BILL WATCH 24-2024 - Coming up in Parliament This Week

BILL WATCH 24/2024

[15th July 2024]

Coming Up in Parliament This Week

NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

Tuesday 16th July

The following items of business are on the National Assembly’s Order paper for the 16th 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 four Bills set down on the Order Paper to be dealt with during the week:

Death Penalty Abolition Bill [link]

The Second Reading of this Bill is due to resume.

Private Voluntary Organisations Amendment Bill [link]

The Committee Stage of this Bill is due to continue from where it left off when the Assembly adjourned last Thursday.  Several amendments to the Bill were passed on Thursday and many more are yet to be considered.

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.

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]

The Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission [ZHRC] and

The National Prosecuting Authority [NPA].

Note:  These reports on the Veritas Website

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

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

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

Petitions to be considered

Debate is scheduled on the report of the Portfolio Committee on Defence, Home Affairs, Security Services and War Veterans’ Affairs, on two petitions, one seeking economic empowerment of war veterans and their dependants and the other for reburial of liberation war heroes.

Election reports to be considered

Reports by ZEC on the 2023 general election and subsequent by-elections are due to be considered.

Wednesday 17th July

Questions set down for answer

Among questions set down for Ministers to answer on Wednesday 17th July are questions on the following issues:

Re-engagement with the US Government

Measures to curb hunger and 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 water supply in Bulawayo

The renovation of sports stadiums

The resuscitation of ZISCO and Lancashire Steel

Schools for children with autism and other special needs.

Reciting the national pledge and saluting the flag in schools

The amounts collected in carbon and sugar taxes and how the amounts were disbursed

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 stood over from previous weeks.

Thursday 18th July

The Minister of Finance will give a supplementary budget statement.

THE SENATE

Tuesday 16th July

The following items of business are on the Senate’s Order paper for the 16th July, but they cannot all be dealt with on that day and the Senate can change the order in which they are considered.

Bill on the Senate order paper

The Administration of Estates Amendment Bill [link]:  set down for its Second Reading.

Annual reports of constitutional bodies

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

The Judicial Service Commission [JSC]

The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission [ZEC], and

The Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission [ZHRC]

Motions on the Senate order paper

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

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

The provision of shunt devices in hospitals to treaty hydrocephaly

Thursday 18th July

Questions set down for answer

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

Identity documents for victims of Gukurahundi

Monitoring the performance of local authority councils

Remuneration of teachers in government and private schools

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