dyton mupawaenda
Farirai Machivenyika-Senior Reporter
SPEAKER of the National Assembly Advocate Jacob Mudenda on Wednesday read the riot act against Cabinet Ministers who are continuously missing Parliament’s question and answer time, querying the authenticity of their now customary apologies.
He warned that action would be taken against those who fail to attend to backbenchers’ questions.
While some ministers sought leave of absence, the Speaker said the frequency of such apologies raised suspicions about their commitment to duty.
Adv Mudenda made the statement after a handful of ministers and deputy ministers attended Tuesday’s sitting.
“Now, my observation is this, there are quite clear apologies that have been very consistent and my suspicion is that these ministers who tender apologies cannot be on national duty every week.
“I am therefore directing the clerk and the staff to make a proper analysis of those ministers who have been consistently tendering their apologies, appropriate action therefore must be taken sooner than later.
“Second observation is that when His Excellency President Mnangagwa addressed the Cabinet, he made a statement in which he was appealing to all ministers and their deputies to perform their responsibilities and such apologies don’t seem to answer that objective,” he said.
He added that some deputy ministers were also consistently, absenting themselves.
Adv Mudenda said the Constitution was clear that everyone from Vice-Presidents, ministers and deputy ministers must attend parliament and parliamentary committees to answer questions concerning matters for which they are collectively or individually responsible.
“When the ministers answer parliamentary processes, this is their time to shine on public policy in which they are telling the world what Government is doing, the challenges Government is facing and what Government is doing about those challenges, that creates public trust in the Government of the day,” he said.
“We cannot afford to miss that golden opportunity, we should not.
“Above all, it is the taxpayer who shoulders the responsibilities of us being in our offices and that must be respected.”
He cited several instances of outstanding responses from various ministers dating back to last year.
“I have been analysing questions, written questions that have not been attended to and I will go through them, a question to Ministry of Industry and Commerce one question has been outstanding since the beginning of October 2024, then we have three questions outstanding from the Ministry of Land, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water, and Rural Development Outstanding since 27 November 2024 up to February 12, 2025.
“Then, we have six questions that have not been attended to by the Honourable Minister of Health and Child Care from 16 October 2024 to 12 February 2025”.
The National Assembly conducts its question time on Wednesdays while the Senate has its own on Thursdays where ministers are expected to various questions on specific issues or policy matters.
Online Reporter