BILL WATCH 41/2024

[18th November 2024]

Coming Up in Parliament Next Week

The National Assembly and the Senate adjourned on Thursday last week until the 26th November, so neither House will be sitting this week.  In this bulletin we shall outline the business they will be dealing with, but please bear the following points in mind:

·        When the National Assembly and the Senate adjourn at the end of a week, they set down all outstanding business for the next appropriate sitting day.  There is usually too much to be covered in one day, so whatever is not dealt with is postponed to the next appropriate day.

·        Both Houses of Parliament can change the order in which they consider business.

·        The Minister of Finance will be delivering his financial statement (budget speech) in the National Assembly on Thursday 28th November.

NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

Tuesday 26th November

Bills to be dealt with by the National Assembly

Two Bills are due to be dealt with next week:

·        Persons with Disabilities Bill [link]

This Bill is due to begin its Committee Stage.

·        Parks and Wild Life Amendment Bill [link]

The Second Reading of this Bill is due to continue.

International Agreement to be ratified

The Assembly will be asked to ratify an agreement of co-operation between the Ministries of Justice of Zimbabwe and the Russian Federation [link].

Portfolio Committee reports

Reports to be considered for adoption by the Assembly will cover the following topics:

·        Failure by some local authorities to submit their accounts to the Auditor-General

·        The state of the electricity supply in Zimbabwe

·        Meagre pension pay-outs by NSSA

·        The state of food security in Zimbabwe

·        Non-communicable diseases, including cancer

·        The statelessness of migrants in Zimbabwe

·        Mobile and internet connectivity

·        The state of schools infrastructure

·        The finances of the Zimbabwe National Road Administration.

Petitions to be considered

·        A petition seeking reburial of liberation war heroes

·        A petition seeking to establish a Nurse Aides Council.

Motions on the National Assembly order paper

Motions set to be debated by the Assembly will include the following topics:

·        Reply to the President’s speech

·        To urge the Ministry of Finance to ensure that the Women’s Micro Finance Bank fulfils its mandate and to take measures to allow women to meet collateral requirements

·        To urge the Registrar-General’s Office to conduct a mobile registration exercise to provide citizens with primary documents

·        To avail more resources for treatment of mental disorders and to monitor and treat drug abuse countrywide

·        Measures to improve digital infrastructure in Zimbabwe

·        To protect indigenous herbal trees against over-exploitation

·        To reserve 30 per cent of government tenders for youth-led enterprises

·        To introduce a separate class of drivers licence for vehicles with automatic transmission

Wednesday 27th October

Questions set down for answer

Among questions set down for Ministers to answer on Wednesday 27th November are questions on the following issues:

·        Religious radio licences

·        Community share ownership trusts in the Hwange area

·        Reopening of the Cold Storage Commission and payments to its former employees

·        Maternal and neo-natal deaths during 2024

·        Production of annual demographic health surveys since 2015

·        An upsurge of HIV/AIDS cases in parts of Bulawayo

·        The employment of general workers in government institutions

·        Plans to prepare for the deportation of Zimbabweans from South Africa

·        Liquidation of the Commercial Farmers’ Union in Kuvimba Mining House

·        Repair of environmental damage caused by open-cast mining

·        The appointment of kings in Zimbabwe.

Thursday 28th November

The Minister of Finance will present his Budget Statement.

Parliamentary Legal Committee

The Committee is considering the Civil Aviation Amendment Bill.

THE SENATE

Tuesday 26th November

International Agreements for ratification

The Senate will be asked to approve two international agreements:

·        New constitutive documents of Shelter Afrique, transforming it into a financial institution to be called Shelter Afrique Development Bank

·        Agreement of co-operation between the Ministries of Justice of Zimbabwe and the Russian Federation [link].

Bill to be dealt with by the Senate

·        Death Penalty Abolition Bill [link]:  The Bill is due to undergo its Second Reading.

Thematic Committee report to be considered

The Senate will be asked to adopt a report on the roll-out of ARVs and the effect of drug and substance abuse in preventing HIV/AIDS and other diseases.

Motions to be dealt with by the Senate

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

·        Reply to the President’s speech

·        To restore to the Order Paper a motion on child mortality

·        New prosecuting guidelines published by the Prosecutor-General

·        Preventing siltation, deforestation and preserving natural resources

·        Children and drug abuse

·        Increasing the involvement of women in mining activities

·        Protection of constitutional gender rights

·        Calling on traditional leaders to engage in cultural practices and conduct ancestral appeasement ceremonies

Thursday 28th November

Questions set down for answer

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

·        Remuneration of teachers in government and private schools

·        Labour practices by foreign-owned companies

·        Protection of consumers from fake products and expired food products, and how to make complaints about product safety.