News / National
Parliament resumes sitting
19 Jul 2021 at 01:44hrs | Views
PARLIAMENT will tomorrow resume National Assembly sittings with only 20 legislators physically attending to minimise the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The House adjourned last month, taking a 10-day break after completing crafting of the Forest Amendment, and the Cyber Security and Data Protection Bills.
Both Bills were subjected to several amendments during the Committee Stage and were referred to the Parliamentary Legal Committee to check for their constitutionality.
In a letter to all MPs dated July 16, Clerk of Parliament Kennedy Chokuda said only 20 MPs would be allowed into the chamber when the House resumes sittings.
"Only a maximum of 20 MPs appointed by the chief whips will be allowed into the chamber. This will continue until the situation improves. The whips are, therefore, advised to rotate the MPs who will be physically present in the chamber on a weekly basis," Chokuda said.
"Members, who will be attending Parliament, should avail themselves for COVID-19 testing on Monday 19th and Tuesday 20th July 2021. Only those members, who will have test-ed negative, will be allowed into the chamber," he said.
Chokuda said parliamentary committee meetings would be held virtually.
Some of the committees that will sit this week include the Home Affairs Portfolio Committee which will discuss the Police Amendment Bill, and the Mines Committee that will grill the Zimbabwe Consolidated Diamond Company on the corrective measures it is taking to address concerns that were raised in the Auditor-General's 2019 audit report.
The House adjourned last month, taking a 10-day break after completing crafting of the Forest Amendment, and the Cyber Security and Data Protection Bills.
Both Bills were subjected to several amendments during the Committee Stage and were referred to the Parliamentary Legal Committee to check for their constitutionality.
In a letter to all MPs dated July 16, Clerk of Parliament Kennedy Chokuda said only 20 MPs would be allowed into the chamber when the House resumes sittings.
"Only a maximum of 20 MPs appointed by the chief whips will be allowed into the chamber. This will continue until the situation improves. The whips are, therefore, advised to rotate the MPs who will be physically present in the chamber on a weekly basis," Chokuda said.
"Members, who will be attending Parliament, should avail themselves for COVID-19 testing on Monday 19th and Tuesday 20th July 2021. Only those members, who will have test-ed negative, will be allowed into the chamber," he said.
Chokuda said parliamentary committee meetings would be held virtually.
Some of the committees that will sit this week include the Home Affairs Portfolio Committee which will discuss the Police Amendment Bill, and the Mines Committee that will grill the Zimbabwe Consolidated Diamond Company on the corrective measures it is taking to address concerns that were raised in the Auditor-General's 2019 audit report.
Source - newsday
