BY VENERANDA LANGA
Question and answer sessions have been some of the major highlights of Parliament as they are usually robust, expose MPs lack of research, and mostly expose ministers’ ignorance of policy issues under their purview and their bunking of the sessions.

In Zimbabwe, these are done on Wednesday in the National Assembly and Thursday in the Senate.

Since these are broadcast live on national television, MPs and Senators that are usually mum during debates of Bills and motions take part in question and answer sessions.
However, most of the questions asked by MPs are usually pertinent and touch on issues that affect Zimbabweans.

Bunking of question and answer sessions by ministers

In 2019, ministers were perennially absent to take questions from backbenchers in the National Assembly and Senate. Innocent Gonese (Mutare Central MP) and MDC chief whip Prosper Mutseyami constantly raised the issues with Speaker of Parliament Jacob Mudenda of absence of ministers during Wednesday’s question and answer sessions.

The Speaker was never defensive of the truancy by ministers in Parliament despite him being a member of the ruling Zanu PF party.

In September, Mudenda wrote to President Emmerson Mnangagwa twice, advising him of the truancy of his ministers during question and answer sessions in Parliament.

This was after a handful of ministers had availed themselves in Senate and the National Assembly to take questions from MPs. On average, around 10 ministers and deputy ministers avail themselves for question and answer sessions. As a result, most questions that are specific to their ministries end up being responded to by the leader of government business in Parliament, Ziyambi Ziyambi.

The effect has been that although Ziyambi is well versed with different government policies, he might not specifically know everything. For example, if an MP wants to know if stophavine and donus are good anti-retroviral treatment drugs, Ziyambi as a legal person might not be able to give a satisfactory response to that issue which needs a health expert to do so.

Mudenda even described the absence of ministers as appalling and pathetic, adding that it was high time that truant ministers were charged with contempt of Parliament.

Section 139 (d) of the Constitution allows for the questioning of ministers and deputy ministers by MPs in Senate and the National Assembly, while section 107 (2) of the Constitution also compels every Vice-President, minister and deputy ministers to attend Parliamentary committees and the House to answer questions from MPs.

Despite the Speaker’s letter to the President in September, ministers continued to bunk the sessions and no minister has ever been charged with contempt of Parliament for truancy.
This is despite that when ministers were appointed soon after the removal of the late former President Robert Mugabe, they promised to hit the ground running and to be different from the old era of ministers who were also known for truancy.

Every Wednesday, Mudenda reads a list of ministers who would have given apologies and cannot attend question and answer sessions due to foreign travel or other commitments.

Senate president Mabel Chinomona and her deputy Michael Nyambuya have also expressed utmost dismay over truancy of ministers during Thursday’s question and answer sessions.

In September, Nyambuya said: “It is most regrettable and I can assure you that we are going to bring this to the attention of the President. We obviously have some ministers who are on duty elsewhere, but I am sure and convinced that there are other ministers somewhere out there who did not come for question and answer session.”

Every Thursday in Senate, Chinomona and her deputy Nyambuya have to announce the names of the ministers present as if it is a big favour that they are present.

Ziyambi under pressure to respond to policy questions on behalf of bunking ministers

Whenever ministers are not present, or have bunked Parliament question and answer sessions Ziyambi as leader of the House, is then asked to respond on behalf of those absent ministers. But the problem is that Ziyambi cannot be expected to know everything.

For example, on January 30, 2019, Gwanda North MP Madodana Sibanda (Zanu PF) had a question directed to the Lands and Agriculture minister Perrance Shiri or his two deputies Douglas Karoro and Vangelis Haritatos, but they were absent. They were not also announced on the Speakers’ list of ministers that had tendered their apologies to be excused from question and answer session.

Sibanda had to refer the question to Ziyambi: “What is government policy regarding the use of third tier farms – farms that are meant for grazing only because some of the farms are being subdivided into plots?”

Ziyambi, as Justice minister, could not answer the policy question which needed specifically any of the three agriculture ministers.

