News / National
Parliament heads for automatic dissolution
28 Jun 2013 at 04:25hrs | Views
Some Members of Parliament sat through their last sitting of a session of Parliament yesterday, with the Seventh Parliament set for automatic dissolution tomorrow midnight to pave the way for harmonised elections on July 31.
Constitutional and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Eric Matinenga who acted as the Leader of the House described the sitting as the "last supper" for some of the legislators.
The legislators are not assured that they would be back in the House for the Eighth Parliament as they would have to go through the gruelling harmonised elections that might dent their political careers.
Many legislators have been known in the past to sink into oblivion once they lose such crucial elections.
Minister Matinenga reminded the legislators that the House would adjourn yesterday's sitting, pending its automatic dissolution tomorrow.
"I hope most of the MPs would come back (after elections)," he said. "For some of us, today's sitting is the last supper. Parliament will be dissolved by operation of the law by June 29 2013."
Minister Matinenga himself would be a notable absentee when the Eighth Parliament opens after the harmonised elections since he is not among the MDC-T candidates after he did not participate in the party's primaries.
The House of Assembly's sitting was attended by legislators mainly from the MDC-T as only a handful of Zanu-PF backbenchers attended owing to primary elections the revolutionary party conducted this week.
Chiefs made the bulk of legislators in the Senate.
Debate in the House of Assembly saw several legislators speaking on a motion moved by Glen View North MP Mr Fani Munengami paying tribute to Guruve South MP Cde Edward Chindori-Chininga (Zanu-PF) who died in a road accident last week.
Several legislators from the political divide lauded Cde Chindori-Chininga for being forthright.
One of the major highlights of the Seventh Parliament was the passage of Constitutional Amendment (Number 20) which gave effect to the new Constitution that has since been signed into law by President Mugabe.
Zimbabwe would go into election on July 31 using some of the provisions of the new Constitution, while other provisions had been deferred to a later date.
The Seventh Parliament would be remembered for being the vehicle through which Zimbabwe got its home grown Constitution after principals to the Global Political Agreement set up a 25-member Parliamentary select committee to spearhead the Constitution making process.
Another highlight of the Seventh Parliament was the passage of Constitutional Amendment Number 19 that gave effect to the inclusive Government as currently constituted.
The Seventh Parliament would also be remembered for the drama that ensued following the nullification of the election of the Speaker of House of Assembly Mr Lovemore Moyo by the Supreme Court.
Mr Moyo battled his way back to the Speaker's chair after he beat Zanu-PF national chairperson Cde Simon Khaya Moyo.
Constitutional and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Eric Matinenga who acted as the Leader of the House described the sitting as the "last supper" for some of the legislators.
The legislators are not assured that they would be back in the House for the Eighth Parliament as they would have to go through the gruelling harmonised elections that might dent their political careers.
Many legislators have been known in the past to sink into oblivion once they lose such crucial elections.
Minister Matinenga reminded the legislators that the House would adjourn yesterday's sitting, pending its automatic dissolution tomorrow.
"I hope most of the MPs would come back (after elections)," he said. "For some of us, today's sitting is the last supper. Parliament will be dissolved by operation of the law by June 29 2013."
Minister Matinenga himself would be a notable absentee when the Eighth Parliament opens after the harmonised elections since he is not among the MDC-T candidates after he did not participate in the party's primaries.
The House of Assembly's sitting was attended by legislators mainly from the MDC-T as only a handful of Zanu-PF backbenchers attended owing to primary elections the revolutionary party conducted this week.
Debate in the House of Assembly saw several legislators speaking on a motion moved by Glen View North MP Mr Fani Munengami paying tribute to Guruve South MP Cde Edward Chindori-Chininga (Zanu-PF) who died in a road accident last week.
Several legislators from the political divide lauded Cde Chindori-Chininga for being forthright.
One of the major highlights of the Seventh Parliament was the passage of Constitutional Amendment (Number 20) which gave effect to the new Constitution that has since been signed into law by President Mugabe.
Zimbabwe would go into election on July 31 using some of the provisions of the new Constitution, while other provisions had been deferred to a later date.
The Seventh Parliament would be remembered for being the vehicle through which Zimbabwe got its home grown Constitution after principals to the Global Political Agreement set up a 25-member Parliamentary select committee to spearhead the Constitution making process.
Another highlight of the Seventh Parliament was the passage of Constitutional Amendment Number 19 that gave effect to the inclusive Government as currently constituted.
The Seventh Parliament would also be remembered for the drama that ensued following the nullification of the election of the Speaker of House of Assembly Mr Lovemore Moyo by the Supreme Court.
Mr Moyo battled his way back to the Speaker's chair after he beat Zanu-PF national chairperson Cde Simon Khaya Moyo.
Source - herald
