Both Houses of Parliament have resumed sitting this week after their Easter recess. In this Bill Watch we shall outline the business they are expected to deal with, but please bear the following points in mind:
- When the National Assembly and the Senate adjourn, they set down all outstanding business on their Order Papers (i.e. their agendas) for the next appropriate sitting day. There is usually too much to be covered in one day so whatever is not dealt with is postponed to the next appropriate day.
- Both Houses of Parliament can change the order in which they consider business.
THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
Tuesday 7th March
Bills to be dealt with:
The Assembly is expected to deal with the following Bills:
- Police Amendment Bill [link]
This Bill is due to be presented in the Assembly, after which it will be referred to the Parliamentary Legal Committee [PLC] for assessment of its constitutionality
- National Drug, Substance Abuse Control and Enforcement Agency Bill [link]
This Bill is also due to be presented
- Medical Services Amendment Bill [link]
The Assembly in committee will consider amendments which the Senate made to this Bill [The Senate resolved to delete the clause which amended the Termination of Pregnancy Act to simplify the procedures for obtaining an abortion]
- Climate Change Amendment Bill [link]
The Second Reading of this Bill is due to begin
- Biological and Toxin Weapons Crimes Bill [link]
This Bill is also due to begin its Second reading
- Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Amendment Bill [link]
The Second Reading of This Bill is due to continue
- Zimbabwe School Examination Council Amendment Bill [link]
The Assembly will consider amendments made to this Bill in Committee, the amendments having been passed by the PLC.
- Tourism Bill [link]
The Assembly will also consider Committee Stage amendments made to this Bill
- State Service (Pensions) Bill [link]
Consideration of the Parliamentary Legal Committee’s adverse report on this Bill [link] will continue.
- Mines and Minerals Bill [link]
The Assembly is also due to continue its consideration of the PLC’s adverse report on this Bill.
- Public Service Amendment Bill [link]
Consideration of the PLC’s adverse report on this Bill will continue.
Reports of constitutional and statutory bodies
The Assembly will deal with reports by the following bodies:
- Reports by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission on by-elections held in June, August, September and October 2025
- 2024 report of the Zimbabwe Gender Commission
- 2024 report of the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission.
International agreements to be approved
The Assembly will be asked to approve the following international agreements:
- Convention Establishing the International Organisation for Mediation (2025)
- Protocol to the Convention on International Civil Aviation (art 3 bis) [link].
Reports of parliamentary committees
The Assembly will deal with reports on the following topics:
- 2023 financial statements of the Agricultural and Rural Development Authority
- 2023 financial statements of the Grain Marketing Board
- 2020 financial statements of Air Zimbabwe
- 2023 financial statements of the National Handling Services
- The state of cultural sites in relation to tourism
- 2025 first and second quarter budget performance reports of the Ministry of Industry and Commerce
- Operations of the Zimbabwe Women’s Microfinance Bank
- 2024 fourth quarter Budget Performance Report of the Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services
- Projects implemented by the Lotteries and Gaming Board as part of its corporate social responsibility
- 2022 financial statements of the Ministry of Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion
- The 2024 fourth quarter Budget Performance Reports of the Ministries of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare and Skills Audit and Development.
Petitions received
The Assembly will consider a report on the following petitions:
- Petition on the inclusion of women in traditional courts
- Petition on community care-givers.
Motions on the National Assembly order paper
Motions set to be debated by the Assembly will cover the following topics:
- Measures to prevent vandalism of infrastructure and natural resources
- Measures to provide equitable care and treatment of diabetes
- Youth quotas in provincial councils, local authorities and public service boards
- Measures to improve cultural creativity in Zimbabwe.
- The use of artificial intelligence in adjudication of government tenders
- Requiring all Premier Soccer League clubs to have at least 30 to 40 per cent of local players
- Review of employment tax (PAYE) brackets
- Implementation of the ban on export of unprocessed minerals
- Measures to control machete-wielding gangsters in rural areas
- The erection of public galleries and statues to preserve Zimbabwe’s cultural heritage.
Wednesday 8th April
Note: On Wednesdays, questions and other private members’ business have precedence over government business.
