Online Reporter
Farirai Machivenyika
Senior Reporter
THE new Mines and Minerals Bill was gazetted yesterday by Clerk of Parliament Mr Kennedy Chokuda, setting the stage for its debate.
The Mines and Minerals Bill (H.B 1.2025) was published as General Notice 1243A of 2025 in an Extraordinary Government Gazette.
“The following Bill is published with this Gazette in terms of Standing Order 142 (1) of the National Assembly-Mines and Minerals Bill (H.B.2025).”
The gazetting of the Bill comes seven years after President Mnangagwa withheld his assent to a Bill that had been passed by Parliament.
The Head of State and Government expressed reservations on some of the sections of the Bill, which he felt violated the Constitution.
“The President, in exercising his powers, referred back to Parliament the Bill,” Mr Chokuda said then.
“The Bill is now expected to be re-tabled. There are processes to be followed in such circumstances when a Bill has been referred back to Parliament.”
A source close to the developments at the time said President Mnangagwa expressed reservations on some of the clauses in the Bill, which he felt might violate property rights.
“The President did not condemn the entire Bill,” said the source.
“He has some provisions of the Bill which he felt needed a relook by Parliament.
“One of them includes a clause that confers rights on a miner ahead of a farmer, where a mineral would have been found on agricultural land. The Bill takes precedence. The view was that such a clause might violate property rights and in so doing discourage investment.
“The Bill now stands referred to Parliament in terms of Section 131 of the Constitution.”
