Mugabe rejects Special Economic Zones Bill

President Mugabe has thrown back to Parliament the Special Economic Zones Bill after expressing reservations on a clause which seeks to suspend the Labour Act whose effect would have exposed workers to serious abuse by employers.

Parliament will now have to meet again next week to consider reservations expressed.

The Special Economic Zones Bill becomes the first proposed law to be referred back to Parliament by the President during the life of the Eighth Parliament.

It is believed that the President Mugabe cited section 56 of the Bill, which he said was not consistent with section 65 of the Constitution as it sought to suspend operations of the labour laws in special economic zones.