Bill Watch 37/2019
In Parliament This Week
& Coming up in Parliament This Week
23 July 2019
Hon Paradza, chairperson of the other portfolio committee involved in the
report, underlined the need to implement the report's recommendations, saying
that "the Bill, in its present form, is not a good Bill at all". He also emphasised
the disquiet felt among committee members when the Office of the President
and Cabinet prematurely – before ZIDA has a legal existence – advertised for
applicants for appointment to a senior post in ZIDA.
Hon Nduna made one of his trademark "clarion calls", this time for the ZIDA
Board's composition to reflect the preponderance of women in the population,
asserting that "what men can do, women can do better and they are more
trustworthy". See further under Coming up in Parliament This Week, below.
Education Amendment Bill [link]
This Bill was not dealt with at all last week. Its status remains as it was
described in Bill Watch 35/2019 [link]. See further under Coming up in
Parliament This Week, below.
Bills being prepared for gazetting
The following Bills are not presently available from Veritas, but will become
available once they have been gazetted:
Zimbabwe Media Commission [sent to Government Printer 27th June]
Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe Amendment [sent to Government Printer 10th July]
International Treaties [sent to Government Printer 22nd July]
Other Business in Parliament Last Week
National Assembly
NSSA Forensic Audit Report was not tabled
Although it could have been expected, there was no announcement about
when the Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare would table
this report in Parliament [for background see Bill Watch 34/2019 [link]]. This
was despite the Speaker holding her to her promise let Parliament know by
11th June when she would present it.
Welfare of MPs On 18th July MPs debated a condolence motion following the
death of Hon Kaston Gumbwanda, ZANU-PF MP for Zaka East on 25th
June. Besides lamenting the passing of their colleague, MPs of all parties used
the occasion to complain about the Government's general lack of proper regard
for the welfare of MPs and for Parliament as a State institution.
Report of Public Accounts Committee on Ministry of Finance and Economic
Development shortcomings [link] Hon Biti, chairperson of the Public Accounts
Committee [PAC] presented the committee's hard-hitting report on a long list
of Ministry of Finance and Economic Development's "non-compliance issues"
identified by the PAC. The report indicates where literally billions of US $s
have not been accounted for. It is shocking to read. The PAC also criticised
the attitude of senior officials who had appeared before it. The list of issues
reported cites failures by the Ministry and its officials to comply with the