News / National
Grace Mugabe chides ministers for bunking Parliament
15 Oct 2017 at 12:17hrs | Views
FIRST lady Grace Mugabe yesterday chided ministers who bunk Parliament claiming to be busy, saying such leaders are not genuinely representing people.
Grace also descended on legislators who do not report back to their constituents during their stay in Parliament only to resurface when seeking re-election.
Speaking at celebrations to mark the attainment of a doctorate degree by Industry minister Mike Bimha in Chivhu, Grace said flimsy excuses for failing to account to the people were not acceptable.
"Some will say I am busy, I am a minister of this and that but if you had realised you will not be able to handle it, you must have said no to the president [upon appointment], the work is too much," she charged.
"If you are called to be a minister, you must deliver in that job. if you are appointed a politburo member, you must do that job and if you are in Parliament, you must come back to the people.
"There was a complaint that some ministers were bunking Parliament.
"You refuse to go to Parliament, yet these people are the ones you are representing and that position is the one that made you qualify to be a minister."
Last week President Robert Mugabe reshuffled his Cabinet and dropped three ministers whom he claimed were underperforming.
Meanwhile, Grace said Zimbabwe's vast mineral deposits must be used wisely for the benefit of the majority.
She said it was wrong for people to dispose of their mining concessions to foreigners for little amounts of money.
She said it was better to form partnerships and pursue beneficiation that will create employment for the majority.
Ironically, her son Russell Goreraza recently imported two Rolls Royce vehicles worth millions after reportedly brokering a controversial deal between government and a Kazakhstan company, Todal Mining which owns concessions in the Midlands.
Grace, who was accompanied by several senior Zanu-PF officials including Defence minister Sydney Sekeramayi, Youth minister Chiratidzo Mabuwa, Tourism minister Edgar Mbwembwe, Foreign Affairs minister Walter Mzembi, Mashonaland East provincial affairs minister Ambrose Mutinhiri, disclosed for the first time that she was supervised by Professor Claude Mararike for her doctorate degree.
Grace graduated for her doctorate degree in 2014, but her thesis has been a closely-guarded secret.
She also warned against corruption.
Grace also descended on legislators who do not report back to their constituents during their stay in Parliament only to resurface when seeking re-election.
Speaking at celebrations to mark the attainment of a doctorate degree by Industry minister Mike Bimha in Chivhu, Grace said flimsy excuses for failing to account to the people were not acceptable.
"Some will say I am busy, I am a minister of this and that but if you had realised you will not be able to handle it, you must have said no to the president [upon appointment], the work is too much," she charged.
"If you are called to be a minister, you must deliver in that job. if you are appointed a politburo member, you must do that job and if you are in Parliament, you must come back to the people.
"There was a complaint that some ministers were bunking Parliament.
"You refuse to go to Parliament, yet these people are the ones you are representing and that position is the one that made you qualify to be a minister."
Meanwhile, Grace said Zimbabwe's vast mineral deposits must be used wisely for the benefit of the majority.
She said it was wrong for people to dispose of their mining concessions to foreigners for little amounts of money.
She said it was better to form partnerships and pursue beneficiation that will create employment for the majority.
Ironically, her son Russell Goreraza recently imported two Rolls Royce vehicles worth millions after reportedly brokering a controversial deal between government and a Kazakhstan company, Todal Mining which owns concessions in the Midlands.
Grace, who was accompanied by several senior Zanu-PF officials including Defence minister Sydney Sekeramayi, Youth minister Chiratidzo Mabuwa, Tourism minister Edgar Mbwembwe, Foreign Affairs minister Walter Mzembi, Mashonaland East provincial affairs minister Ambrose Mutinhiri, disclosed for the first time that she was supervised by Professor Claude Mararike for her doctorate degree.
Grace graduated for her doctorate degree in 2014, but her thesis has been a closely-guarded secret.
She also warned against corruption.
Source - the standard
