On Tuesday, 23 February, the Speaker of Parliament Hon Advocate Jacob Francis Mudenda swore in new Members of Parliament nominated by the MDC-T party to fill the vacancies that occurred among the Party-List Members of the National Assembly following the recall of Members by the MDC-T. The following MPs were sworn in under Proportional Representation: 1. Hon. Nomvula Mguni, Bulawayo Metropolitan Province; 2. Judith Chimwanza, Manicaland Province;…
MPs urge Government to adequately fund the Education sector
Members of Parliament have implored Government to adequately fund the education sector and look into the welfare of teachers to ensure improved results of learners. They said this after the Minister of Primary and Secondary Education, Hon. Caine Mathema, tabled a Ministerial statement in Parliament on Tuesday on the 2020 Grade Seven Examination results. The results indicated poor performance by students compared to previous years.…
Report on Response to GBV during the COVID-19 Lockdown
Women Affairs, Community and Smes Development Committee Chairperson, Hon Chido Madiwa (Mutasa North ZANU PF) on Tuesday tabled a report in Parliament to ascertain the level of service delivery to survivors of Gender Based Violence by the Government at safe shelters and One Stop Centres, during the COVID-19 lockdown. The specific objectives of the inquiry that was conducted in the country’s five provinces included: To ascertain the…
Parliament and the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission meet
In an effort to foster engagement between Parliament and Independent Commissions, SAPST facilitated a workshop between the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission and the Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee. This is in line with SAPST’s programme that supports meetings between independent commissions supporting democracy and human rights and relevant portfolio committees to discuss topical issues that fall within the purview of those commissions. The…
Stages of the Bill the PVO is expected to go through before it becomes law.
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…