Government strengthens legal drafting capacity to accelerate legislative agenda

GOVERNMENT has strengthened the Attorney General’s Office by equipping it with more legal drafters to expedite the drafting of Bills, a crucial step in aligning laws with the Constitution under the Second Republic. This move supports Zimbabwe’s vision of achieving an upper-middle-income economy by 2030.

Speaking at the 7th Institutional Strategic Plan (2024-2028) workshop for the 10th Parliament in Victoria Falls earlier this year, Speaker of Parliament Advocate Jacob Mudenda revealed that over 50 Bills are scheduled for debate during this Parliament’s legislative agenda.

Among these, 48 existing pieces of legislation will be reviewed, while outdated laws that no longer serve the public interest will be repealed.

Additionally, some Bills whose existence lapsed with the dissolution of the 9th Parliament will be struck off.

The Zimbabwe Construction Contractors Council Bill, which has been on the table for years, is among the key pieces of legislation set for revision.

The construction industry, operating without specific regulations, has eagerly awaited this Bill to streamline operations and standardise practices.

In his State of the Nation Address, President Mnangagwa also emphasised the importance of fast-tracking the alignment of laws with the Constitution to enhance governance and development.

During the recent inaugural regional construction summit held in Victoria Falls by the Zimbabwe Building Contractors Association (ZBCA), members expressed concern over delays in the passage of the Construction Contractors Council Bill.

The ZBCA last week held its inaugural regional construction summit which was officiated by Vice-President Dr Constantino Chiwenga in Victoria Falls under the theme: “Leveraging investment in infrastructure as a catalyst for economic growth.”

Former ZBCA president, Dr Obert Sibanda, urged sector leaders to prioritise the Bill, stressing its significance for regulating the construction industry.

“We expect our leadership to follow up so we don’t drop the ball. The by-laws we have were last amended in 1977 during Rhodesia, and this is something we need to address urgently.

“The Contractors Bill, which has been on the table for some time, is essential for regulating how contractors operate, handle new entrants, and ensure proper industry standards,” he said.

“This is for contractors to regulate how they work, how they handle new entry and how the industry operates. Most players in the industry have their own Acts of Parliament but the contractors who are the major players don’t have.”

Responding to the concerns, Deputy Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, Advocate Nobert Mazungunye, acknowledged the concerns raised by ZBCA members, attributing the delays to past challenges with legal drafters in the Ministry of Justice. He assured stakeholders that these challenges are being resolved.

“As the Ministry of Justice, we were here to deliberate on issues concerning infrastructure development and of note has been an issue with drafting the Construction Bill which we have been eagerly waiting for which will change the shape of the construction in Zimbabwe,” he said.

“There have been delays in finalising the Construction Bill, as it was referred back to the Ministry of Local Government for refinement. Previously, we faced a shortage of legal drafters in the ministry, but this issue has been addressed.”

Adv Mazungunye said the Attorney General’s Office now has a new board and organogram, incorporating additional law officers to close the gap in legal drafting capacity. He said the new structure is a positive development that will ensure significant progress.

“So they will come on board, and this is a positive step that will ensure that we will cover that gap of drafters in the Ministry of Justice. So very soon it’s highly likely that we will see movement and some notable changes, and improvement,” he said.

“We will see bills coming through as that arrangement will go a long way in assisting the ministry and Government.”
The Construction Contractors Council Bill is anticipated to bring transformative changes to the sector by regulating operations, ensuring fair entry processes, and enhancing the overall efficiency of the construction industry in Zimbabwe. — @ncubeleon