Legal and Parliamentary Affairs
-
Questioning of Witnesses by Parliamentary Committees: No Place to Hide
By Veritas Are people who have been summoned to give evidence before Parliament or a parliamentary committee entitled to refuse to answer questions put to them? This issue arose when Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee [PAC] was conducting investigations into the Zimbabwe National Roads Administration [ZINARA] pursuant to reports on that body compiled by the Auditor-General. According…
-
Economic Governance Watch: Companies to Keep Register of Beneficial Owners
By Veritas In terms of section 72 of the Companies and Other Business Entities Act [which we shall refer to as “the Act” in this bulletin], all companies are required to keep a register of beneficial owners – who, as we shall explain in more detail below, are the individuals who control the companies or who hold…
-
ZLHR cautions government over improper documentation at COVID-19 vaccination centres
By Kumbirai Mafunda ZIMBABWE Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) has asked the Ministry of Health and Child Care to issue proper vaccination cards to people who would have been vaccinated against coronavirus to avoid compromising the ongoing countrywide inoculation programme. In a letter written to Health and Child Care Minister Constantino Chiwenga, ZLHR lawyer Paidamoyo…
-
Villagers blame school curriculum, technology for child marriages, sexual relations
By Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights GWANDA – Villagers of Polite, Manonkwe, Stanmore, and Mahlokohloko villages in Gwanda North have blamed school curricular that is not holistic and advances in technology for rising cases of sexual relations with and between minors. The villagers argued that information being taught in schools was not proving to be…
-
Wildlife cybercrime: Is Zimbabwe ready to tackle it?
By Innocent Ferris Rupapa Introduction The Covid-19 pandemic has exposed our vulnerabilities even further and brought to light our broken relationship with nature. The same pandemic has pushed humans to forge new and better strategies for interaction and doing business. Travel restrictions and lockdown measures that have been imposed by nations across the world to…
-
SACC Appeals For Calm In The Midst Of Violence and Looting in South Africa
By Desire Tshuma South Africa Council of Churches (SACC) has noted with deep concern the violence and destruction of property that is engulfing South Africa since Thursday 8 July last week after the imprisonment of former South African President Jacob Zuma The violence is resulting in untold suffering in many quarters of the society and…
-
Public Health Lock-down Order: Tightening and Extension of Lockdown
By Veritas The thirtieth amendment to the Lock-down Order was published on the 13th July, in SI 198 of 2021, and can be accessed on the Veritas website [link]. Its general effect is to tighten and extend the Level IV lock-down, as we shall explain in this bulletin. A consolidated version of the Lockdown Order is…
-
ICTs improving access to law, transforming the Judiciary
Judiciary services delivery is being positively impacted by technological advancements, The Minister of Information Communication Technology (ICT), Postal and Courier Services has said. Minister Muswere made the remarks during the ICT Training Workshop for the Judiciary Services Commission that was held at the Meikles Hotel in Harare today. “ICTs are helping increase productivity, efficiency, and…
-
Turkey and Zimbabwe cement bilateral relations
In an effort to strengthen bilateral relations between Turkey and Zimbabwe spanning politics and the economy, the speakers of Parliament for the two friendly nations are meeting in the Turkish capital Ankara. Turkey and Zimbabwe should deepen their economic relations, the Head of the Turkish Parliament, Mustafa Şentop was quoted by the Daily Sabah on…
-
Court orders Matanga and Kazembe to pay US$10 000 to assaulted couple
By Kumbirai Mafunda A ZIMBABWEAN COURT has ordered Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) Commissioner-General Godwin Matanga and Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage Minister Hon. Kazembe Kazembe to pay more than US$10 000 to a couple that was roughed up by some law enforcement agents while claiming to be suppressing an anti-government protest in 2019. Harare Magistrate…
-
Time to stop torture
By Paidamoyo Muzulu THIRTY-FOUR years is a long time. A very long time for Zimbabweans who still survive with the fear of the State security boot on their necks. Unfortunately, it seems even the so-called new dispensation is reluctant to domesticate the United Nations Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment…
-
Sexually abused, used as baby mill – agony of an ageing, distraught and stateless woman
By Bernard Chiketo Angela slowly lifts from an awkward stooping position at the edge of her small smart and tidy yard. Halfway up – back arced to a bow, hips tilted up, she makes a laboured trot as she races this reporter to her small khaki cardboard and black plastic shack which sways in a…
-
Could Murehwa be cursed?
