Zimbabwe New President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration is not willing to violate constitutionalism, Justice Minister and leader of government business in Parliament Ziyambi Ziyambi said Wednesday.

He addressed these remarks in response to a question from opposition legislator Innocent Gonese who wanted clarification on why Mnangagwa appointed more ministers than is required by the constitution from outside parliament.

The Zimbabwean law stipulates that cabinet ministers should be appointed from among legislators, but it also permits for up to five to be picked from outside parliament for their professional skills and competence.

Gonese challenged that Mnangagwa appointment of the six ministers was unconstitutional, noting that while the previous constitution gave the president up to three months to correct the anomaly, the current constitution adopted in 2013 did not have such a provision.

Nevertheless, Ziyambi said the government had taken note of the issue and was addressing it.

“The current administration is committed to constitutionalism and in no way are they going to willfully violate the constitution. The concern has been taken note of and is being corrected,” Justice Minister Ziyambi said.

The ruling ZANU-PF party has since made its former Home Affairs Minister Obert Mpofu relinquish his Senate seat to make way for his successor Cain Mathema.

Commenting on the matter recently, Chief Secretary to the president and cabinet Misheck Sibanda said Mathema replaced Mpofu after he vacated the senatorial seat.

“Mpofu resigned as a senator, and honourable Mathema has since taken over that seat; hence he qualifies for a ministerial appointment,” Sibanda said.

Mnangagwa this month appointed a lean 21-member cabinet that excluded most ministers from former president Robert Mugabe’s era.