News / National
Mugabe to set legislative agenda
17 Sep 2013 at 02:31hrs | Views
PRESIDENT Mugabe is today expected to set the legislative agenda for the First Session of the Eighth Parliament which he officially opens in Harare this morning.
Zanu-PF dominates both houses of Parliament with 197 legislators in the National Assembly and 37 senators; MDC-T has 70 National Assembly members and 21 senators, with the MDC weighing in with two National Assembly Members and two senators, all chosen through proportional representation.
There is one independent legislator in the National Assembly, Mr Jonathan Samukange, who describes himself as de jure independent but de facto Zanu-PF
As such, the legislative agenda, centred on the victorious Team Zanu-PF's vision for the nation, is expected to easily sail through both Houses if need be as Zanu-PF has the numbers to do virtually anything in the Eighth Parliament.
The party's dominance guarantees it control of debates, composition and activities of portfolio committees over the next five years.
MDC-T yesterday said it would boycott the official opening, but Clerk of Parliament Mr Austin Zvoma said the move would have no impact on proceedings.
"It is all systems go and the only effect of the boycott by the MDC-T is that they will be conspicuous by their absence," Mr Zvoma said.
"Their boycott will have no bearing and the programme is going ahead as scheduled and we are at the moment busy tying loose ends."
Mr Zvoma said no law compelled MDC-T legislators to attend the official opening.
"They can decide not to come and this does not have any effect, but after the subsequent seating coming after the official opening, the issue of 21 days comes into place. If someone fails to attend Parliament for 21 consecutive days, he or she will face punitive measures."
MDC-T spokesperson Mr Douglas Mwonzora yesterday insisted legislators from his party would not attend the official opening.
"The party has made a resolution and we stand by that, meaning we are not going to attend the official opening simply because we do not recognise the election results.
"From the day we made the resolution to date, nothing has changed on the ground to justify a change in heart and we are not going to associate ourselves with election fraud."
Ironically, MDC-T councillors were yesterday busy participating in the election of mayors and chairpersons of councils deriving from the same results the party claims it does not recognise. A Zanu-PF official who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of breaching protocol, however, said the effect of MDC-T's boycott would be freeing up much-needed seating space in the Lower House that faces space constraints.
MDC-T, Britain and its dominions - Australia and Canada - have refused to recognise the election results, despite the polls getting thumbs up from the African Union, Comesa and Sadc, organisations that sent observers.
Mr Zvoma said key people would grace today's event.
"As usual, we have invited key people from the public and private sectors," he said.
"The Dean of the Diplomatic Corps in the country has been invited together with other diplomats."
Mr Zvoma said the Executive was responsible for determining and implementing public policy programmes and only President Mugabe knew what the agenda would be.
"The programmes that Government wants to initiate and implement will be outlined in the President's opening speech and we can only wait until then," Mr Zvoma said.
"In terms of the Constitution, it is the President who summons the Parliament to meet and declares the causes of his summoning the House or what Parliament is expected to do. The Executive determines and implements public polices and these policies sometimes come in the form of legislation and are expected to be passed by Parliament.
"There are also executive programmes passed on a budget approved by the National Assembly, so the role of Parliament is to exercise oversight."
Mr Zvoma said basing on his speeches after the harmonised elections, President Mugabe's programmes were likely to revolve around the Zanu-PF manifesto that is centred on indigenisation and economic empowerment.
"These might be the issues that the Eighth Parliament might be seized with in terms of debating Government programmes, but there could be many others and that we can wait until tomorrow (today)," he said.
According to a programme of events released by Parliament officials, guests are expected to start arriving at Parliament Building at 9:20am.
The President will arrive around 11am and will be met by the Sergeant-At-Arms and officers of his procession.
The President is expected to inspect a Guard of Honour before delivering his keynote address.
There would be a fly past to coincide with the singing of the National Anthem.
Supreme Court and High Court judges and security service chiefs are also expected to be part of the proceedings.
Zanu-PF dominates both houses of Parliament with 197 legislators in the National Assembly and 37 senators; MDC-T has 70 National Assembly members and 21 senators, with the MDC weighing in with two National Assembly Members and two senators, all chosen through proportional representation.
There is one independent legislator in the National Assembly, Mr Jonathan Samukange, who describes himself as de jure independent but de facto Zanu-PF
As such, the legislative agenda, centred on the victorious Team Zanu-PF's vision for the nation, is expected to easily sail through both Houses if need be as Zanu-PF has the numbers to do virtually anything in the Eighth Parliament.
The party's dominance guarantees it control of debates, composition and activities of portfolio committees over the next five years.
MDC-T yesterday said it would boycott the official opening, but Clerk of Parliament Mr Austin Zvoma said the move would have no impact on proceedings.
"It is all systems go and the only effect of the boycott by the MDC-T is that they will be conspicuous by their absence," Mr Zvoma said.
"Their boycott will have no bearing and the programme is going ahead as scheduled and we are at the moment busy tying loose ends."
Mr Zvoma said no law compelled MDC-T legislators to attend the official opening.
"They can decide not to come and this does not have any effect, but after the subsequent seating coming after the official opening, the issue of 21 days comes into place. If someone fails to attend Parliament for 21 consecutive days, he or she will face punitive measures."
MDC-T spokesperson Mr Douglas Mwonzora yesterday insisted legislators from his party would not attend the official opening.
"The party has made a resolution and we stand by that, meaning we are not going to attend the official opening simply because we do not recognise the election results.
"From the day we made the resolution to date, nothing has changed on the ground to justify a change in heart and we are not going to associate ourselves with election fraud."
Ironically, MDC-T councillors were yesterday busy participating in the election of mayors and chairpersons of councils deriving from the same results the party claims it does not recognise. A Zanu-PF official who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of breaching protocol, however, said the effect of MDC-T's boycott would be freeing up much-needed seating space in the Lower House that faces space constraints.
MDC-T, Britain and its dominions - Australia and Canada - have refused to recognise the election results, despite the polls getting thumbs up from the African Union, Comesa and Sadc, organisations that sent observers.
Mr Zvoma said key people would grace today's event.
"As usual, we have invited key people from the public and private sectors," he said.
"The Dean of the Diplomatic Corps in the country has been invited together with other diplomats."
Mr Zvoma said the Executive was responsible for determining and implementing public policy programmes and only President Mugabe knew what the agenda would be.
"The programmes that Government wants to initiate and implement will be outlined in the President's opening speech and we can only wait until then," Mr Zvoma said.
"In terms of the Constitution, it is the President who summons the Parliament to meet and declares the causes of his summoning the House or what Parliament is expected to do. The Executive determines and implements public polices and these policies sometimes come in the form of legislation and are expected to be passed by Parliament.
"There are also executive programmes passed on a budget approved by the National Assembly, so the role of Parliament is to exercise oversight."
Mr Zvoma said basing on his speeches after the harmonised elections, President Mugabe's programmes were likely to revolve around the Zanu-PF manifesto that is centred on indigenisation and economic empowerment.
"These might be the issues that the Eighth Parliament might be seized with in terms of debating Government programmes, but there could be many others and that we can wait until tomorrow (today)," he said.
According to a programme of events released by Parliament officials, guests are expected to start arriving at Parliament Building at 9:20am.
The President will arrive around 11am and will be met by the Sergeant-At-Arms and officers of his procession.
The President is expected to inspect a Guard of Honour before delivering his keynote address.
There would be a fly past to coincide with the singing of the National Anthem.
Supreme Court and High Court judges and security service chiefs are also expected to be part of the proceedings.
Source - Herald
