Following the failure of representatives of diamond mining companies, the Permanent Secretary for Mines Thankful Musukutwa and the Minister of Mines, Obert Mpofu, to attend three Mines and Energy Parliamentary Committee hearings last week, they have been summoned to appear at hearings this coming week.

Open Meetings 15th to 18th March

The mining companies, Permanent Secretary and Minister of Mines failed to turn up at the three Mines and Energy Committee hearings scheduled for them last week.

The Clerk of Parliament has said the Committee has the power under the Privileges, Immunities and Powers of Parliament Act to demand their presence, and they have been summoned to appear at hearings this coming week [see below].

The meeting to hear oral evidence from the Ministry of Youth on empowerment programmes and activities may be of general interest [see below].

Monday 15th March at 10 am

Public Accounts Committee

Oral evidence from Public Service Commission

Committee Room No. 4

Chairperson: Hon Mashakada Clerk: Mrs Nyawo

Portfolio Committee: Natural Resources, Environment and Tourism

Oral evidence from NetOne; Econet; Hotel Association; Bankers Association

Committee Room No. 311

Chairperson: Hon P Dube Mr Munjenge

Portfolio Committee: Mines and Energy

Oral evidence from Mbada and Canadile Companies

Committee Room No. 413

Chairperson: Hon Chindori-Chininga Clerk: Mr Manhivi

Monday 15th March at 2 pm

Thematic Committee: Gender and Development

Oral evidence from Ministry of Youth on empowerment programmes and activities

Committee Room No. 3

Chairperson: Hon Chitsa Clerk: Mrs Khumalo

Portfolio Committee: Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare

Oral evidence from the Minister of Labour and Social Services

Committee Room No. 1

Chairperson: Hon Zinyemba Clerk: Ms Mushunje

Portfolio Committee: Justice, Legal Affairs, Constitutional and Parliamentary Affairs

Oral evidence from the Minister of Justice and Legal Affairs

Committee Room No. 413

Chairperson: Hon. T Matutu Clerk: Miss Zenda

Tuesday 16th March at 10 am

Portfolio Committee: Health and Child Welfare

Oral evidence from Ministry of Health and Child Welfare on investment in health sector

Committee Room No. 1

Chairperson: Hon Parirenyatwa Clerk: Mr Ndlovu

Portfolio Committee: Mines and Energy

Oral evidence from the Permanent Secretary for Mines and Ambassador Midzi [former Minister of Mines]

Senate Chamber

Chairperson: Hon Chindori-Chininga Clerk: Mr Manhivi

Thematic Committee: Millennium Development Goals [MDGs]

Oral evidence from Ministry of Education on its programme for establishment of schools in newly resettled areas

Government Caucus Room

Chairperson: Hon Chief Mtshane Mrs Nyawo

Wednesday 17th March at 10 am

Portfolio Committee: Mines and Energy

Oral evidence from Minister of Mines

Senate Chamber

Chairperson: Hon Chindori-Chininga Clerk: Mr Manhivi

Thursday 11th March at 11 am

Thematic Committee: Indigenisation and Empowerment

Oral evidence from Harare City Council

Government Caucus Room

Chairperson: Hon Mutsvangwa Mr Ratsakatika

These portfolio and thematic committee meetings are open to the public to attend as observers only. Members of the public wishing to attend a meeting should telephone Parliament first [on Harare 700181], to check with the relevant committee clerk that the meeting has not been cancelled.

If you are attending, please use the Kwame Nkrumah Avenue entrance to Parliament. IDs must be produced. Members of the public are only free to participate when committees call public hearings.

Veritas will send out separate notices of these public hearings and outline the procedures. Committees also sometimes have meetings where invited stakeholders [and those who notify Parliament that they consider themselves stakeholders and are accepted as such] are able to make representations and ask questions. These meetings will be highlighted in these notices. Portfolio and thematic committees meetings for deliberations are not open to the public, and these are not listed in these notices.

Parliamentary Legal Committee (PLC) will consider the recently gazetted Regulations of the the Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment Act on Tuesday 16th March.

PLC meetings are not open to the public, but organisations or individuals may make written representations to the PLC to assist it in its consideration of the regulations.

Written submissions should be delivered to Parliament no later than 8.30 am Tuesday 16th March, addressed to the Clerk of Parliament and marked for attention of the Parliamentary Legal Committee. Deliveries should be made to the Kwame Nkrumah Avenue entrance to Parliament between Second and Third Streets. Telephone queries: Harare 700181 or 252936-55 [ask for Counsel to Parliament’s office].

The PLC’s mandate under the Constitution (section 40B] is to consider:

· the constitutionality of the regulations, and

· whether they are ultra vires [outside the terms of] the enabling Act – the Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment Act.

Under Parliamentary Standing Orders the PLC must also ensure that the regulations do not:

· contain "matters more appropriate for Parliamentary enactment"

· make "the rights and liberties of persons unduly dependent upon administrative decisions which are not subject to review by a judicial tribunal"

· change an Act of Parliament.

The majority of the PLC’s members must be legally qualified [Constitution, section 40A]. The members are: Senator Obert Gutu, chairperson, Munyaradzi Paul Mangwana, Shepherd Mushonga, Thandeko Mnkandla, Biata Nyamupinga.

There will also be a Public Hearing of the House of Assembly Portfolio Committee on Budget, Finance, Economic Planning and Investment, also on the Indigenisation Regulations at the Harare International Conference Centre on Monday 15th March at 10 am.

This, rather than the PLC, would be the correct forum for raising general or policy concerns about the regulations.