His response was: “I request the MP to put the question in writing because it is a specific question.”

On the same date, Norton MP Temba Mliswa asked a mining question to Ziyambi.

“Is the leader of government business aware that there is a ruling of the Supreme Court which bars Zimbabwe Consolidated Diamond Company (ZCDC) from mining in Marange? There are also recommendations from the Portfolio Committee of Mines which recommended that ZCDC is an illegal entity and that the concessions must go to the former owners. Is the President aware of this before his approval of the diamond policy?”

The Mines minister Winston Chitando and his deputy Polite Kambamura were not present and Ziyambi was forced to respond.

“I will bring it to the attention of the minister so that he can come back to the House with a more informed answer which speaks to the judgment of the Supreme Court,” Ziyambi responded.

These two examples show that it is important for ministers to avail themselves for question and answer sessions so that they respond to policy questions pertaining to their ministries.

Written questions with notice

It is disappointing that due to truancy of ministers at question and answer sessions, most written answers to questions, which are actually questions asked in advance and printed on the Parliament Order Papers have been deferred – most of them have clocked several months without being responded to.

For example, Parliament National Assembly votes for September 4 2019, show written questions with notice that were deferred from June and July, which means that the responsible ministers had not responded to the questions from MPs for three months.

For instance, Chitungwiza North MP Godfrey Sithole (MDC Alliance) asked a written question with notice to Local Government minister July Moyo on June 12 which was not responded to for three months and continued to appear on the National Assembly Order Paper in September.

The question had asked Moyo to give an update on the number of people on the housing waiting list for Chitungwiza Municipality.

Another example is a written question by Mhangura MP Precious Masango (Zanu PF) who wanted Shiri to apprise the House on measures being taken to curb the alleged corruption involved in the selling of maize at a Grain Marketing Board depot in Mhangura.

Masango’s question was asked on June 12, 2019 and by September 4, 2019 it still appeared on the National Assembly Order Paper because it was not answered.

These are just examples as there are several written questions pertaining to serious economic and political issues that have clocked months on the National Assembly and Senate Order Papers without being responded to by ministers. Every week, they would be deferred.

For some questions, the First Session of the Ninth Parliament came to an end without them being responded to by the responsible ministers despite that they were written questions with notice.

Significance of question and answer sessions

The United Kingdom House of Commons information office says parliamentary question and answer sessions are significant as they allow MPs to hold members of the Executive to account.
“They allow Members of Parliament to hold the government to account, using either oral questions to ministers in the Chamber of the House of Commons or written questions,” they said.

Written questions are made in advance and they appear on the Order Paper. These allow MPs to ask for information from ministers on their work, government policies and even the work of government departments. MPs can also ask about developmental issues pertaining to their constituencies, for example, an issue about lack of schools in their constituencies.

The Southern African Parliamentary Support Trust in its paper on questions and answers in Zimbabwe’s Parliament said the question without notice segment is confined to policy issues, where backbenchers quiz ministers on policies under their purview.

However, MPs are allowed to further probe if the minister does not give a satisfactory answer by asking supplementary questions related to the question.

Too many MPs in the National Assembly

The fact that the National Assembly has 270 legislators has made it very difficult for an MP to be chosen by the Speaker and be given a chance to pose a question without notice. However, a better plan was devised whereby political party chief whips write down names of their MPs who will ask questions.

However, some MPs who are very vocal and hardworking have always taken every chance to be noticed by the Speaker through asking supplementary questions.

In Senate, those Senators that have never asked any questions are probably very lazy because they have no problems of numbers.

Quality of questions asked during question and answer sessions

While MPs are given induction training as soon as they are sworn in, some have been very slow in mastering Parliament procedures, and the do’s and don’ts of question time.
For instance, on several instances, Mudenda has embarrassed different MPs for asking a question which has been asked and responded to before.

Some of the most common repetitions by legislators are questions on partisan food aid, agricultural inputs, and others which Mudenda has often had to remind MPs that the question was asked the previous week. This exposes that some MPs do not read, research, or they ask questions so that they can just be recorded as having said something in Parliament by the Hansard.

