More MPs want pension

It has emerged that more members of Parliament (MPs) support Chitipa South legislator Werani Chilenga’s motion for lawmakers to receive a stipend after leaving office.

In interviews with some MPs yesterday, the legislators said they are uneasy about making their support for Chilenga’s motion public for fear of a backlash.

Last week, reports surfaced that Chilenga was planning to move a Private Members motion in Parliament, which if passed, would see ex-parliamentarians receiving half of their current salaries monthly when they exit office for the rest of their lives.

Three MPs who spoke to The Nation yesterday said in countries such as Kenya, former parliamentarians are on pension, while in Tanzania ex-MPs are granted winding up allowances, apart from gratuity and other benefits.

In the United Kingdom, a Parliamentary Contributory Pension Fund (PCPF), made up of two schemes—the MPs’ Pension Scheme and Ministerial Pension Scheme, is in place and pays them pension.

One of the MPs said: “Clearly, MPs are the only elected officials who are deprived of the said pension scheme in this country. While in Kenya and other countries, they have pensions. That’s why Chilenga is not alone on this, we will support him.”

The lawmaker said the President and Vice-President, Speaker of Parliament and their deputies are all elected along MPs.

“So, why should there be segregation? Are we not elected ourselves? We work very hard to pass laws, government bills and budgets, is that not deserving enough?” said the MP, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Another MP said people are deliberately trying to distort information on the matter as not all former MPs will be entitled to the benefit.

Said the MP: “If this comes to Parliament and it is passed, those who lose in the 2025 elections will be the first to benefit, not the previous ones. You cannot say that all MPs will lose and have new ones, so it’s not as people are trying to portray it.

“I can assure you that many MPs want the scheme, only that they have reservations because of the public backlash.”

According to a signed notice dated August 1 2023, Chilenga wants ex-MPs to receive half of their salary on a monthly basis when they exit Parliament.

The notice reads in part: “That considering the important service that a member of Parliament offers to this nation during his/her tenure of office and noting that all presiding officers are entitled to some kind of a pension after leaving office.

“…concerned with the lack of any pension arrangement for an ex-MP, this House resolves that ex-MPs should be receiving, on a monthly basis, half of the salary at which they exited for the rest of their lives.”

This is not the first time the matter has stirred public debate. In November 2018, the debate on the matter ensued when former president Peter Mutharika approved that first and second deputy Speakers of Parliament should be put on pension, just like Speakers.

Former Kasungu West legislator Alex Major (Malawi Congress Party) said ex-MPs suffer a lot after leaving office.

He said: “I remember vividly in 2018 and we were pursuing that matter. My view is that the call by Chilenga is genuine, but the timing could be an issue.

“Despite MPs being public servants, what they are calling for now means they will lose some benefits. So, we should be looking at what it is that we are losing as a government, and what it is that we are winning.”

Major argued that the MPs are not demanding too much, saying what they are asking for will also change some legislative framework in place in terms of their contractual obligations.

He said: “Currently, MPs get 45 percent of their gross pay as gratuity, but also get pension where they contribute 15 percent. But what they want now means that they will not get this pension at the end of their term because at the end of five years, they access that pension in full.”

Major further said the MPs were not asking for things outside contractual obligations, but for resources that they want to be accessing forever in their lives.

“It’s not all MPs who will access this fund, but only those who lose because those who win will be already getting something from Parliament,” he said.

However, public expenditure tracking and governance pundit Mavuto Bamusi said Malawi does not have the financial muscle to spend on wasteful expenditures such as MPs’ pensions.

He said: “The Motion represents greed and a quest for personal aggrandisement. MPs are colluding to legalise looting of public funds. The best form of compensation is by representing their people well, efficiently playing oversight functions, and passing good laws.

Malawi Parliament currently has 193 members, but the number will go up to 228 legislators after the 2025 elections following redemarcation of constituency boundaries.