By A Correspondent| Independent legislator for Norton Temba Mliswa has questioned why the nation has a bloated government when deputy ministers fail to attend parliament and execute their mandate by contributing to parliamentary proceedings in the absence of their seniors.
Mliswa argued that incompetent deputy ministers should be sacked considering that the majority of them were “clueless”.
He said:
“…I rise on a point of order Mr. Speaker Sir. Mr. Speaker, you know that this institution is very important in understanding the role of Government.
As such, Section 107 is very clear on who should be here and the list that you have just called out has a number of Cabinet Ministers and not Deputy Ministers.
So my question is on what the role of Deputy Ministers is when Cabinet Ministers are not there. I thought that by being deputy, which is a clear meaning you are there to cover up for the Minister who is not there and you should be taking up questions.
We do not see Deputy Ministers here. I do not know where they are. They are paid by this Government and must understand what the Minister is doing so that when they come here they are able to inform.
There are many issues happening in this country which seek their attention but they are never here. Why do we have such a bloated Cabinet and Government?
They must just pack their bags and do absolutely nothing and when they speak they do not have information or what it takes to convince this House of anything that they are doing.”
Following his controversial victory against his closest contender MDC leader Nelson Chamisa, President Emmerson Mnangagwa on 7 September 2018, appointed a new 20 member cabinet.
The ministers were sworn into office on 11 September 2018 along with 13 deputy ministers and nine provincial ministers.
However, the ministers and their deputies have been accused of bunking parliament and failing to present to the nation ministerial statements.
The development has seen Speaker of parliament Jacob Mudenda give the ministers an ultimatum to present to the august house 12 outstanding ministerial statements, some of which have been pending since last year.