Bill Watch 10/2025: This Week in Parliament

• When the National Assembly and the Senate adjourn, they set down all outstanding business on their Order Papers (i.e. their agendas) for the next appropriate sitting day.  There is usually too much to be covered in one day, so whatever is not dealt with is postponed to the next appropriate day.
• Both Houses of Parliament can change the order in which they consider business.

NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

Tuesday 8th April

Bill to be dealt with

The Assembly is due to deal with the following Bill:

• Parks and Wild Life Amendment Bill [link]

The Second Reading of this Bill is due to continue.

International agreements to be approved

The Assembly will be asked to approve:

• the African Charter on Statistics, signed in Addis Ababa on the 4th February 2009
• an agreement to establish the SADC Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency
• an agreement to operationalise the SADC Regional Development Fund.

Parliamentary Committee reports

Reports to be considered for adoption by the Assembly will cover the following topics:

• Projects being carried out by Verify Engineering and the National Biotechnology Authority
• Gender-based violence
• The Civil Aviation Authority’s financial statements for 2020
• The CMED and Easy-Go Hiring and Travel (Pvt) Ltd
• The 2020 financial statements of Karoi Town Council
• The establishment of a cement plant in Magunje area
• The 2022 financial statements of Hurungwe Rural District Council
• The 2021 and 2022 financial statements of the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority
• Implementation of the digitisation project in Zimbabwe
• The state of the electricity supply in Zimbabwe
• Non-communicable diseases, including cancer

Petition to be considered

• A petition on lack of piped water supply in Harare and Glenview

Motions on the National Assembly order paper

Motions set to be debated by the Assembly will include the following topics:

• An open data portal for public institutions and State agencies
• The establishment of a national institute of ideology
• Skin-lightening products
• Setting aside zones for vendors, registration of vendors and prohibition against seizure of their wares
• Urging the promotion of community share ownership schemes in all constituencies
• Urging the Government to promote sign language
• Urging the Ministry of Finance to ensure that the Women’s Micro Finance Bank fulfils its mandate and to enable women to meet collateral requirements
• Urging improvement in digital infrastructure, in schools and throughout the country
• Reservation of 30 per cent of government tenders for youth-led enterprises
• Protection of indigenous herbal trees against over-exploitation
• Measures to boost internet connectivity and improve digital infrastructure
• Reply to the President’s speech.

Wednesday 9th April

Questions set down for answer

Among questions set down for Ministers to answer in the National Assembly on Wednesday are questions on the following issues:

• Reopening the Bindura Nickel Mine
• The ban on the importation of 10-year-old motor vehicles
• How the IMTT (intermediated money transfer tax) collected from mobile transactions was used
• The shareholding of the Hwange Colliery Company
• Delays in the delivery of judgments, particularly the High Court
• Ring-fencing revenues from carbon tax, sugar tax and airtime tax
• Modernising the curricula at vocational training centres
• Progress on rehabilitating various roads, including the Bulawayo-Victoria Falls road
• Licensing of religious radio stations
• Marketing Zimbabwe locally, regionally and internationally
• School drop-outs in 2024
• Extending the deadline for paying “O” and “A” level examination fees
• Construction of schools
• Payment of ZIMSEC markers and moderators for the 2024 examinations
• Registration of private schools and salaries payable at them
• Police barring Members of Parliament from holding feedback meetings in their constituencies
• Maternal mortality in Zimbabwe
• Ambulance fees
• Absorbing primary health counsellors into the Public Service
• The cost of blood transfusions
• The prevalence of HIV/AIDS in 2024
• Land degradation in Gwanda North caused by artisanal gold miners
• Protection of the local sugar industry
• Resuscitation of ZISCO Steel and Lancashire Steel
• Plans to promote ease of doing business in Zimbabwe
• Retrenchments of employees at Hippo Valley and Triangle
• Payment of teachers for monitoring ZIMSEC’s 2024 examinations
• The number of students who have benefited from national and presidential scholarships since 2018
• Assisting graduates to get work-related experience
• Payment of school and university fees in US dollars rather than ZIGs
• Ensuring that university campuses remain free of political interference
• A mining project in Matabeleland South entailing the mass relocation of villagers
• Whether there is a comprehensive geological report on minerals in Zimbabwe
• Measures to compel mining companies to compensate local communities
• The establishment of filling stations in residential areas
• The role of the Zimbabwe Music Rights Association

Thursday 10th April

The Assembly w ill deal with business left over from Tuesday, or with fresh business added to the Order Paper during this week.

SENATE

Tuesday 8th April

International agreement to be approved

The Senate will be asked to approve an agreement to establish the SADC Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency.

Report of Constitutional Commissions to be considered

The Senate will be asked to consider the report of the following constitutional commissions: [these can be found on the Veritas website.]

• The Judicial Service Commission’s report for 2024
• The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission’s report for 2024
• The Zimbabwe Gender Commission’s report for 2023.

Thematic Committee reports to be considered

The Senate will be asked to adopt reports on:

• The traditional court systems
• The impact of climate change on human-wildlife conflict
• Drug and substance abuse treatment and rehabilitation centres

Motions to be dealt with by the Senate

The Senate is expected to debate motions on the following topics:

• Motion of condolence on the death of Senator Chimutengwende
• Congratulation to Dr Coventry on becoming IOC President
• Supply of ethanol and blending of fuel
• Expanding irrigation and other measures to combat climate change
• Expanding access to safe abortion services
• The condition of sports stadiums in Zimbabwe
• Recapitalisation of public health care institutions and ensuring they are supplied with medicines
• Support for livestock farmers
• Reply to the President’s speech

Wednesday 9th April

The Senate will deal with business left over from Tuesday, or with fresh business added to the Order Paper  during the week.

Thursday 10th April

Questions set down for answer

Among questions for Ministers to answer in the Senate on Thursday are questions on the following issues:

• Plans to prevent the construction of illegal structures
• The pensionable age for employees of local authorities
• Use of technology to improve service delivery
• The establishment of the parole board, mandated by the Prisons and Correctional Services Act.

Bills Being Considered by Parliamentary Legal Committee

• Medical Services Amendment Bill [link]
• Persons with Disabilities Bill [link] (consideration of amendments made by National Assembly)

For Status of Bills see [link]

Veritas makes every effort to ensure reliable information, but cannot take legal responsibility for information supplied.