Bill Watch 57/2019
Update on Parliamentary Sittings
22 to 24 October 2019
7 November 2019
BILL WATCH 57/2019
[7th November 2019]
Update on Parliamentary Sittings 22nd to 24th October
Both Houses of Parliament Will Reassemble on Tuesday 12th November
Both Houses will reconvene next week, having adjourned until Tuesday 12th
November after their last sittings on 24th October. In the meantime, MPs and
Ministers have been attending the pre-Budget Seminar at Victoria Falls from
30th October to 4th November.
Previous bulletins since the opening of the Second Session of this Parliament
on 1st October have already covered the Government's legislative agenda for
the session of Parliament [Bill Watch 54/2019 [link] of 22nd October] and the
legislative output of the First Session [Bill Watch 55/2019 [link] of 24th October].
This bulletin outlines developments in Parliament during its first working sittings
on 22nd, 23rd and 24th October.
In Parliament 22nd to 24th October
Anti-sanctions motions in both Houses
The President declared Friday 25th October a public holiday "for the national
expression of opposition to the illegal sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe by
certain countries" [link]. On Thursday in both Houses ZANU-PF members
moved identical motions calling for the unconditional and immediate lifting of
sanctions and applauding SADC states for their support in making 25th
October a regional day for solidarity with Zimbabwe in this call. Members were
invited to participate in the anti-sanctions march to the anti-sanctions event at
the National Sports Stadium.
Senate
The Senate had a quiet week. On Tuesday 22nd and Wednesday 23rd there
was brief debate on the customary vote of thanks to the President for his
speech at the opening of the current session on 1st October. On Thursday
24th debate was both livelier and longer when Senators spoke on the antisanctions motion until 5.17 pm – and MDC-A Senators disputed ZANU-PF
Senators' claims that sanctions were to blame for the state of the economy. It
was an unusually late sitting for the Senate, which had risen at 3.35 pm on
Tuesday and 3.05 pm on Wednesday.
National Assembly
In sharp contrast to the Senate, the National Assembly had a turbulent week.
Repercussions of MDC-A MPs walk-out on the President at 1st October Joint
Sitting
During the week there were repercussions of the penalty the Speaker imposed
on MDC-A MPs on 1st October: that those MDC-A MPs who had remained
seated when the President entered the National Assembly chamber to deliver