President Emmerson Mnangagwa is set to officially open the First Session of the 10th Parliament of Zimbabwe on Tuesday 3 October, 2023.
The event, will see the President announcing the legislative agenda for the Parliament, at the new Parliament Building in Mount Hampden.
A legislative Agenda is basically a list of Bills, Policies and matters that Parliament will be expected to deal with in that Session.
A Session is basically a year, and there are five Sessions in each Parliamentary term (which is 5 years and in this case its 2023 to 2028).
The official opening was announced through Statutory Instrument 2023-159 Proclamation 7 of 2023.
‘’His Excellency , The President of the Republic of Zimbabwe and Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Forces, DR. Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa;
‘’WHEREAS it is provided by section 145(1) of the Constitution that the First Session of Parliament after a general election must take place at a time and place determined by the President, being a date no later than thirty days after the President elect assumes office:
‘’NOW, THEREFORE, under and by virtue of the powers vested in me as aforesaid, I do, by this my Proclamation, fix, (a) the New Parliament Building, Mt Hampden, as the place in which the First Session of the Tenth Parliament shall be held; (b) twelve o’clock noon on Tuesday, the 3rd October, 2023, as the time and date on which the First Session of the Tenth Parliament shall begin.’’
While there is a high expectation of new bill being tabled, especially on electoral reforms, taxes and politics in general, it is also anticipated that President Emmerson Mnangagwa is going to table more bills that will further shrink civic space.
Although he sent back PVO Amendment Bill back to Parliament, Mnangagwa might bring it back in this Session.
There is also the Media Practitioners Bill that has been on the cards for some time, it might be included on the agenda.
