BILL WATCH 24/2018
18th September 2018
Update on Bills and Acts of the Last Parliamentary Session
The last session of the previous Parliament ran from 12th September 2017 to 29th July 2018. Its last business sitting, however, was on 7th June, when both Houses adjourned indefinitely.
Acts of Parliament Enacted
The session passed a number of important Bills, resulting in the gazetting of the following Acts of Parliament:
Act No. | Title | Date gazetted | Commencement |
11 | National Peace and Reconciliation Commission Act [Chapter 10:32] [link] | 5 January 2018 | 5 January 2018 |
12 | Land Commission Act [Chapter 20:29] [link] | 26 February 2018 | 26 February 2018 |
Act No. | Title | Date gazetted | Commencement |
1 | Finance Act, 2018 [link] | 14 March 2018 | 14 March 2018 |
2 | Appropriation (2018) Act, 2018 [link] | 14 March 2018 | 14 March 2018 |
3 | Estate Administrators Amendment Act, 2018 [link] | 20 April 2018 | 20 April 2018 |
4 | Public Entities Corporate Governance Act | 11 May 2018 | 8 June 2018 |
5 | Zimbabwe Iron and Steel Company (Debt Assumption) Act, 2018 | 28 May 2018 | 28 May 2018 |
6 | Electoral Amendment Act, 2018 [link] | 28 May 2018 | 28 May 2018 |
7 | Insolvency Act [Chapter 6:07] [link] | 20 July 2018 | 20 July 2018 |
8 | Shop Licences Amendment Act, 2018 [link] | 10 August 2018 | 10 August 2018 |
9 | Mines and Minerals Amendment (pending) | – | – |
10 | Civil Aviation Amendment Act, 2018 [link] | 20 July 2018 | 20 July 2018 |
11 | Public Health Act [Chapter 15:17] [link] | 31 August 2018 | 31 August 2018 |
12 | Money Laundering and Proceeds of Crime Amendment Act, 2018 [link] | 20 July 2018 | 20 July 2018 |
Mines and Minerals Amendment Bill
Although this Bill was passed, with amendments to the original, by both Houses of Parliament in the dying days of the last session, the President returned it to Parliament “with reservations” on 31st August. He is permitted to do this by section 131(6)(b) of the Constitution – which provides that if the President considers the Bill to be unconstitutional or has any other reservations about it, he may refer it back to Parliament, giving his detailed reasons for those reservations and requesting that the Bill be reconsidered.
The Speaker must now convene a sitting of the National Assembly at which the Bill will be reconsidered in the light of the President’s reservations. The nature of these reservations has not yet been made public, but is expected to be notified to the National Assembly at its first business sitting after the official opening of Parliament today. Veritas will circulate the President’s reservations as soon as they become available.
Companies Bill Not Dealt With Last Session
One important Bill that Parliament did not tackle at all before adjourning in early June was the Companies and Other Business Entities Bill [link]. It is bound to be reintroduced by the Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs at the earliest opportunity.
Other Bills Nearing Parliament
Other Bills expected to be tackled early in the coming session are:
Tripartite Negotiating Forum Bill This Bill has already been gazetted and is available on the Veritas website [link]
Consumer Protection Bill This Bill has not yet been gazetted and is not available.
Forest Amendment Bill This Bill has not yet been gazetted and is not available.
