Opposition demands Ministers appear before Parliament with quarterly plans to account for SONA promises
By Staff Writer, Parliamentary Watch
HARARE — The opposition’s Chief Whip used Parliament’s National Assembly sitting on Thursday, 8 October 2026, to call on all Cabinet ministers to appear before the House and present detailed quarterly strategic implementation plans, arguing that Parliament cannot meaningfully hold the Executive accountable for the President’s State of the Nation Address without knowing exactly what each ministry intends to deliver and by when.
Hon. Nyandoro, speaking during the debate on President Mnangagwa’s SONA delivered on 29 September 2026 at the new Parliament building, said legislative oversight had to move from broad policy endorsement towards specific, measurable tracking of government commitments.
“I would like to respectfully request, through your Chair, that all Cabinet Ministers come before this august House and present their strategic implementation plans for this quarter, setting out clearly what each ministry intends to do to give effect to the priorities and commitments outlined by His Excellency the President in the State of the Nation Address,” he told the House.
He was emphatic that the proposal was not intended to undermine the Executive but to make Parliamentary oversight more substantive.
“This is not intended to duplicate the work of the Executive. Rather, it is about strengthening the constitutional role of Parliament in oversight, accountability and monitoring implementation,” he said.
He said that if ministers appeared with quarterly plans, Parliament would be positioned to ask precise questions: what was promised, what was the target, what has been achieved, what remains outstanding and why.
“If the President has set out a national vision, then every Ministry should be able to translate that vision into specific programmes, specific targets and specific timelines,” he argued.
He concluded by framing his proposal as a way to give concrete meaning to the SONA process itself.
“The State of the Nation Address should not end with the delivery of the speech. It must become a programme of action with measurable targets, timelines and accountability,” he said.
The SONA, delivered under Section 140 of the Constitution, is the President’s annual account of the state of the nation to Parliament.
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