Zimbabwe News Update
zimsphere
3 min read
harare – last week, the zimbabwean government announced a proposed law that would require motorists to purchase a radio licence before obtaining vehicle insurance, unless exempted by the zimbabwe broadcasting corporation (zbc). the new parliament building in mt. hampden. this proposal followed the cabinet’s approval of principles to amend the broadcasting services act. however, the public impression is that this is already a law in force, reflecting the government’s legislative intent rather than a finalised law. the announcement highlighted the need for greater public understanding of zimbabwe’s law-making process. the approval of principles by the cabinet is just the first step in bringing a proposed law into reality.
several other processes must take place, including debate and passage in both houses of parliament, and ultimately the presidential assent that brings it into force. this situation underscores the importance of understanding the law-making process, a fundamental component of societies worldwide, which requires public input. the aim of this article is not to evaluate the merits of the government’s proposed law, but to clarify the law-making process so that people can follow it and know how to contribute to the crafting of the law. according to section 116 of the constitution, legislative authority in zimbabwe, the power to make and enact laws, rests with parliament and the president. parliament consists of two houses: the national assembly and the senate.
parliamentarians are elected by the electorate, with some elected via quotas for proportional representation to include marginalised groups such as women, the disabled, chiefs, and the youth. however, all legislative authority originates from the people of zimbabwe, as provided by section 117. it is then exercised in accordance with the constitution by the legislature, which includes parliament and the president. parliament debates the proposed laws, known as bills, and the president signs or assents to the bill, making it an effective law in the country. this process raises important discussions about the principle of the separation of powers, a cornerstone of any democratic setup.
it becomes more pronounced when it is clear that in almost all instances, the laws originate from the cabinet, which is part of the executive. the fact that the president, who is part of the executive, is also part of the legislature seems to undermine the principle of the separation of powers. at law, the president is a separate organ from parliament, yet the president has the power to accept or reject the laws that parliament has made. essentially, this means that the president has the final say in zimbabwe’s law-making process. parliament can only legislate through the passage of bills, which must ultimately receive presidential assent to become law. the constitution’s fifth schedule outlines some, but not all, aspects of the law-making process.
before a bill reaches parliament for scrutiny and debate, it must originate from a source or individual. public bills undergo numerous preliminaries before they are presented to parliament. the pre-bill stage represents the initial stage of the law-making process, leading to the finalization of the proposals contained in the bill sent to parliament for scrutiny and debate. source: zimsphere
