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Cabinet yesterday approved the Electoral Amendment Bill which seeks to incorporate 30 percent of women in local authorities and introduce a youth quota system in the National Assembly as the Second Republic moves to achieve 50 50 representation at all levels of governance.
The Bill will also give a timeframe within which a candidate in a local authority and national assembly can withdraw from contesting an election as part of a cocktail of electoral reforms the Government is introducing and alignment of laws to the Constitution.
This was announced by Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa while delivering the 29th post Cabinet briefing in Harare.
She said the Bill was approved as presented by Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi.
“The nation is being informed that the Bill seeks to amend the Electoral Act [Chapter 2:13] to provide for, among others, the timeframe within which National Assembly and Local Authority candidates can withdraw from contesting in an election, incorporation of the 30 percent women quota as well as the youth quota, and amendment of the definition of proof of identity,” she said.
“In terms of the constitution of Zimbabwe, one has to be a citizen in order to qualify as a voter. Accordingly, only the valid Passport or National Identity Card will be required as proof of identity.”
She said the Bill will go a long way in ensuring that only citizens will vote in an election.
“Once the Electoral Amendment Bill; 2022 is enacted into law, it will assist in ensuring that only citizens are able to vote in an election; that proper candidates are allowed to contest in an election; providing clarity on when and how a candidate can withdraw their candidature in an election so as to afford ZEC sufficient time to make changes to the design of the ballot; and advising the electorate of any changes to the candidature in an election,” she said.
Government has since amended the Constitution to include a Clause that incorporates 30 percent of women in local authorities and the youth quota for youths in the National Assembly.
The new measures to amend the Electoral Act is meant to align the laws with the Constitution.
This means every local authority will have an extra batch of seats, 30 percent of the present total, that will be for an extra group of women to be elected on party lists, similar to the special extra seats for women already in the National Assembly.
In another matter, Cabinet received a report on the proposed institutional arrangements for managing water Infrastructure as presented by Finance and Economic Development Minister, Professor Mthuli Ncube.
Minister Mutsvangwa said that Zimbabwe National Water Authority currently operates and maintains over 530 water supply stations across the country, mainly serving small towns, growth points, service centres among others.
The institutional arrangements for managing water infrastructure were adopted by Cabinet so as to ensure that optimal benefits from revenue collected on dams accrue to the nation.
“In this regard, Cabinet approved the following measures, that, in line with the Whole of Government Approach, water sector coordination be enhanced through strengthening the existing Department of WASH and Pollution Coordination, that all dams will be gazetted as protected areas to ensure sustainability and law enforcement, that, in order to ensure cost recovery tariffs for both clear and raw water, Local Authorities and ZINWA will continue to review and align their tariff structure to ensure sustainability in maintaining water infrastructure and supply services, with the tariffs being approved by Cabinet before implementation to ensure alignment from an affordability point of view,” said Minister Mutsvangwa.
She said it was resolved that water management authorities should take urgent steps to implement innovative revenue generation measures for approval by Cabinet, that there be strict enforcement of compliance with sound environmental management in dam construction and management of existing dams in view of climate change, biodiversity loss and adverse social impacts.
“That further institutional and structural reforms be explored to attract the private sector investment in dam construction; and that the review and alignment of the Water Act and the ZINWA Act be expedited to modernize them and enhance developments in the water sector in pursuit of Vision 2030,” she said.
Commenting on the Gwayi-Shangani dam, Prof Ncube said the project was on course and it would go a long way in providing portable water, irrigation and power generation.
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