By Own Correspondent- Parliament has revealed that minister who fail to attend parliamentary proceedings and do not seek leave of absence will be charged for contempt of parliament.

Speaker of Parliament Jacob Mudenda said this Wednesday after it emerged that there were ministers and their deputies who were presenting themselves for other non parliamentary duties but deliberately absconding parliament sittings.

Independent legislator for Norton Temba Mliswa raised concern that ministers had presented themselves for a state banquet hosted by President Emmerson Mnangagwa Tuesday night for his Tanzanian counterpart President John Magufuli but had chosen not to attend parliament sittings despite that there were important issues which required their presence and responses.

Said Mliswa:

“Mr Speaker Sir, you did read the Ministers who are not here but I was alive to the fact that there was a State banquet last night and I also saw you there and I saw all the Ministers there.  I think that there are other pressing issues which need to be dealt with.  If the Minister is not present, at least the Deputy Minister must be there. 

I say this because, in terms of the Minister of Mines and Mining Development, the Ministry has a lot to do in terms of the economic turnaround of this country.  It has to contribute 14% plus to the GDP.  There is the Hwange forensic report which I asked the Leader of the House and he has not responded to it. 

There are also people dying in mines.  There is now a death in the Mazowe Mines and we need to ask the Minister in charge to say what is going on.  There was Eldorado Mine, there was the Cricket Mine and now there is Mazowe Mine where people are dying and we seem not to be getting the Ministers here. 

So I think that it is important that the Deputy Minister at least must be here because the Leader of Government Business at times is not conversant with some of these issues.  So we are actually prejudicing our people in terms of the representation that they deserve.”

Said Mudenda:

“…… I have asked the Clerks-at-the Table to list those Ministers who have not come without any leave of absence and we will charge them accordingly – it is contempt of Parliament.”

Mliswa’s concern followed an announcement notifying the August house that the ministers in the list below had applied for leave of absence:

Hon. Chitando – The Minister of Mines and Mining Development;

Hon. Kambamura – The Deputy Minister of Mines and Mining Development;

Hon. Muswere – The Deputy Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services;

Hon. Simbanegavi – The Deputy Minister of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation;

Hon. E. Moyo – The Deputy Minister of Primary and Secondary Education;

Hon. S. Nyoni – The Minister of Women’s Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development;

The Deputy Minister of Mines and Mining Development, Hon.  Kambamura

The Minister of Women’s Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development, Hon. S. G. Nyoni;

The Deputy Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Water and Climate and Rural Resettlement, Hon. Haritatos;

The Minister of Home Affairs and cultural Heritage, Hon. Mathema;

The Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Hon. M. Mutsvangwa;

The Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, Hon. Dr. Kanhutu-Nzenza;

The Deputy Minister of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage, Hon. M. Madiro;

The Deputy Minister of Labour and Social Welfare, Hon. L. Mathuke; and

The Minister of State for Midlands Province, Hon. L. Mavima.