Senate business was disrupted Thursday after cabinet ministers failed to turn up for the weekly Question and Answer session, with only one deputy minister present in the chamber.
According to Senate Standing Orders, ministers are required to attend the session to respond to questions on government policy. However, Deputy President of the Senate, Retired General Michael Nyambuya, was left with no choice but to cancel the session.
Nyambuya ruled that the upper house would proceed with debating motions instead of abandoning the day's business altogether.
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"It is sad and very unfortunate that this August House is being treated in such a contemptuous manner and yet it is august, it is elected by the people to do our job, but we cannot do our oversight role if we do not have Ministers to question them on policy issues.
"That being the case, I agree that we abandon the Question Time but not go home. Let us debate some of our motions, one or two motions, in lieu of the Question Time.
"The Clerk is going to bring this to the attention of the relevant authorities through a letter, which will be signed by the head of Parliament, again. So, we move away from Questions with Notice and Without Notice," Nyambuya said.
Earlier, he had sought senators' views on how to proceed: "Hon. Senators, we have one deputy minister. Can I have your proposed way forward? I need not repeat that this is tantamount to treating the Senate with contempt. Any proposed way forward? Do you think we should do away with the question time?"
Zanu PF Mashonaland East senator Conrad Jericho Gotora expressed frustration, suggesting the sitting be adjourned.
"We have not seen the senior ministers in this august House. Hon. Eng. Makwiranzou and Hon. Phuti are junior Ministers but they do respect this House. They always come in this august House.
"My suggestion is that may we adjourn this House and go home because according to the Order Paper there are questions that date back to many, many days and months. We do not understand why we are sitting here whilst those who are supposed to work with us do not respect us.
"Yesterday, they were fully present in the National Assembly Chamber but today they are not here. We only have two Deputy Ministers who respect us and always come. May we go and rest like what they are doing?" Gotora said.
Opposition senator Nonhlanhla Mlotshwa supported him, while Zanu PF's Irene Zindi fumed: "Cabinet ministers are undermining the Senate Chamber because they do not come to the House.
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"When we have questions concerning the development of the country, do not come. We only see Ministers like Hon. Mhona and the deputy ministers.
"So, it is a plea and we are not happy that we cannot go forward. We cannot go on without Ministers in this august House?"
Chief Ndiweni also urged action to compel ministers to take Senate seriously.
Nyambuya later noted that several ministers and deputies had tendered apologies, including Vice Presidents Constantino Chiwenga and Kembo Mohadi, Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube, Defence Minister Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri, and several others.
The repeated absence of cabinet ministers from both the National Assembly and Senate has become a growing concern for legislators. Speaker of Parliament Jacob Mudenda has since escalated the matter to the highest office in government.
