Online Reporter
Nyore Madzianike
Senior Reporter
PARLIAMENT is set to reconvene on Tuesday next week to consider and vote on amendments proposed by the Senate to Constitutional Amendment Bill No. 3, which were overlooked by the National Assembly when it deliberated on the proposed piece of legislation.
The amendments were identified in Senate deliberations on the Bill, with one of the key changes providing for the calling of Parliament for its first sitting before the election of the President by Parliamentarians.
The Senate on Wednesday passed the Bill with the required two-thirds majority after 75 senators voted in support of the proposed amendments, while four voted against.
Last week, the National Assembly also passed the Bill by an overwhelming majority, with 260 legislators voting in favour and 42 against.
Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi said he would engage the Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet, Dr Martin Rushwaya, to facilitate the publication of a General Notice recalling legislators for Tuesday’s sitting.
Parliament had adjourned until July 7.
“By and large, this Bill is one of the most debated, I think, in the history of our Parliament,” he said.
Minister Ziyambi said 55 senators debated in support of the Bill, while only four spoke against it.
He said one of the senators who had initially opposed the Bill later voted in its favour.
“The other one who was dissenting decided to vote for the Bill.
“In the history of the Senate, normally when we debate these Bills, we rarely have more than 10 people debating, but we had around 55, which was more than two-thirds majority.
“So, at the close of business, we debated, and we then did the Committee Stage. What was interesting and inspiring was that the Senate managed to pick up a few issues that were left out by the National Assembly.
“Notably, currently in the Constitution, the President-elect is first sworn in and once he is sworn in, he then calls Parliament for its first sitting.
“But because now we are having the Parliament electing the President, we had an oversight and we did not amend to give provision for the calling of Parliament for its first sitting before the election of the President.
“This is because now you cannot have an outgoing President calling Parliament for its first sitting.
“We then amended that part when Senators highlighted it, so that we would then have a provision for the Clerk of Parliament by notification, in terms of a gazette, to call Parliament to its first sitting where it would elect the Speaker, the Senate President and then ultimately the President.
“So, that was the major amendment that the Senate did besides consequential amendments where Senators just said let’s just clean up the Constitution,” he said.
“The procedure is, once there are variations or the Bill that is passed by the Senate is different from the one that was passed by the National Assembly, you have to transmit back to the National Assembly and indicate to the National Assembly that the Senate is proposing these amendments for the National Assembly to vote and endorse or reject.
The Minister said that while Parliament had adjourned until July 7, the urgent Government business arising from amendments made by the Senate now requires its reconvening, something that can only be done by the President.
“We have advised the Chief Secretary so that the necessary General Notice is issued calling back Parliament next Tuesday just to look at those minor amendments,” he said.
Minister Ziyambi said once the National Assembly endorses the Senate amendments, the Bill will be transmitted to the President for assent.