By Lorraine Muwuya Murehwa is a district of Mashonaland East in Zimbabwe and it has for the past two years recorded the highest number of mysterious deaths. Most of the deaths are murder cases of passion, rituals, suicide, and culpable homicide. The questions then that arise are what could really be happening in the district…
-
CZR, RBZ engage on Statutory Instrument (SI) 127 of 2021
The Confederation of Zimbabwe Retailers (CZR) engaged the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe Governor, Dr. John Mangudya who in turn warned the retailers that SI127 targets those abusing auction funds, manipulators of the exchange rate, and those that do not bank funds. The Central Bank Governor said SI127 is meant to ensure compliance. “We would want…
-
As details of Zimbabwe’s judicial capture emerge, CSOs sound alarm
Civil society has expressed alarm following as yet unconfirmed reports that Judge Paddington Garwe has been cited in a scam that is strategically meant to capture and dismantle the judiciary order in Zimbabwe. Abigail Mupambi, the National Coordinator of the Civic Society and Churches Joint Forum expressed great concern about claims that the George Soros…
-
Spot Fines : Are They Legal?
By Veritas Confusion about spot fines persists at the highest levels of government. In the National Assembly on the 9th of June, the Deputy Minister of Home Affairs was asked if people could be forced to pay spot fines for traffic offences even if they had no money to pay. She answered: “Yes, it is Government policy. …
-
Lesotho government’s responses to cybercrime are disproportionate: SAEF, EFL
The Southern Africa Editors Forum (SAEF) joins the Editors Forum of Lesotho (EFL) in condemning the March 23 presentation before the parliament of the Computer Crime and Cyber Security Bill of 2021, as well as the latest gazetting of The Communications (Subscriber Identity Module and Device Registration) Regulations, 2021, by the government of Lesotho. In…
-
Clause 23 of the Constitutional Amendment Act (Number 2) 2021: What the public should know
By Zimbabwe Coalition on Debt and Development (ZIMCODD) Attention on the Constitutional Amendment Act (Number 2) 2021 has recently been sparked by the historic judgment in which the High Court declared that Chief Justice Malaba ceased to hold office by operation of law notwithstanding attempts to extend his term of office. Although this was an…
-
Advocate Michael Zinyoni calls for copyright protection of artists’ work
By Chimeno Azriel Artists have been urged to have their work protected if they are to secure their success and future. This was said by copyright expert, Advocate Michael Zinyoni in an interview recently aired with a view of educating artists about having their work secured. Advocate Zinyoni, who holds a degree in Intellectual Property…
-
SARW Opposes Attempts by First Quantum Mining to Silence it through Court Action
The Southern Africa Resource Watch (SARW) has lodged a notice of intention to defend a strategic lawsuit against public participation (SLAPP) brought against the organisation by a Canadian mining company, First Quantum Minerals (FQM) at the Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg. SARW is an independent, nonprofit organisation that monitors corporate and government conduct in the…
-
Crisis Coalition regrets efforts by the state to derail constitutionalism
The Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition (CiZC) notes with great concern, the concerted efforts by the state to derail constitutionalism in the country. On May 15, 2021, Justice Minister, Ziyambi Ziyambi issued ‘contemptuous threats’ against judges following a ruling to the effect that former Chief Justice, Luke Malaba could not benefit from a constitutional amendment to…
-
Australia urged to implement judicial reforms
By Lloyd Fernando There have been countless serious miscarriages of justice in Australia, and it is of utmost importance to put the Australian legal system in order. Therefore, I had suggested to the Australian government(s) several times through emails to the effect the following, but there was no apparent manifestation of these solutions, in…
-
High Court ends two months detention of Mamombe and Chimbiri
By Kumbirai Mafunda High Court Judge Justice Tawanda Chitapi on Wednesday 5 May 2021 ended the two-month detention of Harare West constituency legislator Hon. Joana Mamombe and opposition MDC-Alliance party youth leader Cecilia Chimbiri by granting them RTGS$20 000 bail. Hon. Mamombe and Chimbiri had spent 61 days detained at Chikurubi Maximum Prison after several…
-
Review of the Parks and Wildlife Act to foster natural resources conservation
Environment and tourism stakeholders had a consultative meeting in Harare yesterday to gather views on the review of the Parks and Wildlife Act [Chapter 20:14] to ensure that the Act meets the current needs of society whilst at the same time addressing a myriad of contemporary sector challenges. In his keynote address, Honourable Mangaliso Ndlovu,…
