News / National
Ministers exposed for bunking parliamentary question and answer sessions
23 Apr 2012 at 07:57hrs | Views
Home Affairs co-ministers Kembo Mohadi (Zanu-PF) and Theresa Makone (MDC-T), Minister of State Security in the Presidents Office Sydney Sekeramayi (Zanu-PF), and Minister of Local Government, Urban and Rural Development Ignatius Chombo (Zanu-PF) have been exposed as leading the pack in bunking Parliaments question-and-answer sessions held on Wednesdays and evading questions regarding their ministries performance.
Clerk of Parliament Austin Zvoma described the ministers non-availability as undermining Parliamentary business.
"It seems to undermine the whole process of having a Parliament and appeals have been made by the Prime Minister, the Speaker and other Speakers before this current Parliament to say ministers should appear to answer questions. This is something that comes as a culture, but sometimes we have a full bench of ministers in attendance," Zvoma said.
Mohadi and Sekeramayi could not be reached for comment as their mobile phones went unanswered. Mbizo MP Settlement Chikwinya said it was shameful and disrespectful of Parliament for ministers to fail to answer to questions from backbenchers, which mostly relate to issues that affect people in their constituencies.
Clerk of Parliament Austin Zvoma described the ministers non-availability as undermining Parliamentary business.
"It seems to undermine the whole process of having a Parliament and appeals have been made by the Prime Minister, the Speaker and other Speakers before this current Parliament to say ministers should appear to answer questions. This is something that comes as a culture, but sometimes we have a full bench of ministers in attendance," Zvoma said.
Mohadi and Sekeramayi could not be reached for comment as their mobile phones went unanswered. Mbizo MP Settlement Chikwinya said it was shameful and disrespectful of Parliament for ministers to fail to answer to questions from backbenchers, which mostly relate to issues that affect people in their constituencies.
Source - newsday
