adminSenators have said.
Not even a single minister attended Thursday’s session in the Senate, forcing the Upper House to cancel the question and answer session.
Public Works Deputy Minister Aguy Georgias is the only member of the executive who attended the sitting.
Questions with notice were also adjourned for the same reason.
During the sessions, legislators ask ministers questions on Government policy and pertinent issues.
In separate interviews after the sitting on Thursday, Senators said ministers were disrespecting the Senate thereby denying them an opportunity to ask questions concerning their constituencies.
Senate Deputy President Cde Naison Kutshwekhaya Ndlovu said they would report the ministers to the principals for their “unbecoming behaviour”
“We are not happy with what the ministers are doing. We are going to report them to their principals because we have tried to encourage them to attend Senate but they are not coming.
“They have no excuse whatsoever because if they are busy, there are alternatives.
“Those with deputy ministers can send them while those without can delegate any minister to come and answer on their behalf,” he said.
Cde Ndlovu said the ministers did not respect the Senate which plays an oversight role over the executive.
“These ministers have no respect for the Senate which makes debate in the House ineffective. They are supposed to attend these sessions so that Senators can ask them on policy issues,” Cde Ndlovu said.
Zanu-PF and MDC-T Chief Whips in the Senate, Cde Tambudzani Mohadi and Ms Gladys Dube said the ministers were disregarding the role of the Senate.
“We don’t understand what they are doing, maybe they are shunning the Senate.
“They have to know that it is a constitutional right for the Senators to be responded to.
“Ministers have not been coming to Senate since this session started. It is their responsibility to attend because they know that Thursday is a question and answer day, they don’t need to be reminded,” she said.
Cde Mohadi said some motions had been on the order paper for a long time, adding that they were now urging the legislators to wind them up.
Ms Dube said: “The ministers don’t take this House seriously and we want Parliament and the principals to take action against these errant ministers.
“We come here with important questions from our constituencies, but the executive is letting us down. As Parliament we are supposed to play an oversight role but we cannot do that if questions from the people we represent are not answered.”
She said they would raise the issue in their party caucuses.
Mt Darwin Senator, Cde Alice Chimbudzi (Zanu-PF) said: “If ministers don’t come to the Senate, especially for the question and answer sessions we won’t be able to support them on Government issues because we won’t be informed.
“We can only be able to support them if they avail themselves for questions and they clarify issues because at the moment it seems they do not exist.”
MDC-T Non-Constituency Senator, Mr Morgan Komichi said Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai who is Government leader in Parliament was supposed to make ministers take Government business seriously.
“The Prime Minister should continue attending to Parliament business so that these ministers can attend as well.”
Online Reporter