Senators also have the habit of asking ministers on Thursdays, the same questions that would have been asked by MPs in the National Assembly on Wednesdays.

MPs have managed to raise good questions on the economic quagmire, human rights issues, cash shortages, constitutional issues, access to sanitary wear for girls and several other important issues.

For example, on January 30 soon after people were shot during the fuel protests, and this was followed by gross human rights abuses, Ziyambi was asked very challenging questions both in Senate and National Assembly on the human rights situation in the country.

Quality of responses during question and answer sessions

Some questions raised by MPs in Parliament also expose ministers’ ignorance and lack of knowledge of their ministry policies.

On several occasions, Ziyambi has rushed to the rescue of ministers and their deputies who show lack of understanding of their portfolios or government policies.

Vice-Presidents’ failure to attend question and answer sessions

Section 107 (2) of the Constitution reads: “Every VP, minister and deputy minister must attend Parliament and Parliamentary committees in order to answer questions concerning matters for which he or she is collectively or individually responsible.”

Vice-Presidents Constantino Chiwenga and Kembo Mohadi never attend question and answer sessions. During the Government of National Unity the late former Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and his two former deputies Arthur Mutambara and Thokozani Khupe used to attend question and answer sessions in Parliament and took questions from MPs.

Gonese raised the issue of non-attendance of the two VPs at question and answer sessions.

“Ever since we started the Ninth Parliament I do not recall a day when any of the two VPs attended question and answer sessions and I am not sure whether they are aware of section 107 (2) of the Constitution to attend Parliament and answer questions. Can you also make a follow up on the VPs,” Gonese said.

Mudenda responded: “I have not received any explanations, but I have asked the Clerk of Parliament Kennedy Chokuda to phone the chief secretary to Cabinet Misheck Sibanda to ask where the ministers are.

“Let me also advice the House that this has been the worst non-attendance by ministers and whatever answers we get from Chokuda, I will make sure this gets to the attention of the President,” Mudenda said.

THE World Food Programme (WFP) says the country was facing another famine after the 2020 harvest was hit hard by continued dry spells.

BY PHYLLIS MBANJE

The WFP said it was appealing to the international community to raise over US$200 million to feed more than half the country’s population next year.

“We are ready to step up — but we urgently need the international community to step with us! More than US$200 million is still required for us to feed those in need,” WFP tweeted on Sunday.

The 2018/2019 season in Zimbabwe according to WFP, was affected by one of the worst droughts in recent history which has left about 7,2 million people in need of food aid.

Most parts of the country have received little rain over the past few weeks throwing the farming community, still reeling from last year’s drought, into panic.

Meanwhile, WFP in Zimbabwe recently completed its last cash distribution of 2019, which supported some 19 000 vulnerable residents in Harare’s sub-urban district of Epworth.

Those deemed most food insecure have been receiving monthly cash transfers from WFP since June, as part of an urban pilot project funded by the United Kingdom’s Department for International Development, and the EU’s branch of European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations.

But WFP spokesperson, southern Africa, Gerald Bourke recently said about 60% of Zimbabweans, who have been receiving cash, now prefer food due to price hikes. According to a scale used to measure famine, or the gravity of food insecurity, about four million Zimbabweans are not far from famine.

This was the first time WFP provided assistance to an urban area in Zimbabwe.

Next year, WFP will expand its urban assistance programme across eight districts, nationwide. It will continue providing cash-based transfers on a monthly basis, to those who need it most.

As a result of this year’s severe drought, economic downturn and Cyclone Idai, around 7,2 million people were pushed into severe hunger.

Of this total, 2,2 million people live in urban areas. WFP’s revised emergency response plan hopes to provide mobile cash transfers to 200 000 people. Currently, funding for 100 000 has been secured. WFP is seeking funds to assist an additional 100 000 people.

Government last week revealed that it was planning to do cloud seeding early next year to mitigate against drought.

