Mutsvangwa replaces Shiri

Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa has been appointed the leader of Government business in the Senate by President Mnangagwa.

She replaces national hero and former Lands, Agriculture, Water and Rural Resettlement Minister Perrance Shiri who died in June.

The announcement of her appointment was made by Senate President Mable Chinomona before start of business yesterday.

According to Parliament’s website the authority of the Leader of Government Business is incorporated in the Standing Orders, which are rules governing the procedures of Parliament.

“The leader arranges the business of the house and also protects and defines the position of the Government.

“The Leader of Government Business in either case obtains approval from the President of the Senate or Speaker of the House of Assembly for any Minister who may wish to make a Ministerial Statement” reads part of a statement.

The Leaders of Government Business have a huge voice in the entire legislative process and they help determine the scope and content of the legislative programme for the session as well as the business of the week.

Meanwhile, Senators yesterday commended Government’s ongoing efforts to re-align the country’s laws with the new Constitution.

Senators said this during the Second Reading debate of the Attorney-General’s Amendment Bill that was eventually passed and now awaits the President’s signature.

Apart from that Bill, the Senate also passed the National Prosecuting Authority Amendment Bill and the Finance Bill which also now await the President’s assent.

Contributing to the debate, MDC-T Senator Morgan Komichi thanked Government for re-aligning the laws.

“I want to thank the minister for his efforts in alignment of the laws and it was our wish that more laws should be brought to Parliament for alignment to the Constitution in line with what the people said in the process of producing it,” he said.

Senator Tichinani Mavetera said the alignment of the laws was also a fulfilment of what President Mnangagwa proposed during the official opening of the Second Session of the Ninth Parliament last year.

-Herald