President assents to three Bills

Zvamaida Murwira Senior Reporter
President Mugabe has assented to three Bills that were recently passed by Parliament, while two Bills have been gazetted and would be tabled before the august House soon for debate. The Head of State and Government and Commander-in-Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces, has also proclaimed October 4, 2016 as the day on which he would officially open the Fourth Session of the Eighth Parliament.

The announcement of the Fourth Session of the Eighth Parliament was made in a Statutory Instrument of a Government Gazette published yesterday. In a related matter, President Mugabe assented to the Local Government Laws Amendment Act, Manicaland State University of Applied Sciences Act and Gwanda State University Act.

The announcement was made by Chief Secretary in the Office of the President and Cabinet Dr Misheck Sibanda in a Government Gazette yesterday. “The following law was assented to by His Excellency the President in terms of Section 13 (6) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe,” read the notice in respect of the three pieces of legislation.

The Local Government Amendment Act seeks to amend the Urban Councils Act and Rural District Council Act by providing for procedures to be used when suspending a mayor or councillor of a local authority through appointment of an independent tribunal.

The Gwanda State University Act and Manicaland State University of Applied Sciences Act are meant to establish two more State universities to address growing demand for the use of technologies and application of sciences. The two Bills that were gazetted are Deeds Registries Amendment Bill and Judicial Laws Amendment Bill.

The Judicial Laws Amendment Bill seeks to amend the High Court Act, Magistrates Courts Act and the Small Claims Courts Act with a view to speed up settlement of disputes mainly those of a commercial nature.