BILL WATCH 7/2021
[3rd February 2021]
Summary of Legislative Work of Parliament in 2020
Bills Passed by Parliament during 2020
Twelve Bills were passed by Parliament during 2020
Freedom of Information Bill
International Treaties Bill
Veterans of the Liberation Struggle Bill
Census and Statistics Amendment Bill
Attorney-General’s Office Amendment Bill
National Prosecuting Authority Amendment Bill
Finance Bill
Finance (No. 2) Bill
Appropriation (2021) Bill
Constitutional Court Bill passed by Parliament on 15th September 2020
Zimbabwe Media Commission Bill – finally passed by Parliament on 8th December 2020, with amendments, and sent to the Government Printer for final printing on the 9th December;
Manpower Planning and Development Amendment Bill – finally passed by Parliament on 16th December 2020, with amendments, and sent to the Government Printer for final printing on the 21st December.
These First Nine of these Bills were gazetted as Acts by the end of 2020
See Table of Acts below for details of Acts, the Act Number of 1920, Chapter numbers where applicable [not applicable to amendments to existing Acts], date gazetted and date of coming into force and link to the Acts on Veritas website .
The last three Bills although passed by Parliament in 2020 are not yet gazetted as Acts
Acts of 2020 as at 3rd February 2021
Act No. of 2020 | Title | Date gazetted | Date into |
1 | Freedom of Information Act [Chapter 11.34] [link] | 10 July 2020 | 10 July 2020 |
2 | International Treaties Act [Chapter 3:05] [link] | 10 July 2020 | 10 July 2020 |
3 | Veterans of the Liberation Struggle Act | 4 September 2020 | 4 September 2020 |
4 | Census and Statistics Amendment Act, 2020 [link] | 4 September 2020 | 4 September 2020 |
5 | Not yet gazetted |
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6 | Attorney-General’s Office Amendment Act, 2020 [link] | 23 October 2020 | Not yet in force |
7 | National Prosecuting Authority Amendment Act, 2020 [link] | 23 October 2020 | 23 October 2020 |
8 | Finance Act, 2020 [link] | 28 October 2020 | 28 October 2020 |
9 | Not yet gazetted |
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10 | Finance (No. 2) Act, 2020 [link] | 31 December 2020 | 31 December 2020 |
11 | Appropriation (2021) Act, 2020 [link] | 31 December 2020 | 31 December 2020 |
12 | Not yet gazetted |
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This list of Acts of 2020 is missing Acts 5, 9 and 12 of 2020, the numbers allocated to the three passed Bills which are awaiting Presidential assent and/or gazetting as Acts of 2020. All Bills passed by Parliament during a particular calendar year become Acts of that calendar year, once assented to by the President and published as law in the Government Gazette – even if assented to and gazetted in the following year.
2019 Acts that Came into Force during 2020
Act No. of 2019 | Title | Date gazetted | Date into |
4 | Companies and Other Business Entities Act | 15 November 2019 | 13 February 2020 |
10 | Zimbabwe Investment and Development Agency Act [Chapter 14:37] | 07 February 2020 | 07 February 2020 |
11 | Money Laundering and Proceeds of Crime Amendment Act, 2019 | 21 February 2020 | 21 February 2020 |
12 | Coroner's Office Act [Chapter 7:21] | 06 March 2020 | Still to be fixed by SI |
13 | Finance (No. 3) Act, 2019 | 31 December 2019 | 31 December 2019 |
14 | Appropriation (2020) Act, 2019 | 31 December 2019 | 31 December 2019 |
15 | Education Amendment Act, 2019 | 06 March 2020 | 06 March 2020 |
2020 Bills not yet Passed Carried Forward to 2021
In the National Assembly
Cyber Security & Data Protection Bill [link] – this Bill has been given its Second Reading – which means the House has approved it in principle – is ready for the start of the Committee Stage, during which it will be considered clause by clause.
Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment (No. 2) Bill [link] – this Bill – which was gazetted over a year ago – is part of its way through the Second Reading stage. MPs have already, on 9th July last year, heard the Minister’s Second Reading speech and the report on the public hearings on the Bill conducted by the Portfolio Committee on Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs [link]. On the same day individual MPs began their contributions to the debate.
Forest Amendment Bill [link] – for completion of Second Reading stage.
Centre for Education, Innovation, Research and Development [link] – for start of Second Reading stage.
In the Senate
Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment (No. 1) Bill – for a repeat of the Third Reading vote on this 2017 Bill, the original Senate vote having been found to be invalid by the court on 31st March 2020. The court’s order specified a deadline of 180 days from 31st March for the taking of a valid vote, failing which the court’s order of invalidity would come into effect. A further decision of the Constitutional Court is awaited on the effect of COVID-19 pandemic lockdown on the running of the deadline period.
Bills Gazetted in 2020 but Awaiting Presentation to the National Assembly
Pension and Provident Funds Bill [link]
Zimbabwe Independent Complaints Commission Bill [link]