Questions set down for answer
Among questions set down for Ministers to answer in the National Assembly on Wednesday are questions on the following issues:
- Revenue collected from vehicle licence fees between January and June 2025 and its impact on access to information
- Reduction of radio licence fees
- Requirement that motorcycle owners purchase radio licences when licensing their motorcycles
- Expiry of data that has been purchased from telecommunication companies
- Protection of teachers and other civil servants who are in conflict with community members
- Protection of rape victims from being identified in the media
- Votes for Zimbabweans in the diaspora
- Compensation for victims of political violence since 1980
- Measures to ensure meaningful public consultation on constitutional amendments, and to safeguard the independence of constitutional commissions
- Private sector funding for youth innovation hubs
- Policies to address marginalisation of rural youths
- Policies to address emigration of educated youths
- Role of Defence Forces in national development initiatives
- Town status for Ruwa
- Policy on conditions of service for senior employees of local authorities
- Measures to allow access to safe drinking water and improved sanitation in high-density urban areas
- Mechanisms for regular audits of service delivery in high-density urban areas
- Lifting the moratorium on processing of applications for change of land use
- Government policy on local authorities billing for water in local currency
- Measures to ensure transparency and accountability in allocation of urban land
- Payment of service charges to local authorities by residents who provide their own services
- Government policy on allowing public access to minutes of urban council meetings
- Measures to ensure that retailers and industries remain in business
- Purchase of electricity at non-commercial rates by local authorities
- Strategies to end load-shedding by ZESA
- Simplifying reporting of faults to ZESA
- Reimbursement for persons who give ZESA copper wire to replace stolen wire
- Measures to prevent tourism degrading the environment in the Zambezi Valley, and to prevent poaching in the Valley
- Re-registration of companies referred to in the Global Compensation Deed for compensating dispossessed farmers
- The legality of the Ministry of Finance making payments directly to suppliers of goods and services
- Oversight mechanisms applicable to the Mutapa Investment Fund
- Measures to ensure that all State procurements are done lawfully
- Measures to prevent service providers, e.g. local authorities, from using currency exchange rates other than the official rates
- The protection of citizens, particularly low income earners, from hardship caused by the IMF staff-monitored programme
- Ring-fencing of government social safety nets
- The dispossessed farmers who have been compensated and the amounts paid to them
- Government policy on people keeping large sums in cash
- Construction and maintenance of roads, dams and other infrastructure
- Returning the vehicle licensing function to local authorities
- Management of public debt to ensure transparency and accountability and prevent over-burdening of future generations
- Distribution of national resources to marginalised regions
- Vehicle access toll fees at Beitbridge border post
- The average cost of constructing one kilometre of trunk road
- Raising the height of road bridges to prevent flooding
- Plans to deal with school drop-outs due to pregnancies and early marriages, particularly in border areas
- Government policy on using debt collectors to recover unpaid school fees
- Government policy on CAMPFIRE
- When the national soccer team will use local stadiums for international and regional matches
- Abuse and politicisation of government food aid
- Beneficiaries of the agricultural inputs distribution programme
- Support for small-scale farmers to access export markets
- Conservation measures to address declining soil fertility
- Repatriating the remains of freedom fighters who died in Zambia
- Safeguards to ensure political neutrality of the Defence Forces
- Measures for the welfare of Defence Force personnel and to assist their post-service integration
- Measures for the welfare and empowerment of war veterans.
Thursday 9th April
The Assembly will continue with business left over from Tuesday.
THE SENATE
Tuesday 7th April
Bill to be dealt with:
The Senate is expected to deal with the following Bill:
- Occupational Safety and Health Bill [link]
This Bill is due to undergo its Second Reading.
Reports of constitutional and statutory commissions to be considered
The Senate is expected to consider the following reports:
- Reports of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission on by-elections held in October and November 2024 and January, June, August, September and October 2025
- 2024 annual report of the Zimbabwe Gender Commission
- 2024 annual report of the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission
- 2024 annual report of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission
- 2024 annual report of the Judicial Service Commission
- 2024 annual report of the Attorney-General’s Office
- 2024 annual report of the National Prosecuting Authority
- 2024 annual report of the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission.
International agreement to be approved
The Senate will be asked to approve the following international agreement:
- Protocol to the Convention on International Civil Aviation (art 3 bis) [link].
Parliamentary committee reports to be considered
The Senate is expected to consider reports on the following topics:
- The state of wetlands in Harare
- The state of our heritage, culture and monuments in relation to tourism
- Access to safe clean drinking water in rural areas.
Motions to be dealt with by the Senate
The Senate is expected to debate motions on the following topics:
- Measures to prevent children under 16 having access to harmful social media
- Measures to protect and increase the national cattle herd
- Resuscitating the manufacturing sector
- Measures to prevent child marriages and teenage pregnancies
- Mechanisms to prevent murders in Zimbabwe
- Vandalism of State property, national resources and infrastructure
- Unpaid domestic and care work
- Reply to the President’s speech.
Wednesday 8th April
The Senate will continue with business not dealt with on Tuesday.
Thursday 9th April
Questions set down for answer
The following questions have been tabled for Ministers to answer in the Senate on Thursday:
- Measures to mitigate the suspension of visas to the USA
- The inclusion of elderly farmers in the Pfumfudza agricultural support programme
- Revival of the district tillage mechanisation support programme
- Unspent funds intended for vulnerable members of society.
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