ZANU PF proposes senior party members should not be in cabinet




President Emmerson Mnangagwa chairs his inaugural cabinet meeting as Head of State and Government while flanked Ministers Sithembiso Nyoni, Obert Mpofu, Simon Khaya Moyo and Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet Dr Misheck Sibanda (far right) at Munhumutapa offices in Harare. – Picture: Believe Nyakudjara
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ZANU-PF is proposing that holders of senior party positions must not be appointed as ministers so that they can monitor the implementation of Government policies and programmes.

President Mnangagwa hinted on the new development while addressing Women’s League members at the party’s headquarters in Harare on Thursday.

He said officials holding positions such as that of party’s Secretary for Administration and Secretary for Finance could be fully employed by the party.

Presently, most of the party’s senior officials are also ministers.

For example, the party’s Secretary for Administration Obert Mpofu is the Minister of Home Affairs and Culture while the party’s Finance Secretary Patrick Chinamasa is the Minister of Finance and Economic Planning.

Zanu-PF national chairperson Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri is the Minister of Environment, Water and Climate. In an interview yesterday, Mpofu said recommendations on the matter have been tabled before the party.

He said it was President Mnangagwa’s prerogative through engagement with other party organs to approve the set up.

“That’s what most countries do, for example, in South Africa. We think that senior members of the party should be fulltime employees of the party. But the party has not resolved that. It’s a recommendation that has been made to the party. And the President said it would be dealt with accordingly by the organs of the party,” said Mpofu.

He said it would be good for Zanu-PF to have some of its senior members monitoring Government policies.

Mpofu said the set up will minimise conflict of interest cases among senior party officials. “I feel that is the way to go. The party supervises Government, the party is superior to Government and it is the one that directs policy, directs the operation of ministers,” he said.

“Sometimes when you are both, it’s difficult to make a distinction between what is party and what is government. Zimbabwe has not done this before so the decision will be ultimately made by the party to choose whatever route they want to take. The party must be seen running and influencing government policies. We can only do that if we don’t double in our positions.” – Chronicle