-
Constitutional Amendment Bill No. 2 undemocratic: CSOs
Joint Civil Society Statement on the Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment (No.2) Bill We, the undersigned Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in Zimbabwe, note with serious concern the passing of the controversial Constitutional Amendment Bill No. 2 by the National Assembly on 20 April 2021. It is very disturbing that the proposed amendments to the Constitution are…
-
Judicial capture violating citizens’ fundamental rights: Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition
The Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition (CiZC) Gender Committee has blamed judicial capture for the continued incarceration and persecution of MDC Alliance female activists, Joanna Mamombe and Cecilia Chimbiri. The coalition argues that the activists are victims of persecution by the prosecution and avers that their ordeal at the hands of the State is clear testimony…
-
No elections should be allowed before reforms: NERA
By Joelson Mugari – National Elections Reform Agenda (NERA) Executive Chairman It is a very sad story for Zimbabweans once again as the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) has announced its back-on-track snail pace on Electoral activities. Yes Constitutionally, every citizenry community must be represented in Parliament, and hence all recalled, deceased, incapacitated or resigned members…
-
Using agriculture and natural resources to decolonize parliamentary debates
By Charles Dhewa Except in Burkina Faso and Uganda, parliamentary debates in the majority of agro-based African economies are completely disconnected from issues that affect ordinary people daily. Ideally, Members of Parliament (MPs) from production zones should be conversant with issues in their constituencies to be able to articulate the situation convincingly. Unfortunately, that is…
-
Implications of Constitutional Amendment Bill No. 2 on Transparency and Accountability in Zimbabwe’s Mining Sector
Compiled by Shamiso Mtisi and Michelle Matsvaire (Zimbabwe Environmental Law Association) Discussions on the amendment of the Constitution of Zimbabwe have resumed without any significant strides having been made in implementing and upholding already existing key provisions. The Constitution of Zimbabwe (Amendment) Bill No. 2 was gazetted on 17 January 2020 with the aim of…
-
Court orders cop, government to compensate dog bite victim
By Kumbirai Mafunda A Zimbabwean court has ordered a police officer and his bosses to pay RTGS$150 000 to a 40-year-old man as compensation for damages suffered after he was mauled by a dog set upon him by a law enforcement agent. Rusape Magistrate Rufaro Mangwiro recently ordered Constable Zwelibanzi Masuko, Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP)…
-
Crisis Coalition appalled by continued abuse of the law to persecute dissenting voices
By Marvellous Kumalo (Crisis Coalition Spokesperson) Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition is appalled by the continued weaponization of the judiciary to clamp down on dissenting voices. Our concern arises from the continued arrests and detention of opposition and civil society activists on flimsy charges. Yesterday, April 12, 2021, MDC Alliance Councilor for Ward 18, Chiredzi West,…
-
ZESN Holds Public Webinar on “Recalls and Defections: An Anathema to Representative Democracy”
The Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN) hosted a virtual public meeting via the ZOOM platform on Wednesday, 7th of April 2021 on the topic “Recalls and Defections: An Anathema to Representative Democracy.” The objective of the meeting was to discuss the nature of recalls and defections in Zimbabwe as well as their implications on civic participation and electoral…
-
Let’s address the menace of land barons in Harare South: Tongai Mnangagwa
Honourable Tongai Mnangagwa, the Member of the National Assembly for Harare South has said it is incumbent on stakeholders to join forces in addressing the menace of land barons in the constituency. Hon Mnangagwa made the remarks on his meet-the-people meeting at the Mbudzi complex in Harare on Friday. “The Harare South Constituency is one…
-
Haruzivishe to appeal against “whistleblowing” conviction and 36-month long imprisonment
By Kumbirai Mafunda Human rights lawyers are working on filing an appeal against the conviction and imprisonment of prominent pro-democracy campaigner Makomborero Haruzivishe after he was imprisoned for 20 months by Harare Magistrate Judith Taruvinga on charges of inciting public violence and resisting arrest by law enforcement agents. Magistrate Taruvinga, who on Wednesday 31 March…
-
