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