PARLIAMENT must move a motion to summon President Emmerson Mnangagwa to the National Assembly to answer questions about rampant corruption in his government which were flagged Auditor-General (AG) Mildred Chiri in her 2020 report, outspoken Norton legislator, Temba Mliswa has said.
Mliswa, chairs the African Parliamentarians Network Against Corruption (APNAC), told journalists and chairpersons of the Budget and Finance and Public Accounts committees on Tuesday that Mnangagwa was presiding over a dysfunctional government.
“Government is full of corruption. If you go through this report, you then ask why we even pass the budget. I will be very clear on that. Governance implementation or recommendation is not done. The president is presiding over a dysfunctional government, a corrupt government,” Mliswa said.
“The auditor general’s office is critical in interrogating all this, and everything is pointing to corruption. It is important that Parliament moves a motion to summon the president to parliament so that he can explain why his government has not implemented recommendations coming from parliament and various committees and the AG’s office,” Mliswa said.
“The Public Financial Management Act is very clear about reports coming from various committees. Why then do we pass budgets for those ministries that are incompetent?” Mliswa asked.
Mliswa criticised the whipping system which forces MPs to be compliant to their political parties.
“We go back to the whipping system. Does the ruling party allow this corruption to happen? The chairperson of the Budget and Finance committee is here and very competent. The whipping system is a hindrance to democracy. When elected into Parliament, one must represent the nation. Why then do these committees pass budgets with all these indicators?
“So you come back to parliament, some of us are stupid because we are foolish and incompetent. We do pass budgets for ministries that spend more money than us, even that of the Executive who spends more than us. Passing a budget for judges to have Range Rovers, how do you exercise your role if you are poor?
Mliswa labeled the finance ministry a circus in terms of governance.
“We pass a budget and only 30% is allocated. Where will ministries get the other 70% from? That breeds corruption on its own because ministries are not getting enough. There is a shortage of funds. There is no discipline at the Ministry of Finance in terms of adhering to rules and regulations. Inflation is hitting us. It is a government full of corruption and unfortunately, the President is presiding over this corrupt government.”