ZANU PF has set its eyes on infiltrating school development committees and creating relations with teacher organisations which they describe as fertile hunting grounds for opposition parties.

BY MOSES MATENGA

According to the Education department report, the ruling party said it was moving in to ensure control of school development committees and making sure party cadres get priority in recruitment in colleges.

“Recruiting of party cadres in school development committees is an on-going activity of the department. It is to ensure that the party establishes and/or maintains presence in these important institutions,” the report reads.

“Efforts towards establishing cordial relations with teachers’ organisations are in progress since this is a fertile recruitment ground for opposition political parties,” the report added.

The department also said that the party was working towards ensuring the ruling party cadres benefit for enrolment in teachers colleges and for apprenticeship and training in polytechnic colleges.

A report of the commissariat department also stated that the party was doing well in colleges where they have a good working relationship with the Zimbabwe Congress of Students Union.

Zanu PF has set its sight on victory in 2023. The party has already endorsed President Emmerson Mnangagwa as its candidate despite the elections being four years away.

The school development committees were put in place for parents to have a say in the running of schools.

In the strategy to create relations with teacher organisations, observers said Zanu PF was pushing to silence vocal teacher organisations perceived to be linked to the opposition.

FORMER Tourism minister, Priscah Mupfumira along with retired Public Service permanent secretary, Ngoni Masoka have accused the State of withholding documents, including the National Social Security Authority (Nssa) audit report, in a bid to scuttle their defence.

BY HARRIET CHIKANDIWA

Appearing before Acting Chief Magistrate Munamato Mutevedzi for trial over allegations of corruption, the two said they had failed to get State papers before commencement of trial, and were, therefore, left with no option but to make an application for further particulars before the court.

Mupfumira’s lawyer Thembinkosi Magwaliba told the court that on December 28, they filed a request for further particulars, but the State had failed to provide the documents.

Magwaliba also submitted that Mupfumira’s former lawyer Charles Chinyama had previously requested the report.

Mupfumira also wants the State to furnish her with witness statements taken from the officers in the Public Service ministry, the accountant general and the Secretary of the Office of the President and Cabinet.

Magwaliba also told the court that they are requesting a Cabinet ministers official handbook that specifies their duties and functions and a vehicle audit from 2015 to 2018.
Prosecutor Clemence Chimbare tried to push for the commencement of trial saying such particulars were provided when the charge is not clear or when some of the elements of the offence have been omitted.

However, Mutevedzi ruled in favour of Mupfumira, ordering the State to furnish the defence with the requested papers by January 1 to allow her to prepare for the trial.
Mutevedzi further remanded Mupfumira and Masoka to January 16 and 17 respectively for trial commencement.

THE President Emmerson Mnangagwa-led government has failed to stem the public health crisis which has persisted for close to four months following the industrial action by doctors, with patients being turned away at major referral centres across the country yesterday.

BY PHYLLIS MBANJE/NIZBERT MOYO

Zimbabwe State doctors, who downed tools on September 2, have insisted that they would only go back to work after their grievances had been addressed.

Among their major concerns were their salaries as well as the lack of equipment, drugs and sundries which they said made their work difficult. Most hospitals do not have basic stuff like stop pain tablets, gloves and health personnel had resorted to unorthodox means to cover for the inadequacies.

The public hospitals have been described as death traps and quite recently, a surgery was nearly compromised at Parirenyatwa Hospital following a power failure.

In a statement following a social media backlash on the matter, the hospital said it had experienced a power technical fault and not load-shedding.

“The hospital engineer immediately engaged Zesa who within 20 minutes sent their electricians to rectify the problem,” the statement read.

The hospital said power was restored within an hour, but in the meantime a back-up generator had kicked in the moment power went off.

“As a matter of fact, three cases were done in the theatres during the time of the power cut using the generator back up system.

Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals insisted that it was not a power cut since they have never been on the Zesa load-shedding schedule.

However, as the new year beckons, the chaos in the health sector has reached a new level with patients still being turned away and referred to the private sector which many cannot afford.

