary is
paid to the Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, presiding officers,
ministers, regional administrators, deputy presiding officers and members of parliament.
A motor vehicle allowance
reimburses parliamentarians for the cost of their private motor vehicle. It
also covers running and maintenance costs. They can get car loans. The benchmark
cost of vehicles include ministers E800,000; MPs E300,000 (plus E60,000 per
year vehicle allowance and E45,000 per year maintenance and insurance costs).
The Prime Minister and
Deputy Prime Minister are allocated official vehicles by the state, a driver
and police escorts (including for spouses and dependents) at the expense of
Government. Spouses of the Prime Minster and Deputy Prime Minister are provided
with a pool vehicle and driver.
Utility expenses
(electricity, water and municipal rates) of parliamentarians who are eligible
to occupy a government-owned residence (the Prime Minister, Deputy Prime
Minister, presiding officers and ministers) are covered by the Government. The
rest of the politicians are entitled to a utility allowance of 3 percent of
basic salary.
Cabinet ministers are
eligible for a housing allowance equal to 25 percent of their basic salary. MPs
are eligible for an allowance equal to 10 percent of their basic salary.
The Prime Minister, Deputy
Prime Minister, presiding officers, ministers and regional administrators are
also entitled to household assistants paid by the Government. The Prime
Minister, for example, is entitled to one housekeeper, one domestic helper, one
gardener and two drivers.
When they travel abroad in
their official capacity, the Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, presiding
officers and ministers are eligible to fly first class. Regional
administrators, deputy presiding officers and MPs go business class.
All parliamentarians who
fail to get re-elected or reappointed to the new parliament are entitled to a
once-of payment equal to twelve months basic salary.
The above salaries and
allowances were as of 2013, they have been reviewed annually since. In 2014
they received a 6.5 percent increase. The Times of Swaziland, the only independent daily newspaper in the
kingdom, estimated that cabinet ministers were being paid E526,233.96 per year
which was more than some heads of state in the Southern African development
Community (SADC). In 2014, the PM earned E657,792.96 per year making him the
highest paid head of government in SADC.
By 2016 the Prime
Minister’s salary was E802,854, the Times reported. Other salaries included: Deputy Prime Minister
E722,568 and presiding officers 642,300.
See also
SWAZI MINISTERS PAID MORE THAN PM
SWAZI POLITICIANS SPLIT ON PAY CUT
https://swazimedia.blogspot.co.uk/2011/05/swazi-politicans-split-on-pay-cut.html
No comments:
Post a Comment