Mudenda blasts absentee ministers

SPEAKER of the National Assembly Jacob Mudenda on Thursday blasted ministers who are failing to attend Parliament and warned that they were abusing their offices.

Only a handful of Cabinet ministers turned up during the question-and-answer session this week.

Mudenda confirmed receiving apologies from more than 10 ministers, including Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga (pictured), who doubles as Health minister.

"May I address myself to the leader of government business, there are ministers who are perennially now giving apologies and although it is their right to give apologies, that right should not be abused," Mudenda said.

"They have a responsibility to be in the House to answer questions from the Honourable Members, that is one observation.

"The second observation is that where a full Cabinet minister is absent and there is a deputy minister, the deputy minister must be available at all times in terms of Section 107 (2) of the Constitution."

According to Section 107 (2) of the Constitution, vice-presidents, ministers and their deputies must attend Parliament and parliamentary committees.

Norton legislator Temba Mliswa (Independent) said absentee ministers must be exposed.

"So, I propose that there be a list of every minister's attendance, where they would have asked for leave of absence, be put there equally and the Members of Parliament so that the nation is able to understand who is working and who is not working," he said.