Senate President pleads with Mnangagwa to sanction absent Ministers

Senate President Mabel Chinomona has expressed deep frustration over the persistent absenteeism of ministers during parliamentary sessions, saying she will now ask President Emmerson Mnangagwa to intervene and sanction errant members of the executive.

During a Senate sitting last week, Chinomona was visibly irate as she addressed the near-empty front bench, with only two Cabinet ministers - Transport Minister Felix Mhona and Tourism Minister Barbra Rwodzi - present at the start of proceedings. Senators were unable to pose questions to absent ministers, as even the Leader of Government Business was missing.

"This always happens. Ministers are not coming to the Senate - maybe they see the Senate as composed of useless people," Chinomona said. "Honestly, the Senate is not happy about what is being done by ministers. I think we are going to send our complaint to the President."

Only six deputy ministers showed up on behalf of their respective ministries. Two more ministers - National Housing Minister Zhemu Soda and War Veterans Minister Monica Mavhunga - joined the session later.

The majority of ministers and both Vice Presidents, Constantino Chiwenga and Kembo Mohadi, sent formal apologies. However, Chinomona lamented the increasing trend of absenteeism and the apparent disregard for parliamentary accountability.

Zimbabwe's Constitution, under Section 107(2), mandates that vice presidents, ministers, and their deputies must attend Parliament and its committees to answer questions and fulfill oversight obligations. Wednesdays are traditionally designated for ministerial question time, yet ministers have been skipping these sessions - often without formal leave - in growing numbers.

Speaker of Parliament Jacob Mudenda has previously warned of sanctions, but ministers have largely ignored these threats. President Mnangagwa himself raised concern in 2024, blasting senior officials for skipping Cabinet meetings and disrupting the flow of government business.

Political analysts have slammed the continued truancy, saying it reflects poorly on government accountability and undermines Parliament's oversight role.

"These absences are more than a breach of protocol - they are a waste of taxpayers' money and an affront to democratic governance," said one analyst. "Parliament cannot function effectively if ministers routinely ignore their constitutional obligations."

With frustration mounting, Chinomona's move to escalate the matter to the highest office could set the stage for disciplinary action - if Mnangagwa decides to act on her complaint.