President Mnangagwa, at the opening of the Third Session of the Parliament of Zimbabwe on the 22nd October, included a legislative agenda for the rest of this year and until the same time next year.
Outstanding Bills from the previous Session
Bills from the previous Session that have not yet been completed and which passing should be expedited:
Bills passed by the National Assembly but still in the Senate
- Marriages Bill, as amended by the National Assembly
- Zimbabwe Media Commission Bill, as amended by the National Assembly
- Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment (No. 1) Bill (the not-properly-passed 2017 Bill, not the Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment (No. 2) Bill currently in the National Assembly)
Bills already presented to the National Assembly and partly dealt with
- Forest Amendment Bill
- Financial Adjustments Bill
- Cyber Security & Data Protection Bill - the President specifically mentioned this Bill as one to be speeded up, “given the importance of robust and secure information systems to drive digital services in all sectors of our economy”.
- Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment (No. 2) Bill
- Manpower Planning and Development Amendment Bill - still awaiting initial PLC report after its First Reading in September.
Bills gazetted and awaiting presentation in the National Assembly
- Pension and Provident Funds Bill
- Centre for Education, Innovation, Research and Development Bill
29 New Bills on the Legislative Agenda
In addition to the Bills carried over from the previous Session, the President targeted a large number of other Bills – 29 by our count – for presentation to and enactment by Parliament during this new session.
Economic Reform Bills
Sugar Industry Bill – to repeal and replace the outdated Sugar Industry Production Control Act of the 1990s
Economic Empowerment Bill – to replace what is left of the Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment Act
Competition Amendment Bill – to align Zimbabwean law with the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement
Cooperative Societies Amendment Bill – to amend the Cooperative Societies Act to take account of the role of small to medium enterprises and the informal sector in the economy
Mining sector
Mines and Minerals Amendment Bill
Precious Stones Trade Amendment Bill
Gold Trade Amendment Bill
Tourism Sector
Tourism Amendment Bill
Parks and Wild Life Amendment Bill
Energy sector
Electricity Amendment Bill
Copper Control Amendment Bill
Devolution and decentralisation
Note: The Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs has already told the National Assembly that the devolution Bills will have to wait until the Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment (No. 2) Bill has become law and corrected anomalies in the constitutional provisions on devolution.
Provincial Councils Amendment Bill
Traditional Leaders Amendment Bill
Urban Councils Amendment Bill
Rural District Councils Amendment Bill
The President said that this devolution legislative exercise would also require amendments to the following Acts to enhance the devolution of powers and functions to the lower tiers of government as required by the Constitution: Regional, Town and Country Planning Act; Environmental Management Act; Roads Act; Public Health Act; Education Act; Housing and Building Act; Water Act; Liquor Act. Although the President did not say so, an obvious way to cope with these consequential devolution-related amendments would be in the Amendment Bills listed above or in a single omnibus Bill
Construction Industry
Construction Industry Council Bill
Higher and Tertiary Education
Manpower Planning and Development Amendment Bill
Centre for Education, Innovation, Research and Development Bill
State Universities Amendment Bill
Youth
Youth Bill
Sports and recreation
Sports Integrity Bill
Sport, Leisure and Recreation Bill
Media
Broadcasting Services Amendment Bill
Protection of Personal Information Bill
Ministry of Home Affairs
Citizenship Amendment Bill
Immigration Amendment Bill
Police (Amendment) Bill
Children
Children’s Amendment Bill
NGOs and Private Voluntary Organisations
Private Voluntary Organisations Amendment Bill