Cabinet convenes for first sitting of the year

CABINET will today sit for the first meeting of this year after having taken a recess during the festive season.

The Second Republic is expected to build on successes registered last year as the country continues on its development and growth trajectories.

In the last sitting of 2023, President Mnangagwa urged Cabinet ministers to build on achievements made last year and work harder to enable the country to industrialise and modernise towards achieving Vision 2030.

Ministers were thus tasked to look seriously into issues they will want to table during the next Cabinet session which commences today, as that would ensure that sessions were more focused.

The President said ministers should be not be found wanting in this new session, but should instead submit relevant Cabinet memoranda as and when needed so that there was no neglect of issues.

“In 2023, it was displeasing that some items were not discussed due to non-submission of the relevant Cabinet memoranda, this was, in spite of having been proposed for consideration by ministers. Such oversights or dereliction of duty should not be repeated in the coming year.

“I, however, call upon members to seriously look into matters which they wish to table during the forthcoming session.

“These should be aligned to the overall thrust I have outlined above. Further, this exercise is crucial as it ensures that Cabinet discussions are more focused.

“The Chief Secretary will soon issue the relevant circular calling for items you may wish to put on next year’s Cabinet programme,” he said.

President Mnangagwa said it was incumbent on the ministers that good administration, transparency, collective responsibility and accountability are propelled.

“Another critical area of concern is the increasing tendency by some ministers to table substantive matters under ‘Any Other Business’. This practice must stop.

“Equally, the late submission of Cabinet memoranda is retrogressive to constructive debate and to good administration, transparency, collective responsibility and accountability.

“Please adequately liaise with the Chief Secretary on such matters and be guided accordingly,” he said.

“Be advised that, going forward, you are called upon to regularly undertake critical and succinct self-evaluation of programmes and projects under your portfolios, to inform focused and coordinated programming.”

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