Zimbabwe’s Justice Minister, Ziyambi Ziyambi has reminded members of the Political Actors Dialogue (POLAD) forum that they cannot be consulted on policy issues nor can they direct government on such matters since they are not an arm of the government.
Ziyambi’s remarks come when members of POLAD are expressing displeasure after the government gazetted the Constitutional amendment bill which they say needed input from all stakeholders first. Ziyambi responded:
We are shocked that they want to stop a process which is allowed by the country’s laws, they want us to sit down and consult them, yes they are in POLAD but if you check with Bills we don’t take them to POLAD
They are trying to make POLAD an arm of government, if they have their views and ideas they can discuss them there and then they are brought to Cabinet and discussed then they become policy, but that we as government to go to them to ask them on laws, policies or budgets as they want us to do, that would mean we have lost the mandate that we were given by the people to rule.
He added that if POLAD members have concerns, they can channel them through proper channels including the clerk of parliament.
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