News / National
Ziyambi urges legislators to prioritise Bills enactment
20 Sep 2018 at 07:07hrs | Views
JUSTICE minister Ziyambi Ziyambi yesterday challenged Parliament to ensure that most, if not all the 29 Bills outlined by President Emmerson Mnangagwa on his legislative agenda on Tuesday, were attended to and finalised within the shortest possible time.
On average, Parliament has been crafting eight to 15 Bills per sitting year, and during the previous Fifth Session of the Eighth Parliament, 14 Bills were enacted into law.
"Mnangagwa's legislative agenda outlined that several Bills will be crafted during this session, and it is not an over-ambitious plan because previous Parliaments were not working," Ziyambi said.
"This time, it will not be business as usual because we need to turn around the economy and this means MPs will need to up their game and work harder."
He claimed that after the commencement of the new dispensation last November, the Executive began to work hard, resulting in several Bills being brought to Parliament for crafting.
"A number of Bills were passed between January and April only, and they were even more than what we used to do all along. We believe that the several Bills announced by Mnangagwa for crafting by Parliament are achievable," Ziyambi said.
The Justice minister said he would push line ministries to ensure that Bills are drafted and brought before Parliament for crafting.
Officially opening the First Session of the Ninth Parliament on Tuesday, Mnangagwa said in order to achieve his government's economic agenda, a cross section of Bills would be tabled before Parliament.
The Bills include the Labour Amendment Bill, which must be in tandem with the ongoing ease and cost of doing business reforms. The Bill would equally seek an intricate balance between labour productivity and workplace harmony.
During the previous session of Parliament, the Mines and Minerals Amendment Bill was crafted, but Mnangagwa returned it to Parliament with reservations on August 31.
Mnangagwa said the Mines and Minerals Amendment Bill would be re-tabled to address some inadequacies therein to further provide for online registration of mining rights and title.
Other Bills to be crafted include the Consumer Protection Bill, which will protect consumers from unfair trade practices and abuse by suppliers of sub-standard goods, among several other Bills.
On average, Parliament has been crafting eight to 15 Bills per sitting year, and during the previous Fifth Session of the Eighth Parliament, 14 Bills were enacted into law.
"Mnangagwa's legislative agenda outlined that several Bills will be crafted during this session, and it is not an over-ambitious plan because previous Parliaments were not working," Ziyambi said.
"This time, it will not be business as usual because we need to turn around the economy and this means MPs will need to up their game and work harder."
He claimed that after the commencement of the new dispensation last November, the Executive began to work hard, resulting in several Bills being brought to Parliament for crafting.
"A number of Bills were passed between January and April only, and they were even more than what we used to do all along. We believe that the several Bills announced by Mnangagwa for crafting by Parliament are achievable," Ziyambi said.
The Justice minister said he would push line ministries to ensure that Bills are drafted and brought before Parliament for crafting.
Officially opening the First Session of the Ninth Parliament on Tuesday, Mnangagwa said in order to achieve his government's economic agenda, a cross section of Bills would be tabled before Parliament.
The Bills include the Labour Amendment Bill, which must be in tandem with the ongoing ease and cost of doing business reforms. The Bill would equally seek an intricate balance between labour productivity and workplace harmony.
During the previous session of Parliament, the Mines and Minerals Amendment Bill was crafted, but Mnangagwa returned it to Parliament with reservations on August 31.
Mnangagwa said the Mines and Minerals Amendment Bill would be re-tabled to address some inadequacies therein to further provide for online registration of mining rights and title.
Other Bills to be crafted include the Consumer Protection Bill, which will protect consumers from unfair trade practices and abuse by suppliers of sub-standard goods, among several other Bills.
Source - newsday
