Bill Watch 41/2019
Supplementary Budget Statement Due on 1st August
plus Parliamentary Roundup
31 July 2019
Primary and Secondary Education by its chairperson, Hon MisihairabwiMushonga. The amended Bill was then referred back to the PLC for its report on
the constitutionality of the amendments. A consolidated version of the Bill as
amended is being printed for consideration by the PLC when it meets tomorrow
morning, Thursday 1st August.
Zimbabwe Investment and Development Agency Bill [link]
This Bill did not come up last week, but yesterday, 30th July, the Minister of
Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs wound up the Second Reading by saying
that the amendments proposed by the Portfolio Committee, plus one proposed by
the Government, would appear on the Order Paper for consideration during the
Committee Stage.
Bills under consideration by the PLC
At close of business yesterday, 30th July, the PLC had three Bills under
consideration: Education Amendment Bill [link]; Money Laundering and Proceeds
of Crime Amendment Bill [link]; Coroner's Office Bill [link].
Bills awaiting presentation
On 24th July the Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs put forward
a motion to allow gazetted Bills to be introduced into the National Assembly before
the expiry of fourteen days from gazetting, which would have allowed immediate
introduction of the Marriages Bill, gazetted only a few days before. After protests
from Opposition MPs he withdrew the motion, protesting that all he had wanted to
achieve was something for Parliament to do, not to sidestep other procedural
requirements such as public consultations.
Adoption of Public Accounts Committee Report on Non-Compliance Issues
in Ministry of Finance and Economic Development
Yesterday, 30th July, MPs finished contributing to the debate on the PAC's
damning report on the Ministry's failure to comply with numerous important
obligations laid on it under the Constitution, the Public Finance Management and
the Public Debt Management Act. Hon Biti, the PAC chairperson, then wound up
the debate, and the House adopted the report.
In the National Assembly for the Rest of This Week
Tomorrow's scheduled tabling of the NSSA Forensic Audit Report and
presentation of the Supplementary Budget have already been dealt with at the
beginning of this bulletin.
The Supplementary Budget will add considerably to the burden of work to be
completed before the end of the current Parliamentary session. It seems
appropriate to mention, therefore, that Standing Orders permit sittings of
Parliament on Friday mornings.
Bills
Zimbabwe Investment and Development Agency Bill [link]
The Order Paper for today, 31st July, has several pages of amendments
proposed by the Portfolio Committee and one proposed by the Minister [link],
to be considered during the Committee Stage . But, unless the House decides