Parly resumes sitting

PARLIAMENT resumes business on Monday next week following a near month-long vacation over the festive season.

The House went into recess following the passage of the 2019 National Budget in the National Assembly and it now awaits debate in the Senate.

Parliament resumes its business with the sitting of various portfolio committees on Monday.

The Portfolio Committee on Defence, Home Affairs and Security Services will hold a three-day induction workshop beginning Monday to familiarise itself with Parliament procedures.

According to a draft programme released by Parliament, the induction will be led by parliamentary staff and officials drawn from the security ministries.

Some of the issues to be discussed include understanding the mandate of the ministries of Defence and War Veterans Affairs and that of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage.

They will also discuss various conventions and treaties pertaining to defence, home affairs and other security services.

The Portfolio Committee on Budget, Finance and Economic Development will on Monday receive oral evidence from the Insurance and Pensions Commission on the operations of the insurance and pension industry under the prevailing economic environment.

Apart from these committees, several other committees will be holding closed door sessions as they prepare for this year’s business.

Both the National Assembly and the Senate will resume sitting on January 29.

The Houses have their work cut out as they are expected to expedite the passage of Bills as pronounced by President Mnangagwa when he set the legislative agenda last year.

Most of the Bills are meant to address the business environment by removing bottlenecks to investment.

Government has embarked on a vision to achieve an upper middle income economy by 2030 and it is grounded on creating an enabling environment for investors, both domestic and foreign.