BILL WATCH 23/2024

[8th July 2024]

Coming Up in Parliament This Week

NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

The following items of business are on the National Assembly’s Order paper for the 9th July, but they cannot all be dealt with on that day and the Assembly can change the order in which they are considered.

Bills on the National Assembly Order Paper

There are five Bills set down on the Order Paper to be dealt with during the week:

·        Administration of Estates Amendment Bill [link].

The Parliamentary Legal Committee has examined amendments made to this Bill at Committee Stage and has reported that they are constitutional.  The House is now due to approve those amendments and then the Bill will undergo its third and final reading.  For Veritas comments on this Bill see [link]

·        Abolition of the Death Penalty Bill [link]

The Second Reading of this Bill is due to resume.

·        Private Voluntary Organisations Amendment Bill [link]

Debate on the Second Reading of this Bill is due to continue.  As noted in Bill Watch 20/2024 [link], amendments to this Bill are likely to be proposed at the Committee Stage.

·        Parks and Wild Life Amendment Bill [link]

This Bill is due to begin its Second Reading.

·        Persons with Disabilities Bill [link]

This Bill is also due for its Second Reading.

International agreements for approval

The Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Fisheries and Rural Development will ask the Assembly to approve:

·        four agreements relating to developing and managing rivers and water resources in the south and south-east of the country, and

·        two multi-lateral conventions, namely the UN Convention on the Protection and use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes and the UN Convention on the Law of the Non-navigational Uses of International Watercourses.

Motions on the National Assembly order paper

·        Among the motions set to be debated by the Assembly are the following:

·        Measures to improve public transport

·        To establish a compensation fund for victims of copyright piracy

·        To pass a law prohibiting foreign entities from promoting LGBTQI+1 activities and condemning those activities

·        To urge the Government to start and intensify cancer awareness programmes and to provide modern cancer equipment at Parirenyatwa and Mpilo hospitals

·        To promote the teaching of more of Zimbabwe’s national languages in schools

·        To establish a national electronic cadastre system for mining and land grants.

Petitions to be considered

Debate on the report of the Portfolio Committee on Defence, Home Affairs, Security Services and War Veterans’ Affairs, on a petition seeking economic empowerment of war veterans and their dependants.

Annual reports of constitutional bodies

The Assembly is expected to continue debate on the annual reports of the following bodies:

·        The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission [ZEC] [link]

·        The Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission [ZHRC] [link] and

·        The National Prosecuting Authority [NPA] .

Questions set down for answer

Among questions set down for Ministers to answer on Wednesday 10th July are questions on the following issues:

·        Re-engagement with the US Government

·        Illegal mining operations in the National University of Science and Technology

·        Protection of wetlands

·        The spread of water hyacinth in dams and water bodies

·        Measures to combat food shortages, and the estimated cost of food aid

·        The number of commercial farms purchased and compulsorily acquired since 2000 by Government and local authorities

·        The renovation of sports stadiums

·        The resuscitation of ZISCO and Lancashire Steel

·        Schools for children with autism and other special needs.

·        The collection and distribution of the community social responsibility levy on mining of lithium, black granite and other minerals.

Many of these questions have been on the order paper in previous weeks.

THE SENATE

Bill on the Senate order paper

·        The Criminal Laws Amendment (Protection of Children and Young Persons) Bill [link]:  set down for its Second Reading

Motions on the Senate order paper

The Senate is expected to debate motions on the following topics:

·        The provision of shunt devices in hospitals to treaty hydrocephaly

·        Rehabilitation of mines and the participation of communities in profits from mining on their land

·        Compensation for persons affected by depreciation of the Zimbabwe dollar

·        Provision of kidney dialysis machines in district hospitals

·        The inadequacy of public transport

·        Measures to deal with teenage pregnancy

·        Birth certificates for people living in border areas.

Approval of international agreement

The Senate will be asked to approve an agreement with Rwanda on mutual assistance in criminal matters.

Annual reports of constitutional bodies

The Senate is expected to continue debate on the annual reports of the following bodies:

·        The National Prosecuting Authority [NPA]

·        The Judicial Service Commission [JSC]

·        The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission [ZEC], and

·        The Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission [ZHRC]

International agreements for approval

The Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Fisheries and Rural Development will ask the Senate to approve:

·        four agreements relating to developing and managing rivers and water resources in the south and south-east of the country, and

·        two multi-lateral conventions, namely the UN Convention on the Protection and use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes and the UN Convention on the Law of the Non-navigational Uses of International Watercourses.

Questions set down for answer

Among questions set down for Ministers to answer on Thursday are questions on the following issues:

·        Planting and protection of trees

·        Identity documents for victims of Gukurahundi

·        Monitoring the performance of local authority councils.