A tour of public facilities like Harare, Parirenyatwa, Mpilo Central and United Bulawayo Hospitals yesterday revealed that patients are still being turned away except for a few emergency cases.

The NewsDay crew witnessed this at Parirenyatwa, Mpilo and UBH’s casualty departments where patients, some needing specialist attention were turned away.

A doctor (name supplied) who was on duty went through the queue of patients at Parirenyatwa and the bulk of them were sent home.

He was overheard telling patients that doctors were on strike. A young boy who apparently had been assaulted by neighbours and suffered chest injuries could not be assisted as well.

His concerned relatives inquired how they should proceed and were told that they would have to go to Westend or come back when the doctors assume duty. “We do not have money for private care and are worried about his injuries. He has a police report but they said they needed an affidavit but that could not be drawn up because there are no doctors,” said the distraught relatives.

One doctor was attending to emergencies only at Mpilo, with patients waiting for several hours to get treatment.

“There is only one doctor in the casualty department and none in the outpatients. What can he do alone with so many of us like this here,” a patient awaiting treatment at Mpilo said.
Gogo maNcube said: “I came from Tsholotsho and have been here for over eight hours. I pricked a finger while tilling and require doctors to remove the thorn that is giving me sleepless nights before they can transfer me to Tsholotsho.”

However Mpilo clinical director Solwayo Ngwenya said: “We are doing the best that we can. We have always been attending to patients. There are 130 doctors attending to patients out of 200 doctors. We are waiting for the situation to improve,” he said.

TELONE are ready to let go of coach Rahman Gumbo and his assistant Lloyd Mutasa after the team was demoted to the unfashionable Division One.

BY TERRY MADYAUTA

The highly-regarded coaches joined TelOne half way through the recently ended season, with the target of helping the Gweru-based side preserve their premiership status. They failed and the team finished 16th on the 18-team log table.

Gumbo and Mutasa replaced Jairos Tapera and Joel Lupahla.

Despite their failure to save the team from relegation, Gumbo and Mutasa have been asked by the club’s management to stay on.

There are, however, rumours that the two want to leave, with reports linking Gumbo to a vacant Highlanders job, while Mutasa is said to be heading across town to promoted side Whawha.

Highlanders top job fell vacant following the departure of Dutchman Heindrikus Pieter de Jongh who is said to be joining FC Platinum from next month.

“It is up to them to decide if they want to stay or move on,” said TelOne President Lloyd Mthethwa.

“We still want them at the club, because we appreciate the work they did despite us getting relegated at the end,”

“I think we all saw that their arrival at the club changed fortunes for the team, but we were unfortunate.

TelOne are believed to be looking to buy a franchise to return to the premier league, with Tenax the target.

The team is owned by the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services (ZPSC), who also owns Whawha. With Fifa’s laws prohibiting an entity/business or a person to own two clubs who play in the same competition, reports suggest that ZPSC want to dispose of Tenax.

But if they fail to get the franchise, which is reportedly also being chased by Masvingo United, TelOne could play in Division One next year.

“There is nothing much to talk about regarding that issue (buying a franchise), but if something materialises, we will notify you,” he said.

Meanwhile, a number of big clubs continue to prey on TelOne players, with defensive midfielders Emmanuel Zinyama and Innocent Zambezi reportedly targeted by Ngezi Platinum Stars.

King Nadolo remains a prime target for FC Platinum, Ngezi and ZPC Kariba. The player’s manager Basil Tangamani said they will reveal his move next week.

CAPS United are close to making their first signing in preparation for next season after agreeing terms with Warriors and Yadah midfielder Leeroy Mavunga.

BY HENRY MHARA

The Green Machine lost the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League in the most painful way in the just ended season, losing the title on the last day of the campaign.

They were beaten in by the Zvishavane-based FC Platinum in the title decider at the National Sports Stadium.

The Harare giants, it seems are, however, determined to correct the wrongs from the past season and reclaim the glory they last tasted in 2016, by reinforcing their squad.

