Mnangagwa assents to first private member Act

President Mnangagwa has assented to the Institute of Chartered Loss Control and Private Security Act, the first private member initiated law in recent years after it successfully sailed through Parliament this year.

The main objective of the Act is to establish the Institute of Chartered Loss Control and Private Security Managers, an association of professional loss control and private security managers, a corporate body with responsibility for setting and enforcing professional standards and codes of conduct for its members.

The signing into law by President Mnangagwa was announced by Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet, Dr Martin Rushwaya in a Government Gazette published last Friday.

A private member's Bill is brought to the House by an MP who is not a Vice President, minister or deputy minister and can deal with a variety of issues like family law, contracts, control of animals, but it cannot impose or alter taxes or impose financial obligations on the State.

It is a Bill "for the particular interest or benefit of any person or persons or bodies of persons as distinguished from a measure in the general public interest".

It is a Bill which, if enacted into law, will confer rights, powers or benefits on a particular person or body which are greater than those conferred by the general law.

It has been used over the years mainly, like the latest such Act, to establish professional associations and allow them to make the rules and regulations that govern members.

The last use of such an Act was an amendment to the Act setting up the Zimbabwe Institution of Engineers, also the result of a private member's Act.

The latest Act was introduced during the 9th Parliament by Musikavanhu Legislator, Joshua Murire after Parliament granted him leave to bring it as required by Standing Orders.

The objectives of this Act are to set minimum professional qualifications for admission of members, develop standards, guidelines, best practices and a code of conduct to be observed by members, promote, the professional training and practice of loss control and private security management in any manner including physical and cyber security, loss prevention, disaster and emergency management, investigation, assessment and recovery of loss arising from crime, fraud, debt, corrupt activities or negligence, accidental or any other occurrences.

The law will help the study of and research in loss control and private security management as a body of knowledge and to facilitate continuing professional development for its members, the setting of and compliance with standards established code of conduct, integrity, repress malpractices including corrupt practices, and to increase public confidence in those persons practicing or teaching the profession.

The Act provides for the establishment of the Institute of Chartered Loss Control and Private Security Managers, an authority which shall be an association of professional loss control and private security managers, a body corporate, capable of suing and being sued in its own name.

Its functions will be to design, formulate, develop and implement measures and policies for the co-ordination and monitoring of the professional functioning and operation of members of the Institute; and ensure the provision and promote the enhancement of efficient professional services by members of the Institute; and to liaise and collaborate with all the members in practice.

The operations of the institute shall be managed and directed by the institute's council whose members shall be chosen for their knowledge of and experience in loss control and private security management or other relevant discipline.

The council includes the institute president who shall preside at meetings of the council and its vice-president.