Parliament turns the heat on truant Ministers

Harare (New Ziana) –Cabinet and Deputy Ministers who dodge the question-and-answer sessions of Parliament will now face the music after the National Assembly on Wednesday resolved to start invoking its Standing Rules and Orders to rein them in.

Over the years legislators have been complaining that Ministers were taking them for granted as they were absenting themselves from Parliament without explanation as stipulated in the Standing Rules and Orders and the pleas have been falling on deaf ears.

This Wednesday however, National Assembly Speaker Jacob Mudenda said it was high time the House took action to end the practice, as it was getting out of control.

As is the norm before the business of the House commences, Mudenda on Wednesday read out the names of the eight Ministers and one deputy Minister who had sent their apologies.

He then asked the leader of government business in the House, who is also Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi, whether he had any explanation for the other Ministers who were not present.

Ziyambi replied that he only knew of some who had travelled, and all of them were among the names that had been read out, namely Local Government and Public Works Minister July Moyo; Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement Minister Anxious Masuka, Defence Minister Opah Muchinguri-Kashiri as well as Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development Minister Amon Murwira.

He said he did not know about deputy Ministers, adding that he could not speak for them.

“I am not very sure about the Deputy Ministers, why they are not here. I cannot speak for them. I hope the others will come. I am not sure why they are late but the message is very clear that we should be attending Parliament sessions and be able to discharge our constitutional duty to be in Parliament on Wednesdays to answer questions,” he said.

Legislators then took turns to complain about the behaviour of some Ministers, saying they had been raising the issue for a long time and it was evident that they were taking them for granted.

“For those who come late, that is a different story, but for those who will not come at all, it means that they have shown disdain and contempt for this institution and my humble request is that by the end of today, with the administration of Parliament.

“I believe that there should be a follow up so that those who would not have been able to come, who have not given an explanation, who have not sought leave of absence, that a motion of censure be put forward and it can only be done if we have those details at the end of the day. I think it is about time Mr. Speaker. It is something which we have been talking about over and over again,” said Mutare Central legislator Innocent Gonese.

Mudenda concurred with the legislators, pointing out that he had written to President Emmerson Mnangagwa twice about the issue and he had called the Ministers to order, after which they had been attending, but had since stopped again.

“We will wait until towards the end of business and then the Clerk with his officials will then come up with a list which we can use to charge for contempt of Parliament because I have written to His Excellency more than once. Once I write, Hon. Ministers troop in. After two sessions they disappear and then they are reminded,” he said.

“I am aware that they are reminded in Cabinet through the Leader of Government Business and they have not taken Parliamentary business seriously in terms of section 107 (2) of the Constitution. So we will have to move accordingly and charge those that will not appear in contempt of Parliament in terms of our Standing Orders.”

Other Ministers who had sent their apologies besides Muchinguri-Kashiri, Masuka, Moyo and Murwira included Monica Mutsvangwa of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Paul Mavima, Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare; Mangaliso Ndlovu of Environment, Climate Change, Tourism and Hospitality Industry; Frederick Shava, Foreign Affairs and International Trade; Soda Zhemu, Energy and Power Development as well as Primary and Secondary Education deputy Minister Edgar Moyo.

Since he assumed office in 2018, President Emmerson Mnangagwa has emphasised that his administration would be pursuing a different culture from the previous one, of transparency, accountability and of serving the citizens.

As part of the transparency thrust, for the first time in the history of the country the government has been informing the nation through media briefings, about what would have transpired during Cabinet meetings every Tuesday.

New Ziana