50+ Bills lined up for debate

MORE than 50 Bills are lined up for debate during the 10th Parliament’s legislative agenda, which is expected to buttress the country’s transformative drive towards an upper middle-income economy vision by 2030.

Speaker of the National Assembly Advocate Jacob Mudenda said this at the close of the 7th Institutional Strategic Plan (2024-2028) for the 10th Parliament in Victoria Falls.

The strategic indaba ran from Monday to Friday last week.

Adv Mudenda said 48 pieces of legislation would be reviewed while some that have been overtaken by time and no longer serve the interests of people would be repealed.

Others would be struck off as their existence lapsed with the dissolution of the 9th Parliament as part of the legislative agenda, he added.

“There are about 48 pieces of legislation, which need review. These will be part of our legislative agenda for the 10th Parliament,” said Adv Mudenda.

President Mnangagwa outlined the Government legislative agenda in his State of Nation Address while opening the 10th Parliament in October last year. Bills left uncompleted include the Mines and Minerals Bill, which Adv Mudenda said has delayed, Public Finance Management Amendment Bill, Medical Services Amendment Bill and Private Voluntary Organisations Amendment Bill.

Those that will be repealed for being outdated are Frederick Clayton Trust Act, Service of Documents (Telegraph) Act, Settled Estates Leasing Act and War Marriages Validation Act.

New Bills for the 10th Parliament include the Persons with Disabilities Bill, which is going through printing, Administration of Estates Amendment Bill, also going through printing process, Legal Practitioners Amendment Bill, Inheritance and Succession Laws General Amendment Bill, and Climate Change Bill.

The Bills that lapsed with the dissolution of the 9th Parliament include Police Amendment Bill, Child Justice Bill, Insurance and Pensions Commission Amendment Bill, Financial Adjustments Bill.

Adv Mudenda said Parliament had passed these Bills, but they had not been submitted to the President for assent and signature before the dissolution of the 9th Parliament.

The Civil Aviation Amendment Bill is currently going through the printing process but was not part of the legislative agenda.

Adv Mudenda said the 50 Acts to be revised this 10th Parliament include the Water Act, Zimbabwe National Water Authority Act, Plant Breeders Rights Act, Parks and Wildlife Amendment Bill, Competition Amendment Bill, Economic Empowerment Bill, Standards Bill, Sugar Production Control Amendment Bill, Technical Regulations Bill, Electronic Transactions and Electronic Commerce Bill, Postal and Telecommunications Amendment Bill, Zimbabwe Construction Contractors Council Bill, Housing Standards Control Amendment Bill, Housing and Building Amendment Bill and Medical Aids Societies Regulatory Authority Bill.

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