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Senate
to sit on 8th October, National Assembly on 15th - Bill Watch 51/2013
Veritas
October 08, 2013
Both Houses
sat last week
The Senate will
sit this week
The
National Assembly will sit again on Tuesday 15th October
Coming
up in the Senate this week
Motions - There
are two motions on the Order Paper:
Harmonising
legislation with the new Constitution - The first item on the Order
Paper for Tuesday is a new motion proposed by MDC-T’s Senator
Marava, seconded by Senator Makore. It notes the failure so far
to align existing legislation with the new Constitution
and the current absence of Bills to do so, expresses concern over
the likelihood that there will be commissions and omissions by the
Executive in breach of the Constitution, and finally calls for “the
expeditious harmonisation of existing legislation with the Constitution
of Zimbabwe and the implementation of the constitutional provisions,
particularly those that seek to uplift the status of women.”
The ongoing
motion on the President’s speech
is the only other motion listed. Debate will continue this week.
Question
time [Thursday]
Senator Alice
Chimbudzi of Mashonaland Central has put down seven written questions
for various Ministers:
- Labour and
Social Welfare – for an explanation of the roles of Non-Governmental
Organisations (NGOs) / Civic Organisations in Zimbabwe
- Media, Information
and Broadcasting Services - what measures are in place to control
private radio stations which are damaging the image of the country?
- Home Affairs
– what are Government’s plans to relocate Mkumbura
Immigration Offices so that they are not swept away by the meandering
Mkumbura River?
- Minister
of Transport and Infrastructural Development – what are
the Government’s plans to surface roads in rural areas?
- Environment
Water and Climate – whether there are plans to re-introduce
Gully Reclamation Programmes in order to prevent land degradation?
- Local Government,
Public Works and National Housing – how does Government
intend to deal with solid waste in cities and towns?
- Justice,
Legal and Parliamentary Affairs – what measures has Government
put in place to protect children who are victims to sexual abuse?
In the
National Assembly last week
Attendance continued
good, hovering just below 85% of membership, or 230 out 270.
The Speaker
on etiquette and decorum in the House - On 3rd October the Speaker
warned members of the National Assembly that he would strictly enforce
Standing Order 81 which states that disrespect for the chair and
interrupting the orderly conduct of business amounts to contempt
of Parliament.
He referred in particular to an incident in which MDC-T members
had risen to their feet when the Leader of the Opposition, Hon Khupe,
entered the chamber and Hon Khupe had assumed her seat without bowing
to the chair. The Speaker reminded legislators that in accordance
with Standing Orders and convention members rise to their feet only
when the presiding officer or the Head of State enters or leaves
the chamber.
Member’s
Bar
The Speaker
also announced that the Members’ Bar will serve only soft
drinks during sittings of the House.
Members removed
from the Chamber - Hon Cross was escorted from the chamber by order
of the Deputy Speaker after being observed reading a novel during
debate. Hon Hlongwane was ordered out by the Speaker for entertaining
a mobile phone call in the chamber.
Motions
Debate continued
on Dr Labode’s motion on the health sector and the motion
of thanks for the President’s speech at the opening of Parliament.
New motion on
Nairobi Shopping Mall terrorist attack - Hon Gorden Moyo introduced
a motion to condemn the attack on the Westgate Mall in Nairobi and
to express condolences to the families of the victims and solidarity
with the people of Kenya. There were contributions from other MPs,
and debate is set to continue.
Question
time [Wednesday]
No written questions
with notice had been tabled, but there were enough Ministers present
to allow backbenchers to use up the hour set aside for questions
without notice.
Several questions
were directed at the Minister of Mines and Mining Development, who
said the forthcoming Bill to replace and Mines and Minerals Act
would address the tension between agricultural and mining activities,
and that the Geological Survey Department needs to be strengthened
to undertake exploration to verify the quantum of minerals in Zimbabwe.
The Deputy Minister
of Media, Information and Broadcasting Services, asked about worker
discontent at ZBC, said the ministry would do everything possible
to ensure harmony between employees and management.
In the
Senate last week
Senators sat
for two days. Attendance was 70%, just below 60 out of a possible
78. Tuesday’s sitting lasted only 40 minutes, from prayers
at 2.30 pm until the Senate rose at 3.10 pm. Wednesday’s sitting
was even shorter, finishing at 3.06 pm, at which point the Senate
adjourned until 8th October.
The only motion
debated was the one on the President’s speech.
Standing
Rules and Orders Committee [SROC]
This committee
has now begun to take shape. In announcements made on 2nd October
the Speaker and the Deputy President of the Senate brought members
up to date on appointments to the committee made by the President
and the opposition [MDC-T]. As the following list shows, further
members have to be appointed or elected in terms of section 151
of the Constitution to bring the Committee up to full strength.
Ex officio members
[automatically members by virtue of their holding of other offices]
- Speaker:
Hon Jacob Mudenda
- President
of the Senate: Hon Ednah Madzongwe
- Deputy Speaker:
Hon Mabel Chinomona
- Deputy President
of the Senate: Hon Chen Chimutengwende
- Minister
responsible for finance: Hon Patrick Chinamasa
- Leader of
Government Business in Parliament: Hon Emerson Mnangagwa
- Leader of
the Opposition in Parliament: Hon Thokozani Khupe
Chief Whips
of the political parties represented in the National Assembly:
- Zanu-PF
– Hon Joram Gumbo
- MDC-T –
Hon Innocent Gonese
Chief Whips
of the political parties represented in the Senate:
- Zanu-PF
– Hon Kembo Mohadi
- MDC-T –
Hon Sithembile Mlotshwa
President of
the National Council of Chiefs: Hon Chief Charumbira
Appointed
members
Two Ministers
appointed to the Committee by the President
- Hon. Dr.
Sekeramayi, Minister of Defence
- Hon. Sithembiso
Nyoni, Minister of Small and Medium Enterprises and Cooperative
Development
One Senate backbencher
appointed as a member by the President of the Senate
Still to be
appointed
- One National
Assembly backbencher appointed as a member by the Speaker
Still to be
appointed
Elected
members
Four Senate
backbenchers elected by the Senate
Still to be
elected
Four National
Assembly backbenchers elected by the National Assembly
Still to be
elected
Parliamentary
Legal Committee and Other Committees
The setting-up
of other Parliamentary committees depends upon the SROC being fully
constituted [see Bill
Watch 48/2013 of 1st October].
Vacancy
in the National Assembly
The first vacancy
has occurred in the National Assembly. On 3rd October the Speaker
announced that the seat for Bikita West fell vacant on 30th September
in terms of section 129(1)(k) of the Constitution, following his
receipt of official notification from Zanu-PF that Dr Munyaradzi
Kereke had ceased to be a member of the party. This vacancy will
have to be filled by a by-election. In terms of section 39(1) of
the Electoral Act
the President must gazette the nomination and polling dates within
14 days of receiving notice of the vacancy from the Speaker.
Note: Dr Kereke
was expelled from Zanu-PF after standing for election against the
party’s official candidate for the Bikita West constituency.
Reminder: There
are two vacancies in the Senate [see Bill
Watch 44/2013 of 6th September, which explains how both these
party-list Senate seats must be filled by party nominees in accordance
with section 39 of the Electoral Act.]
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