Mnangagwa to deliver SONA, legislative agenda
President Emmerson Mnangagwa is expected to deliver a State of the Nation Address (SONA) as well as officially open the Fourth Session of the 9th Parliament of Zimbabwe.
The official opening of Parliament will see the President also setting the legislative agenda for the sessions.
Legislative agenda are the Bills that Parliament will be tasked to deal with in the coming session.
Several bills are expected to make it into his speech.
Such Bills could include the much-awaited Patriotic Bill, which was promised long back, but whose principles were approved by the Cabinet.
There is also the Youth Bill which is being pushed by the Portfolio Committee on Youth, Sport, Art, and Recreation.
Although Parliament did not do justice to the legislative agenda of the Third Session due to COVID-19 effects, some of the Bills will likely continue in the session.
These include the Marriages Bill, Pension and Provident Funds Bill, Guardianship of Minors Amendment Bill, Zimbabwe Independent Complaints Commission Bill, Police Amendment Bill and the Copper Control Amendment Bill.
Parly blamed for delaying Bills
The last time President Mnangagwa delivered his SONA, he expressed disappointment with the slowness of Parliament in dealing with Bills.
Parliament has never finished all the Bills that would have been set for the various sessions.
However, on its part Parliament says the blame should go to the executive as it is the one that mostly brings the Bills to the House.
The current session of the 9th Parliament managed to pass the controversial Amendment Bill No.2. The Bill sought to scrap the running mate clause and give the President power to extent terms of judges.
However, the Bill when it was passed into law, its implementation was challenged especially the appointment of Justice Luke Malaba.
Parliament (National Assembly and the Senate) will sit as a joint House for the state of the Nation Address (SONA)
Mnangagwa to deliver SONA, legislative agenda
