Parliament adjourns

Parliament.

They could also be recalled to deal with the 2013 National Budget whose dates Finance Minister Tendai Biti is yet to announce.
The Senate was adjourned by Justice and Legal Affairs Minister Patrick Chi­namasa who announced the November 15 resumption of sittings. The adjourn­ment came after some legislators spent part of the day at Parliament Build­ing after failing to get fuel in time to return to their constituencies.

The lawmakers were on Monday barred from checking into hotels amid reports that Parliament owes hoteliers over US$600 000. Some legislators had to seek accommodation from relatives or book into lodges.
Only the Senate sat yesterday. Parlia­ment adjourned to Tuesday on Septem­ber 4. Clerk of Parliament Mr Austin Zvoma said Parliament owed hotels the money because Treasury had not released funds to pay for accommoda­tion for legislators.

“We owe hotels US$600 000. There is nothing new,” he said. “For Parliament to exist, it must receive adequate fund­ing to enable it to meet its objectives and discharge its constitutional man­date. We will be undermining those objec­tives if we are not adequately funded.”

Mr Zvoma said it was the respon­sibility of Parliament to exercise over­sight functions over the Executive, but resources were needed for this func­tion to be carried out.