[Bill-Watch] Bill Watch 5/2015 of 16h February [In Parliament: 10-12 February & Coming Up This Week]

[Veritas Bill Watch]

BILL WATCH 5/2015

[16th February 2015]

Both Houses of Parliament Are Sitting This Week

What Happened in Parliament Last Week

On all three sitting days, the National Assembly sat for three hours or
more, rising at 5.46 pm, 5.15 pm and 5.21 pm.  

Bills

Gender Commission of Zimbabwe Bill  The Bill was not discussed during the
week.  The report of the Portfolio Committee was not ready to be presented
to the National Assembly.

Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe [RBZ] (Debt Assumption) Bill  As already noted in
Bill Watch 4/2015, the Second Reading debate continued at length on Tuesday
10th February.  MPs differed on whether or not amounts owed to RBZ by
beneficiaries of the RBZ farm equipment hand-outs should be recovered, and
it was pointed out that MPs on both sides of the House had been
beneficiaries.  This prompted Hon Chamisa of MDC-T to raise a point of order
referring to section 17 of the Privileges, Immunities and Powers of
Parliament Act, which makes it an offence for an MP to vote on or take part
in the discussion of a matter in which he or she has a direct pecuniary
interest.  

Public Accountants and Auditors Amendment Bill  There was some progress on
10th February, with Hon Chapfika presenting the joint report of the
Portfolio Committee on Finance and Economic Development and the Public
Accounts Committee, which supported the Bill but recommended a few
improvements.  

[All three Bills are available from the addresses given at the end of this
bulletin.]

Motions

Declaration of assets by public officers  On 11th February, following an
extended Question Time, Hon Madzimure introduced his motion in a
comprehensive speech that lasted until the National Assembly adjourned for
the day.

Congratulations to President Mugabe on becoming AU chairperson  On 12th
February ZANU-PF Chief Whip Hon Joram Gumbo introduced this new motion,
beginning a debate that took up most of the afternoon and was marked by
frequent heckling from both sides and an MDC-T walkout after they accused
the Temporary Speaker of unduly favouring ZANU-PF MPs when recognising
contributors to the debate.  ZANU-PF MPs heaped praise on the President.
MDC-T MPs, choosing their words with care, suggested that Africa's
challenges required a continental leader with energy, tenacity, agility and
youthfulness and a track record of sorting out his own country's problems.
The Temporary Speaker said divergent views on the motion were permissible,
but only if expressed with respect.  

Question Time [Wednesday 11th February]  There were enough Ministers present
to fill the hour allotted to questions without notice, and to justify the
extension for an extra 15 minutes of the hour for questions with written
notice.  The Minister of Mines dealt with several questions: the effect of
low international chrome prices on local chrome miners, including
small-scale miners, and the importance of the cost of power to all in the
mining sector; Government's efforts to ensure that gold mined is delivered
to the sole authorised buyer, Fidelity Refineries; and problems caused by
miners who abandon mines.  The Deputy Minister of Youth, Indigenisation and
Economic Empowerment, resisted suggestions that the Indigenisation and
Economic Empowerment legislation puts off foreign investors.  The Minister
of Agriculture said Government intends to revive the Cotton Marketing Board
as part of moves to revive the cotton sector.  The Minister of Transport
assured MPs that the Highway Code is being reviewed by the Road Traffic
Safety Council.  Written questions with notice elicited detailed answers
from the Deputy Minister of Media, Information and Broadcasting Services on
the migration from analogue to digital broadcasting and the country's
capacity thereafter to meet the 75% local content requirement for
broadcasters.  The Deputy Minister of Industry and Commerce spoke of a
cocktail of measures to combat de-industrialisation; steps to improve
capacity utilisation in industry; and progress on the revival of ZIMSTEEL,
formerly ZISCO, and David Whitehead Industries. 

Senate

Again, there was no Government business to deal with.  On 10th February the
Deputy President exhorted Senators to put down more written questions for
Ministers.  Sittings ended at 4.14 pm, 4.17 pm and 3.39 pm.

Motions  

Gender-based Violence in Churches On 10th February Senator W. Sibanda
presented the Report of the Thematic Committee on Gender and Development on
this subject.  Senators who then contributed to the debate supported the
committee's recommendation that there be consultation with churches with a
view to enactment of legislation for registration churches and regulation of
church operations [the report is available from the addresses given at the
end of this bulletin]

Incentivisation of production of small grains  On 11th February Senator Goto
introduced his motion calling on Government to incentivise the production of
small grains.  Senators who spoke supported the motion enthusiastically.

Question Time [Thursday 12th January]

Reasonable attendance by Ministers and Deputy Ministers enabled Senators to
use up almost all of the two hours allotted for questions.  The Minister of
Health explained Government's measures - spraying and medication - to combat
malaria in the 47 districts identified as malaria-prone; he also fielded
other questions on health sector problems.  The Deputy Minister of Higher
and Tertiary Education told Senators that Lupane State University campus
should be relocated from Bulawayo to Lupane by June.  The Minister of
Information Communication Technology, Postal and Courier Services announced
a massive NetOne programme to upgrade mobile reception and technology, and
said TelOne had been directed to investigate reviving telephone callbox
infrastructure to assist persons who cannot afford mobile phones or
landlines. 

Coming up in Parliament This Week

National Assembly

Bills

Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (Debt Assumption) Bill  Second Reading stage to
continue.

Public Accountants and Auditors Amendment Bill  Second Reading stage to
continue.  

Gender Commission Bill  Continuation of the Second Reading stage depends on
whether or not the report of the Portfolio Committee on Women's Affairs,
Gender and Community Development is ready; this is to be a joint report with
the Thematic Committee on Gender and Development.

Motions  Debates on motions presented in previous sittings are scheduled to
continue.  New motions high on the agenda are: 

International Women's Day as public holiday  Hon Khupe's motion urges the
declaration of International Women's Day [8th March] as a public holiday.

Vagrancy Act repeal and replacement  This is a motion by Hon Muderedzwa.

Written Questions [Wednesday 18th February]  There are 42 written questions.

Senate

The Senate Order Paper is no longer as short as it has been, but there are
still no Bills.  

Motions

Congratulations to President Mugabe on becoming AU chairperson  Senator
Mathuthu will propose a motion in terms identical to that presented to the
National Assembly on 12th February.

Ongoing debates will continue on the following motions:

Production of small grains  Debate is listed to continue on Senator Goto's
motion urging the Government to incentivise the production of small grains.

Gender-based violence  Debate is also scheduled to continue on the motion to
take note of the Report on Gender Based Violence in Churches produced by the
Thematic Committee on Gender and Development.

Vote of thanks to the President for his speech opening the present
Parliamentary session.  

Question Time [Thursday 19th February]

The number of written questions has been reduced to 5, all carried forward.


Government Gazette

There were no statutory instruments at all in the Government Gazette dated
13th February, and no General Notices of general importance.

 

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