Mliswa blasts Ministers for disrespecting Mnangagwa and his deputy

Norton legislator Temba Mliswa on Wednesday blasted cabinet Ministers accusing them of disrespecting their appointing authority, President Emmerson Mnangagwa and his deputy Constantino Chiwenga.

Speaking in the National Assembly during question and answer session, the outspoken MP said Ministers failed in their obligation to come to Parliament and respond to Mnangagwa’s State of the National Address (SONA).

He said this signified their disregard for the President himself who appointed them.

“Thank you very much Madam Speaker Ma’am. I want to begin by thanking the President as usual for setting the tone. The State of the Nation Address and as the words say, ‘state of the nation address’, it is very clear in terms of what must be achieved and the success and the challenges but that also cannot be complete without the Ministers responding.

“Unfortunately, not many Ministers respond, which renders the state of the nation address a mere ceremony. We gathered in that beautiful building, others felt comfortable because they had not been given accommodation, they slept in a beautiful building – the Ministers were all there listening but they never responded. So what is the point of the State of the Nation Address when Ministers do not respond because each portfolio is mentioned by the President?

“The Ministers will be listening so they have to respond but you agree with me Madam Speaker, that it has been a challenge to get Ministers to respond. When Ministers do not respond, it becomes a non-event.

“The coach who has a game plan for his team to say the midfielder will be defensive, we have a 4-2-2-2 structure, if players do not adhere to the 4-2-2-2 structure, then there is no point for that.

“I still ask myself, why should we have the State of the Nation Address when Ministers are not responding, only a few will respond. If we have to count the Cabinet Ministers and how many of them responded, you realise that while the President is right in saying nyika inovakwa nevene vayo, asi pane vamwe futi vene vayo vari kuvaka nyika who are Ministers who are not responding.”

Mliswa added: “Madam Speaker Ma’am, we need to be very clear about this and asking ourselves the importance of the State of the Nation Address which the President would have devoted a lot of time to. Information you would have got it but then you zero in on it, the Ministers then must respond.

“My question is how do you measure the success and failure when Ministers have not responded. Are we not just using taxpayers’ money, abusing it? The President set the tone and this is important, some of the Ministers who are here must speak to your colleagues about this that they are disrespecting the appointments of the Head of State. There are many people capable of being Ministers here, people who are competent.”

Mliswa made special mention of Transport Minister Felix Mhona as one of the competent appointments made by Mnangagwa.

“Hon. Mhona was a Member of Parliament, he is now a Minister but today his performance is there. There are a lot more Mhonas within the party who can do the job. Why should we be keeping people who are not doing the job? What other job are they doing in reporting to the President other than makuhwa? It has now become a norm.

“They do not come to Parliament question time. The last time the Vice President came here, he assured us they will come. They have not come. The President says the State of the Nation Address, they do not come.

“The President says the State of the Nation Address, they do not come. The Hon. Vice President comes as well hoping that he is a General, they also listen and see that he is a General but they still do not come. Vanhu vakaita sei? Inhinhi dzakaita sei dzisingaende munzira imwe chete?”