First reading: Introduction of the Bill in Parliament If Parliament does not dispense with 14 days’ notice requirement, the Bill, upon notice from the Minister, will be introduced in Parliament on the expiry of the notice period. Once the Bill is read for the first time, it is referred to the Parliamentary Legal Committee (PLC) to determine its constitutionality. Neither House can proceed to the…
Government approves PVO Bill: What Next?
Last week, Government approved the proposed amendments to the Private Voluntary Organisations (PVO) Bill. According to the Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Hon. Monica Mutsvangwa, the Bill seeks to close existing loopholes and ensure that all PVO activities are transparent and are conducted in the national interest. The Minister further noted that the Bill will: combat money laundering and financing of terrorism by…
Cabinet approves National Health Insurance Scheme
Health and Child Care Permanent Secretary Dr Jasper Chimedza says Cabinet has approved principles for the development of the National Health Insurance Scheme in an effort to make universal health coverage a reality. Speaking while giving oral evidence on the Ministry’s 2021 first quarter Budget Performance Report, Dr Chimedza said the crafting of the Bill is at an advanced stage. The National Health Insurance Scheme…
Enact Laws to End Child Marriages
Women’s Affairs, Gender, Community Small and Medium Enterprise Development Committee Chairperson, Hon. Chido Madiwa (Mutasa North, ZANU PF) has implored Parliament to enact laws that assist in the eradication of child marriages. Hon. Madiwa said this during a virtual meeting organised by SAPST between MPs, Civil Society Organisations and Churches. Hon. Madiwa maintained that mainstreaming of all legal frameworks that safeguard children should be prioritised…
PAC Summons SOEs on Non-Compliance
The Public Accounts Committee has dismissed major submissions by State-Owned Enterprises’ failure to comply with the requisite obligation to submit financial reports to the office of the Auditor General. These reasons include interruption of operations due to Covid-19 lockdown restrictions, the introduction of the RTGS currency in 2019 and exchange rate against the USD, which meant that the accounts had to be adjusted to cater…
Local Government Committee Castigates City Council
Local Government, Public Works, and National Housing Parliamentary Committee Members have castigated Harare City Council for failure to exercise due diligence in the procurement of the local authority’s equipment and poor service delivery for its residents. This comes after the City Council lost over US$1,8 million in two separate deals after the supplier failed to deliver some of the refuse trucks in the first contract…
Efforts made by Government on child marriages
The Portfolio Committee on Public, Labour and Social Welfare held a virtual meeting with the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare on the 17th of August 2021. During the meeting the Permanent Secretary for Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, Mr Masanga advised the Committee on the efforts that the Ministry has made in addressing the issue of child marriages. Mr Masanga stated that…
Question on the Government’s action plan towards child marriages.
Hon. Gonese informed the National Assembly that there has been an increase in child marriages and there is no specific law yet to criminalise and penalise transgressors. The MDC Alliance Mutare MP asked Minister of Women’s Affairs what policy measures and action plans the Government has put in place to stop child marriages. Addressing the question, Hon. Dr. Sithembiso Nyoni stated that the Ministry had…
Child Rights Corner
Advocating for Increased and Equitable Resource Allocation and spending for Children in East and Southern Africa The Southern African Parliamentary Support Trust (SAPST) is implementing a project that seeks to advocate for public investment in children in the Eastern and Southern Africa. The specific focus of SAPST’s intervention is increasing allocation and spending in sectors that promote survival, learning and development of children through strengthening…
Civil Society’s National Indicative Programme Monitoring and Advocacy Programme
The Southern African Parliamentary Support Trust (SAPST) is part of a consortium of civil society organisations (CSOs) implementing a programme funded by the European Union Delegation to Zimbabwe (the EU) under the National Indicative Programme (NIP). Members of the consortium include: • National Association for Non-Governmental Organizations (NANGO), as the lead organization • Sam Moyo African Institute of Agrarian Studies (SMAIAS), • Zimbabwe AIDS Network…