Parliamentary Committees Series 6/2015 Changes to Committee Chairpersons & Membership18 February

BILL WATCH

PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEES SERIES 6/2015

[18th February 2015]

Changes to Committee Chairpersons and Membership

Appointment of Committees for Second Session

On 12th February the Speaker and the President of the Senate announced to members of the National Assembly and Senate, respectively, that the Committee on Standing Rules and Orders [CSRO] had met that morning and appointed committees for the current Second Session of this Parliament. The committees remain largely as constituted for the First Session, but there have been some changes in both chairpersons and committee members, as listed below.

A number of these changes, but not all of them, are the result of the individuals concerned having lost their positions in the ZANU-PF party hierarchy at the party’s December 2014 congress and/or their positions as Ministers or Deputy Ministers in the two weeks that followed. Former Ministers and Deputy Ministers who are now backbenchers are now not only eligible for, but also obliged to accept, assignment to Parliamentary committees. Backbenchers are expected to serve on two committees.

Composition of committees Section 139(4) of the Constitution provides that committees of Parliament mustreflect,ascloselyas possible,thepoliticaland gendercompositionoftheHouse concerned. Standing Orders repeat this and also require the CSRO when appointing committees to take into account the expressed interests or expertise of members. In practice the CSRO alsos takes account of party nominations for committee membership.

Complete lists Updated lists of all committees and their members will be posted on our website as soon as possible.

Changes to National Assembly Portfolio Committees

Assigned to committees are former Ministers Shamu and Nhema, former Minister of State for Mashonaland East Mudarikwa, and former Deputy Minister Chimedza.

Not assigned, although now backbenchers, are former Ministers Goche and Mutasa, former Minister of State Nguni, and former Deputy Ministers Chasi and Savanhu.

The complete changes, as reflected in Hansard, are:

  • Hon. Mhere replaces Hon. Kaukonde as Chairperson of the Committee on Industry and Commerce. Hon. Kaukonde remains as a member of the Committee.
  • Hon. Midzi has been replaced by Hon. Nduna as Chairperson of the Committee on Transport and Infrastructural Development. In turn, Hon. Midzi withdraws from the Committee on Transport and Infrastructural Development and replaces Hon. Porusingazi as Chairperson to the Committee on Foreign Affairs who remains as a member of that Committee.
  • Hon. W. Shamu joins the Committees on Communication Technology, Postal and Courier Services and Youth, Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment.
  • Hon. Nhema joins the Committees on Finance and Economic Development and Foreign Affairs.
  • Hon. Dr. Chimedza joins the Committees on Health and Child Care and Media, Information and Broadcasting Services.
  • Hon. Biti joins the Committees on Finance and Economic Development and Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare.
  • Hon. Mudarikwa joins the Committees on Mines and Energy and Media, Information and Broadcasting Services.
  • Hon. T. Muzenda joins the Committees of Mines and Energy and Small and Medium Enterprises and Co-operative Development.
  • Hon. D. Shumba joins the Committee on Industry and Commerce.
  • Hon. Kagonye joins the Committees on Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs and Youth, Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment.
  • Hon. S. Muchenje withdraws from the Committee on Small and Medium Enterprises and Co-operative Development to the Committee on Education, Sport, Arts and Culture.
  • Hon. P. Sibanda withdraws from the Committees on Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare and Local Government, Rural and Urban Development to the Committees on Public Accounts and Health and Child Care.
  • Hon. L. Sibanda withdraws from the Committee on Small and Medium Enterprises and Co-operative Development to the Committee on Media, Information and Broadcasting Services.
  • Hon. T. Banda withdraws from the Committee on Lands, Agriculture Mechanisation and Irrigation to the Committee on Education, Sport, Arts and Culture.
  • Hon. Majaya withdraws from the Committee on Small and Medium Enterprises and Co-operative Development to the Committee on Health and Child Care.
  • Hon. Sithole withdraws from the Committee on Finance and Economic Development to the Committee on Mines and Energy.
  • Hon. Dr. Labode withdraws from the Committee on Higher Education, Science and Technology to the Committee on Media, Information and Broadcasting Services.
  • Hon. Chirisa withdraws from the Committee on Foreign Affairs to the Committee on Mines and Energy.
  • Hon. N. Ndlovu withdraws from the Committee on Local Government, Rural and Urban Development to the Committee on Youth, Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment.
  • Hon. D. M. Ndlovu withdraws from the Committee on Higher Education, Science and Technology to the Committee on Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs.

Changes to Senate Thematic Committees

Assigned to committees are former Ministers Muchena, Mavhaire and Buka.

The complete changes, as reflected in Hansard, are:

  • Hon. Senator W. Sibanda moves from the Committee on Gender and Development (which the Hon. Senator chaired) to the Committee on Human Rights; Hon. Senator Makore becomes Chairman of the Committee on Gender and Development.
  • Hon. Senator Chizema is now Chairperson of the Committee on Indigenisation and Empowerment. Hon. Senator Chizema withdraws from the Committees on Gender and Development and Peace and Security as she was serving on two other Committees.
  • Hon. Senator Muchena joins the Committees on Indigenisation and Empowerment and Human Rights
  • Hon. Senator Timveos withdraws from the Committee on Human Rights as she is already serving on two other Committees.
  • Hon. Senator Mavhaire joins the Committees on Indigenisation and Empowerment and Millennium Development Goals.
  • Hon. Senator Buka joins the Committees on Gender and Development and Human Rights.

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