However, where something is to be done after or in consultation with, the same procedure is followed. The only difference being that the person or authority is not obliged to follow any recommendation made by the other person. In my respectful submission where the approval of Parliament is sought, it is similar to a situation where the President is acting on the advice of the institution in terms of the advice of the Legislature.
I want to submit that where that is done, we must then have due process in terms of affording this institution adequate time. The reason why I made reference to the issue of removal is that if we are going to have involvement of the Public Accounts Committee, in this instance the Standing Rules and Orders are silent. Where the Standing Rules and Orders are silent, I think it is up to us both the Members of this institution as well as the Minister to try to fill in those gaps so that we are going to act in line and in accordance with the spirit that was enshrined in the Constitution.
My submission is that the process that we are trying to follow is not in accordance or in sync with that particular spirit. If you listen to what is happening outside regarding the proposed appointment of Mr. Ndudzo, I do not want to delve too much into it but I just want to give that contextual background. We are having a situation where in terms of the reaction of the Zimbabwean population, there are already so many insinuations that are taking place. If you have regard to today’s Financial Gazette, it actually has the headline “Chiri Fired”. If you look at The Herald of today, it actually says “Ndudzo New Auditor General”.
When you look at those issues in conjunction, I think it is imperative for us as an institution to really maintain the integrity of this august House. I believe we can only maintain the integrity of this august House by having a scenario where we are going to have our Public Accounts Committee to make a recommendation. I want to believe that this motion as it stands is premature. Unfortunately, I have already alluded to the fact that our Standing Orders are silent but I want to give..
THE HON. SPEAKER: The rules stipulate that we must be silent so that we can understand each other and be able to contribute therefore constructively. But if we have not understood, how do we respond constructively if all of us continue to talk? The Hon. Member is raising a constitutional issue and I am sure the Hon. Minister would like to hear his argument properly so that he can respond accordingly. Please, can you wind up?
HON. GONESE: I think it is important just to remind Hon. Members and fortunately, the Minister of Finance and Economic Development was in the last Parliament. We had a similar situation where in terms of the appointments of Commissioners, there were no procedures outlined in our Standing Orders. It was simply a provision that the Commissioners are going to be appointed on the recommendation of the Committee on Standing Rules and Orders. At that particular point in time, there were no procedures outlined.
Continued next page
(978 VIEWS)
