Parliament resumes sitting today

Farirai Machivenyika Harare Bureau
PARLIAMENT resumes sitting today following the official opening of the Third Session of the Eighth Parliament by President Robert Mugabe last week. The session will be dominated by proposed legislation that will expedite the implementation of the 10-point plan meant to spur economic growth as enunciated by the President in his State of the Nation Address.

In his speech officially opening the Third Session, President Mugabe outlined at least 22 Bills and amendments to existing legislation with the majority of them premised on improving the country’s business environment and aligning laws with the new constitution. Parliament is expected to discuss amendments to the Companies Act, the Zimbabwe Investment Authority Bill, the State Procurement Bill, the Special Economic Zones Bill and the Banking Amendment Bill.

Other notable Bills presented by the President, include the Pan-African Minerals University of Science and Technology to offer postgraduate training in beneficiation, the Consumer Protection Bill to promote consumer rights and fair competition, the National Competitiveness Commission Bill to repeal the National Income and Prices Commission and the National Border Ports Authority Bill to establish a National Border Ports Authority to clear bottlenecks at border posts.

An e-Transactions Bill that will govern e-commerce and provide the basis for the formulation of an e-Government policy will also be tabled before parliament including the Cooperative Societies Act (Amendment Bill), the Local Authorities Bill to consolidate the Urban Councils Act and Rural District Councils Act, the Education Amendment Bill to align the Act with the constitution and the Public Health Bill to address current public health challenges and regulate involvement of non-state actors in public health.

The Children’s Amendment Bill will also be tabled while a Bill to combine the War Veterans’ Act and Ex-Political Prisoners, Detainees and Restrictees’ Act will also come for consideration. The Corporate Governance Bill to bolster the fight against corruption, the National Security Council Amendment Bill to establish a National Security Council and the National Defence University Bill will also be tabled during the session.

In his official opening address, President Mugabe challenged legislators to be cognisant of the trust entrusted them by the electorate. “May I remind all honourable members and this august house of the need to always conduct business in a manner that doesn’t erode the stock of trust reposed in us by the electorate. We need to carry the hopes and aspirations of our people.

“Let’s channel our collective energies towards the development of our country, guided by our economic blueprint Zim-Asset. This, of course demands of us all to always cherish the crown values of peace, hard work and the unity of purpose,” said President Mugabe.