Conference conveners rapped

belittling them.
The ministries of Finance and Economic Planning and Investment Promotion co-ordinated the conference, which started on Tuesday without high-level representation from Zanu-PF.
Rushinga Senator Damien Mumvuri (Zanu-PF), yesterday slammed the ministries and organisers for overlooking them by only inviting House of Assembly representatives to the conference while disregarding the Upper House.
Sen Mumvuri, who is the chair of the Senate Thematic Committee on Peace and Security, made his remarks while presenting a report on the role of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in promoting and safeguarding peace and security.
“There is a conference currently going on at the Harare International Conference Centre but (Economic Planning) Minister (Tapiwa) Masha-kada only invited members from the Lower House to attend.
“Maybe he thought we have no role to play at the conference but this is not true because we also have a big role to play,” he said.
President Mugabe also did not attend the conference’s opening.
Turning to the committee report, Sen Mumvuri said they were impressed by the role the Foreign Affairs Ministry played in promoting peace and security globally.
“The ministry has also managed to take its staff out of Libya and has assisted other Zimbabweans to leave.”
Some of the people assisted by the ministry include former Dynamos football player, Cuthbert Malajila, who was plying his trade in the North African country.
There has been fierce fighting between rebels and government forces that has destabilised Libya in recent weeks.
The committee urged Treasury to adequately resource the Foreign Affairs Ministry for it to effectively discharge its mandate.
Inadequate funding, said Cde Mumvuri, had seen staff at foreign missions going for months without salaries and failing to pay rentals.
The committee lauded the ministry for working through its missions to thwart Western attempts to impose United Nations Security Council sanctions on Zimbabwe.