daniel chigunwe
Farirai Machivenyika
Senior Reporter
ALL Parliamentarians sworn in last week have until November 7 to submit their lists of financial interests to Parliament as required by the Constitution and Parliament’s own standing rules and orders.
The MPs from both the National Assembly and Senate took their oaths of office last week to signal the commencement of the 10th Parliament after the August 23 harmonised elections that were resoundingly won by Zanu PF.
In his remarks following the elections of the two presiding officers last Friday, Clerk of Parliament Mr Kennedy Chokuda reminded parliamentarians of the need to declare their interests.
“In terms of Section 198 of the Constitution, as read together with Standing Order Number 50 of the Senate, or 51 of the National Assembly, all Members must register all financial interests in a book to be kept and maintained by the Clerk of Parliament under the direction of the Speaker.
Members have 60 days from taking their oath of office to register their financial interests and those who fail to comply with that requirement would be in contempt of Parliament,” he said.
The requirement to declare assets for legislators and Cabinet Ministers was first adopted during the Sixth Parliament and in 2016, Parliament’s Standing Rules and Orders Committee approved a draft Asset Declaration Register that spells out the kind of assets that MPs will be expected to declare.
Some of the assets that legislators will be required to declare include land in and outside Zimbabwe, buildings, movable assets, financial assets and other assets such as jewellery worth more than US$25 000.
The declaration of assets seeks to promote transparency and accountability while ensuring public trust in holders of public office and address speculation on how certain bearers of public office amass wealth.
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