3 Bills sail through Parliament

Zvamaida Murwira Senior Reporter
Three Bills sailed through Parliament yesterday and now await Presidential assent.

The Senate passed the Mines and Mineral Amendment Bill, Public Health Bill and Civil Aviation Amendment Bill, as the august House seeks to wind up business before it goes for recess to allow preparations for elections set for July 30.

All the Bills sailed through the National Assembly last week before they were transmitted to Senate.

Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi steered the Civil Aviation Amendment Bill and Mines and Minerals Amendment Bill on behalf of Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Joram Gumbo and Mines and Mining Development Minister Winston Chitando, respectively.

Minister Ziyambi is Leader of Government Business in Parliament.

Health and Child Care Minister David Parirenyatwa steered the Public Health Bill.

In his second reading, Minister Ziyambi said the Mines and Mining Amendment Bill sought to bring efficiency in mining disputes as the principal law was archaic, having been promulgated in the 1960s. Matabeleland South Senator Bheki Sibanda (MDC-T) expressed reservations on a provision in the Bill allowing the permanent secretary of the ministry to chair the Mining Affairs Board given that his major role should be to supervise such entities.

Minister Ziyambi said the role of the board was more of advisory.

“Having the permanent secretary sitting on that board is part of measures to curb corruption,” he said.

“It is not a board in the true sense of the board, but is an advisory committee.

“The Bill provides efficient mechanism of dispute resolution, our law was very much archaic.”

The Civil Aviation Amendment Bill seeks to allow for the unbundling of Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe so that airports and aerodromes are managed by a new entity to be called the Airports Company of Zimbabwe (Private) Limited, while another one would play a regulatory function.

In his speech, Minister Parirenyatwa said the Public Health Bill provides for the improvement of conditions of the health sector and quality of life for Zimbabweans.