adminPamela Shumba Senior Reporter
THE government is working on establishing a radio and television station at the Parliament building in Harare to improve coverage of Parliamentary activities.
The august house will also launch an interactive website before the end of June this year to allow both individuals and civic organisations to actively contribute to the legislative process.
The Speaker of Parliament, Jacob Mudenda, told media practitioners and civic society organisations at a Parliament engagement meeting in Bulawayo yesterday that the television and radio station would enable Members of Parliament to unpack and simplify Bills for the benefit of the public.
He said the broadcasting equipment would be installed at the new multi-million dollar legislative chamber to be built in Mt Hampden, about 14km outside Harare.
“Parliament is in discussion with various radio stations with a view to increase the coverage of Parliamentary activities. Some of the envisaged radio programmes will allow committee meetings to be recorded and aired on radio to enable Parliament to reach a wider audience.
“The new Parliament building will have a fully fledged radio and television station to cover proceedings as they happen in Parliament. The broadcasting service will help Committees of Parliament to reach the public and civic society and ministries to unpack and simplify Bills for the benefit of the public,” said Mudenda.
He said members of the public would also be able to hold their Members of Parliament accountable because they’ll be seeing proceedings in Parliament.
Mudenda added that the revamped website would include live audio streaming and Parliamentary proceedings as well as live broadcast of sittings of the Senate and the National Assembly.
“The website will allow members of the public to use social media platforms like Facebook, WhatsApp and Twitter to communicate with Parliament and its Committees. Important speeches delivered by presiding officers will also be accessed,” said Mudenda.
He said the construction of the new Parliament building was taking shape.
“The architectural designs have been approved by President Mugabe and Cabinet. The grant has also been approved from the Chinese government and confirmed by the Chinese President when he visited the country last year.
“What remains now is the government to put the fundamental infrastructure by way of roads, electricity, water and sewer reticulation so that when the main structure is built, there’s access to the building site,” said Mudenda.
The funding for the radio and television station is part of the grant from the Chinese government.
The new Parliament Building is part of 12 mega-deals signed between China and Zimbabwe last year.
The deals cover key sectors such as infrastructure, telecommunications and energy.
In 2007, the Chinese government funded construction of a new parliament building in Lesotho at a cost of US$9 million through Shandong Yantai Construction Company. The building was completed in 2012.
derick.khumalo