Bill Watch2/2016Update on Acts andBills of 201525 January2016

BILL WATCH 2/2016

[25th January 2016]

Both Houses of Parliament are in Recess until 2nd February 2016

Update on Bills Passed by Parliament during 2015

Twelve Bills were passed by Parliament during 2015:

Public Accountants and Auditors Amendment Bill

Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (Debt Assumption) Bill

Marondera University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology Bill

Public Debt Management Bill

Labour Amendment Bill

Finance Bill

Finance (No. 2) Bill

Appropriation (Supplementary) Bill,

Appropriation (2016) Bill

Zimbabwe Gender Commission Bill

Joint Ventures Bill

Banking Amendment Bill

The First Nine of these Bills were gazetted as Acts by the end of 2015

These nine Acts have already come into force [see Table of Acts below for details].

Three other Bills were passed but are still awaiting Presidential assent and gazetting as Acts

These Bills are:

Joint Ventures Bill[passed 29th September, sent to President’s office 24th December]

Zimbabwe Gender Commission Bill [passed 1st October, sent to President’s office 20th October]

Banking Amendment Bill [passed 17th December, not yet sent to President’s office]].

Note: The final version of the Banking Amendment Bill must incorporate the many amendments to the original Bill made during its passage through the National Assembly on 16th December. This is a time-consuming and painstaking task for printer and proof-readers.

Uncompleted Bills of 2015 Carried Forward to 2016

In the National Assembly:

Three Bills were carried forward to 2016:

General Laws Amendment Bill The Bill was sent back to the Parliamentary Legal Committee [PLC] for a report on the amendments made during its resumed Committee Stage on 24th November. The report had not been announced by the time the National Assembly adjourned on 17th December. Once finally passed by the National Assembly, the Bill will go to the Senate.

Criminal Procedure and Evidence Amendment Bill This Bill, too, is not yet through the National Assembly. Like the General Laws Amendment Bill, it was sent back to the PLC for a report on the amendments made during its resumed Committee Stage on 24th November. The report had not been announced by the time the National Assembly adjourned on 17th December. A second adverse report is considered possible on Vice-President Mnangagwa’s further attempt to resurrect section 121(3) of the Criminal Procedure and Evidence Act. Once finally passed by the National Assembly, the Bill will go to the Senate.

Zimbabwe National Defence University Bill[referred to the PLC after its First Reading in the National Assembly on 16th December]

In the Senate:

No Bills were left uncompleted when the Senate adjourned for the year.

Six Bills of 2015 Gazetted and Awaiting Presentation to Parliament

[in order of date of gazetting] [all available from Veritas]

Manicaland State University of Applied Sciences Bill [gazetted 4th September]

Gwanda State University Bill [gazetted 4th September]

Special Economic Zones Bill [gazetted 23rd November]

Public Finance Management Amendment Bill [gazetted 23rd November]

Minerals Exploration and Marketing Corporation Bill [gazetted 4th December]

National Peace and Reconciliation Commission Bill [gazetted 18th December]

Acts of 2015 as at 22nd January 2016

[all the Acts named are available from Veritas]

Act No. / Title / Date gazetted / Commencement
1/2015 / Public Accountants and Auditors Amendment Act, 2015 / 10th July 2015 / 10th July 2015
2/2015 / Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (Debt Assumption) Act, 2015 / 7th August 2015 / 7th August 2015
3/2015 / Marondera University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology Act / 28th August 2015 / 28th August 2015
4/2015 / Public Debt Management Act / 4th September 2015 / 4th September 2015
5/2015 / Labour Amendment Act, 2015 / 26th August 2015 / 26th August 2015
6/2015 / Not yet gazetted
7/2015 / Not yet gazetted
8/2015 / Finance Act, 2015 / 13th November 2015 / 13th November 2015
9/2015 / Finance (No. 2) Act, 2015 / 31st December 2015 / 31st December 2015
10/2015 / Appropriation (Supplementary)
Act, 2016 / 31st December 2015 / 31st December 2015
11/2015 / Appropriation (2016) Act, 2015 / 31st December 2015 / 31st December 2015
12/2015 / Not yet gazetted

2014 Acts that Came into Force during 2015

National Prosecuting Authority Act (Act 5/2014)

Date of commencement: 2nd January 2015 [SI 1/2015]

Sovereign Wealth Fund of Zimbabwe Act (Act 7/2014)

Date of commencement: 26th June 2015 [SI 71/2015]

One Section of the Trafficking in Persons Act (Act 4/2014)

This Act came into force on 13th June 2014 except for sections 8 and 9.

The date of commencement of section 9 was: 9th January 2015 [SI 2/2015]

Note:Section 8of the Act is still not yet in force.

Legislation and Documents Available from Veritas

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