United finance manager Morton Dodzo confirmed that the team was close to making Mavunga their first major signing and is likely to be confirmed when the player transfer window opens on Wednesday.

“Our institution has interest in securing the boy. But he is still contracted to Yadah so what we did was to seek permission from his club to talk to him which was granted,” Dodzo said.
“We met with him and his representatives and we discussed personal terms. He agreed in principle. We have given him a draft of the contract for further perusal. What is now left is for the clubs to engage and agree on the transfer,” he added.

Reports yesterday suggested that the 19-year-old star had already penned a two-year contract with the Darlington Dodo-coached side.

“We have seen reports on social media to that effect, but the truth is that the deal hasn’t been concluded. We are hoping that the reports will not jeopardise the negotiations. The good thing is that the player himself is willing to join our club. We hope we would have completed the deal before Friday. We would have wanted to complete the negotiations as soon as possible, but we have some officials who are still on holiday and that has delayed the process,” Dodzo said.

Dodzo also refuted reports suggesting that the club will release a number of senior players including Soccer Star of the Year Joel “Josta” Ngodzo.

Other players who are reportedly on their way out are Soccer Star of the Year finalist Phineas Bhamusi, Valentine Musarurwa and goalkeeper Prosper Chigumba.

“How can we release a player like Josta, the Soccer Star of the Year? Does that make any sense, honestly? Those players are some of our best players and the last thing we would want is to see them leaving. No one has indicated that they want to leave.

“There are a lot of things that we consider first before we can release a player. The most important one is the financial implications of doing it.”
But it is the capture of Mavunga that would excite a lot of Caps United fans.

The winger is one of the most talented players in the local league, with his dazzling skills and pace, making him a nightmare for many defenders.

At 19-years, he has over 10 caps with the senior national team, and has two Cosafa gold medals to show for it.

He has also been invited for trials at Portuguese top flight clubs before, including at giants Benfica. Mavunga has, however, failed to find suitors on all occasions.

His imminent joining of Caps United is expected to add depth to the squad which looked heavily depleted late in the campaign last year due to injuries to key personnel.
At one point, Dodo had only 15 players in his matchday squad, including three goalkeepers.

GWERU-based male model Devson Takudzwa Luzaine was crowned Mister Zimbabwe 2019-2020 King after he shrugged off stiff competition from 14 other models at a pageant held at Dream Night Life in Harare on Saturday.

BY WINSTONE ANTONIO

The pageant which is the brainchild of Zim Gossip Models agency founder Mercy “Catwalk” Mushaninga was previously only hosted online for about five years before she decided to make it bigger and better in her endeavours to promote local pageantry.

Devson Takudzwa Luzaine

Bernard “BenChest” Ndlovu of Bulawayo was crowned Mister Zimbabwe 2019-2020 Brand Ambassador, while Tatenda Njunike of Harare was crowned Mister Zimbabwe 2019-2020 People’s Choice with Ishmael Muragandi being capped Mister Zimbabwe 2019-2020 Prince.

In an interview with NewsDay Life&Style yesterday, Mushaninga said, through the pageant, she wants to promote and let the world know that Zimbabwe also has talented male models.

“It was not easy to host an event in this economy, but we had to host the show for the love and passion of promoting pageantry in Zimbabwe and with the help of Dreams Night Life. We pulled through. This is our first step, and we will keep pushing to make the modelling industry active despite the challenges,” she said.

“Modelling is a profession just like any other profession, but the acceptance in Zimbabwe is of a different narrative. If you look at Mr Zimbabwe, the pageant is still shunned by a lot of sponsors because of the alleged controversy around male models, but we hope one day we will get people who understand the industry and be partners for a better cause.”
In an earlier interview, Mushaninga described male models as trendsetters in the industry.

She said excellent character, good physique, great communication skills and deportment were critical traits for male models and dismissed claims that the majority of male models were gay.

Zimbabwe has had a long list of successful models including Jonathan Denga, Jefferson Muserera, Lungani Mkwebu and Tichaona “Tich” Maruziva.