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Farirai Machivenyika-Senior Reporter
Speaker of the National Assembly, Advocate Jacob Mudenda yesterday hailed the ninth Parliament, which was dissolved at midnight yesterday, for its various record-breaking achievements in passing laws, oversight and playing its part in furthering the country’s engagement and re-engagement effort.
Advocate Mudenda said this in his speech to mark the end of the ninth Parliament yesterday ahead of the harmonised elections today.
“Despite the two-year disruptive challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic and the other negative exigencies, the ninth Parliament excelled in fulfilling its constitutional mandate. Consequently, the ninth Parliament recorded a remarkable increase of 38 percent in the number of Bills passed, that is from 50 in the Eighth Parliament to 69 in the current Parliament.
“Of historic note was the Constitution Amendment Number 2 Bill which, among other things, reinforced the national commitment to mainstreaming gender equality and youth representation in the decision-making processes of the nation,” he said.
Advocate Mudenda added that the ninth Parliament was also defined by its countless committee enquiries, meticulously crafted oral evidence sessions and incisive questions posed both with and without notice.
“Consequently, Parliament observed an increase in compliance by the Executive in the submission of peremptory statutory returns to Parliament.
“The compliance rate rose to 78 percent up from a paltry 3 percent recorded at the beginning of the Ninth Parliament. Furthermore, our impact in following up on the Auditor-General’s Reports resulted in the establishment of the Central Internal Audit Unit in the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development which was tasked with the mandate to produce Treasury Minutes that are essential in providing an effective tracking and response mechanism on the Public Accounts Committee recommendations,” he said.
The Ninth Parliament had performed well in the area of parliamentary diplomacy.
The dynamic engagement with the international community yielded indelible outcomes that elevated the status and influence of Zimbabwe on the global political stage.
Among these achievements are the following: President of the Senate Mabel Chinomona assumed the presidency of the African Parliamentary Union uncontested; Chief Fortune Charumbira was elected to the position of the Presidency of the Pan-African Parliament while the Speaker was appointed to the Executive Committee of both the Inter-Parliamentary Union, the global organisation of 178 national parliaments that foster peace and democracy for all, and the SADC Parliamentary Forum, a regional inter-parliamentary body that facilitates political cooperation and integrated economic development in Southern Africa.
Advocate Mudenda also stands as the sole nominee candidate from the Africa Geo-Political Group due to receive the prestigious IPU Cremer-Passy Award that is given to a member who has excelled in advancing the mission and vision of the IPU.
Online Reporter