By A Correspondent

President Emmerson Mnangagwa has issued a strong warning to cabinet ministers who regularly miss his weekly cabinet meetings, instead sending their deputies to represent them.

During his final cabinet meeting of 2024 at State House on Tuesday, December 17, Mnangagwa made it clear that such practices would no longer be tolerated in the coming year. He stated:

“The troubling trend of ministers being absent from meetings is unacceptable.”

In some instances, lower-level officials are sent to attend, merely occupying space without meaningful contribution.

Looking ahead to 2025, Mnangagwa instructed the Chief Secretary to closely monitor attendance and ensure that ministers and officials comply with the expectations, or face serious consequences.

“Permanent Secretaries must ensure that, in their absence, only directors or higher-ranking officials attend Working Party Meetings,” he added. “If deputy ministers are assigned, they must be properly equipped to engage in discussions effectively, with their deputies thoroughly briefed to ensure productive participation.”

In a further announcement, Mnangagwa revealed that starting next year, deputy ministers will be required to sign performance contracts, similar to those signed by their senior counterparts.

The president also voiced dissatisfaction with the current state of government websites, emphasizing that despite the country’s wealth of ICT talent, many ministry websites remain outdated or non-functional.

Additionally, Mnangagwa called for significant improvements in the government’s communication strategies, urging more effective dissemination of information.