News / National
MPs dress down Mugabe's nephew
28 Sep 2017 at 06:52hrs | Views
LEGISLATORS yesterday ganged up and dressed down Youth minister Patrick Zhuwao and his deputy Mathias Tongofa accusing them of failing to respond to a written question on youth employment opportunities, which has been on the National Assembly Order Paper for several months now.
Gokwe-Nembudziya MP Justice Wadyajena raised the question asking Zhuwao or his deputy to explain when youths from his constituency would benefit from the 4 500 jobs created in each ward by the ministry.
Zhuwao was not present in the House and was represented by his deputy Tongofa, who angered the MPs after he requested for the question to be further deferred to next week.
"The minister is failing to attend Parliament to answer this question and yet he always comes to my constituency telling the youth to chuck me out. You must compel Zhuwao to atend Parliament," Wadyajena said while raising a point of order with the acting Speaker Melody Dziva.
Norton MP Temba Mliswa (Independent) chipped in saying: "There is no reason why the deputy minister (Tongofa) is failing to answer this question. He is here sitting in the House doing absolutely nothing and is wasting taxpayers' money.
The two ministers must be able to respond. They were appointed by President Robert Mugabe to discharge their duties and this is a waste of taxpayers' money. Get them to respond or they get charged with contempt of Parliament."
Earlier, MDC-T chief whip, Innocent Gonese, supported by Kuwadzana East MP, Nelson Chamisa, complained about Mugabe prioritising Cabinet sittings ahead of Parliament.
"Mugabe must prioritise Parliament business and can you write to him to respect Parliament, especially on Wednesdays, when we bring questions about the problems in the country, which deputy ministers that are present cannot answer?" Chamisa said.
Gokwe-Nembudziya MP Justice Wadyajena raised the question asking Zhuwao or his deputy to explain when youths from his constituency would benefit from the 4 500 jobs created in each ward by the ministry.
Zhuwao was not present in the House and was represented by his deputy Tongofa, who angered the MPs after he requested for the question to be further deferred to next week.
"The minister is failing to attend Parliament to answer this question and yet he always comes to my constituency telling the youth to chuck me out. You must compel Zhuwao to atend Parliament," Wadyajena said while raising a point of order with the acting Speaker Melody Dziva.
The two ministers must be able to respond. They were appointed by President Robert Mugabe to discharge their duties and this is a waste of taxpayers' money. Get them to respond or they get charged with contempt of Parliament."
Earlier, MDC-T chief whip, Innocent Gonese, supported by Kuwadzana East MP, Nelson Chamisa, complained about Mugabe prioritising Cabinet sittings ahead of Parliament.
"Mugabe must prioritise Parliament business and can you write to him to respect Parliament, especially on Wednesdays, when we bring questions about the problems in the country, which deputy ministers that are present cannot answer?" Chamisa said.
Source - newsday
