Harare West MP challenge Gender Commission to be independent from Minister in charge

Harare West MP Jessie Majome has challenged the Gender Commsion to be independent from the minister of Women Affairs and gender is it is to execute its mandate according to the detects and demands of the people's rights.

Majome was advising her constituency through her Facebook page over the debate concerning the Gender Commission Bill after the two Committees of Women Affairs, Gender and Community Development and the Thematic Committee on Gender gave a report of the Public Hearings on the Gender Commission Bill That were held from 26 April to 4 May 2015.

The bill was being debated in parliament.

It is my hope that the recommendations raised at the public hearings are not ignored as other bills such as the Electoral Amendment and Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) Debt Assumption Bill were passed without taking input from the public hearings," she said. "The Gender Commission must be independent of the Minister of Women Affairs and Gender (mind you there is no minister)."

She said in the bill's current state the Minister is responsible for the Commission, the Minister also has power to appoint a Chief Executive Officer to the Commission, yet the Commission must appoint its own Chief Executive Officer who is to be the accounting officer of the Commission.

"It is my hope that an independent and strengthened Commission will ensure that Section 17 of the Constitution is adhered to which requires that there be gender balance in all processes and in all offices of government," said Majome.