Public Health Lock-down Order: Further Relaxation of Lock-down
By Veritas On the 16th March, the Cabinet agreed to further relaxations in the national lock-down. According to the post-Cabinet press briefing: “Cabinet … agreed that all sporting activities will now resume and observe Standard Operating Procedures. Restaurants are now allowed to open for sit-ins at 50% sitting capacity, under strict adherence to COVID-19 guidelines. Those found breaking…
-
Zimbabwe’s Constitution Amendment (No. 1) Bill, 2017 Back in the Senate
By Veritas On Wednesday last week, 24th March, the Senate approved a motion by the Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs to restore the Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment (No. 1) Bill, to the Order Paper. This Bill had lapsed at the end of the previous Parliamentary session nearly six months ago. Background The Constitution of…
-
ZIMCODD Advocacy ASKs on Alignment of the Public Finance Management Act with the Constitution
The Zimbabwe Coalition on Debt and Development (ZIMCODD) welcomes the government’s announcement that the Cabinet, considered and approved the Public Finance Management Amendment Bill, 2021 which was presented by the Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs as Chairman of the Cabinet Committee on Legislation. Cabinet was informed that the Bill is intended to amend…
-
Lazarus Muchenje reinstated as NetOne CEO
In a judgment delivered by High Court judge Justice Walter Chinamhora, Lazarus Muchenje was yesterday reinstated as NetOne CEO, reversing his dismissal from the apex position of the government-controlled mobile telephony company. The Herald Newspaper reported that Muchenje was dismissed on three months’ notice in July last year, but then made an urgent chamber application…
-
Implement Recovery Policies Towards Women Empowerment, ZHRC Tells Government
By Joyce Mukucha In line with Section 17 (b) of the Constitution, the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission(ZHRC) has called upon the government to honour its obligations towards empowerment of women so as to achieve gender balance in all institutions and agencies of government. ZHRC said this is aimed to increase women’s leadership and tap on…
-
The State v Shangaan Land Dispute in Chiredzi
Bill Watch By Veritas Statutory Instruments under Communal Land Act: Effect on Shangaan Land Rights in Chiredzi District Nearly a year ago the Government announced its plans for large-scale commercial lucerne production a substantial area of Communal Land in the Chiredzi District. The announcement caused great disquiet among the predominantly Shangaan communities occupying the area…
-
Hon. Chief Charumbira takes over as Acting President of the PAP
The Pan-African Parliament (PAP) has revealed that Hon. Chief Fortune Charumbira has been designated Acting President with effect from 1 March 2021. The designation is pursuant to Article 12(4) of the Protocol to the Treaty Establishing the African Economic Community relating to the PAP; and Article 18(2) and Article 19(1) of the PAP Rules and…
-
Both Houses of Parliament Resume Sitting Tuesday 16th February
By Veritas Both the Senate and the National Assembly sat this afternoon, Tuesday 16th February, for their first working sittings of 2021 after their earlier token sitting in late January and early February, respectively. COVID-19 restrictions will be observed at this week’s sittings, so only a very limited number of Senators and MPs will be physically…
-
CIO out to tarnish my image: Temba Mliswa
Firebrand politician, Temba Mliswa, who is the legislator for Norton has laid blame on state security agents led by Minister Owen Ncube for putting his name into disrepute. Speaking to this publication soon after his release from Borrowdale Police Station following his arrest for holding an illegal meeting earlier today that allegedly breached lockdown regulations,…
-
ZimRights application to compel the government to provide national deployment vaccination plan not urgent: High Court
By Kumbirai Mafunda The High Court has removed an urgent chamber application filed by Zimbabwe Human Rights Association (ZimRights) seeking to compel the government to provide a National Deployment Vaccination Plan and present a budget for the purchase of coronavirus vaccines before Parliament after ruling that it is not an urgent matter. Through its lawyer…
-
High Court Orders Government to Disseminate Comprehensive Information on Covid-19
By Veritas High Court judge Justice Mary Dube has ordered the Ministers of Health and Child Care and of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services to disseminate widely “comprehensive and adequate information” on both private and public testing, isolation and treatment of COVID-19. This follows an urgent application filed by the trustees of MISA Zimbabwe, represented…