Mnangagwa rips into ministers for skipping meetings, demands better work quality

HARARE – President Emmerson Mnangagwa used the last Cabinet meeting of 2025 to urge ministers to improve attendance and tighten the quality of their work, warning against a growing tendency to miss key Cabinet and committee sittings.

His warning made it clear that he had no room for ‘dead wood’ and will not recycle such.

While his remarks were largely congratulatory, they carried a pointed reminder that Cabinet business must take precedence over all other government engagements.

Political commentators however argue that the President had spent the bulk of 2025 going around distributing vehicles and cash handouts to influential celebrities and some of his ministers have been travelling with him on such excursions. 

Mnangagwa noted that although attendance by members in 2025 had been “encouraging”, there was “room for improvement”, telling ministers to avoid skipping Cabinet and Cabinet Committee meetings.

He stressed that such meetings override other government business, signalling concern that absenteeism and poor prioritisation could undermine collective decision-making.

The President tied his warning to the quality of memoranda submitted by ministries, saying these documents often determine the strength of Cabinet discussions and decisions.

“Attendance by members was encouraging, however, there is room for improvement. Members should avoid the tendency to miss Cabinet and Cabinet Committee meetings as this takes precedence over all Government business,” Mnangagwa stated.

He challenged ministers to reflect on how far their ministries had met targets set at the start of the 2025 Cabinet Calendar, and urged them to rigorously scrutinise all memoranda before submission.

Mnangagwa said reforms under the National Development Strategy 1 (2021–2025) had transformed public sector performance and “curbed the red tape” through modern performance management and digitalised processes.

He called for mechanisms to sustain this momentum, insisting that government services across all ministries must continue through the festive season, with ministers ready to attend to urgent business.

Addressing ministers ahead of the holidays, Mnangagwa reminded them that they remain leaders and representatives of the nation “at all times, no matter where we are”.

He urged them to conduct themselves with “restraint and modesty”, implying that missteps in their personal conduct could damage both government and national image.

“Let us now take this well-earned holiday break to join our families and communities. Whether you spend the holidays here at home, or travel outside the country;

“I exhort you to remain mindful that we are leaders and representatives of our nation, at all times, no matter where we are. Let us therefore always conduct ourselves appropriately, with the expected restraint and modesty,” he stated.

Looking to 2026, Mnangagwa said he expected ministers to return “refreshed and rejuvenated” for new Cabinet business as the government moves to roll out the National Development Strategy 2.