Mr Mugabe had been invited to appear at 14:00 local time (13:00 GMT).

A news site which monitors parliament activities has tweeted that MP Themba Mliswa, who chairs parliament's committee on mines, has said that they will invite the veteran leader one last time:

Open Parly ZW@OpenParlyZw

Replying to @OpenParlyZw

UPDATE: What's next for elusive Mugabe ?https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1907504435965085&id=919107028138169 … #openparlyZW @TheFeedZW @MagambaTV @CitManifesto @ZELA_Infor @ZIMCODD1 @CityofBulawayo

Open Parly ZW @OpenParlyZw

 @TembaMliswa : We had written to the former President for the second time to come but he has failed and we are going to write him for the last time as required by the law #openparlyZW @TheFeedZW @MagambaTV @CitManifesto

6:43 AM - May 28, 2018

Mr Mliswa told the BBC last week that today's set time had taken into account Mr Mugabe's age. He had warned they would bring in the police if the 93-year-old former leader failed to show up before the committee for a third time.

The lawmakers want Mr Mugabe to account for his comments during an interview in 2016, when he claimed $15bn (£11bn) in diamond revenue was missing through corruption. The government has since said the amount was "figurative".

Open Parly tweeted a picture of an empty room where the hearing was scheduled to be held.

Open Parly ZW@OpenParlyZw

 It's Monday and we are at Parliament waiting for Mugabe to come and give oral evidence on the missing $15 billion, however the question is will he come today? #openparlyZW @JessieFMajome @TheFeedZW @MagambaTV @CitManifesto @ZELA_Infor @ZIMCODD1