Chapter 6: The Legislature

The Parliament of Zimbabwe

• The Legislature of Zimbabwe  is bicameral
• It consists of Parliament and Senate

Parliament

• Parliament consists of the Senate and the National Assembly.

Role of Parliament

• Parliament must protect the Constitution and promote democratic governance in Zimbabwe
• Parliament has power to ensure that the provisions of the Constitution are upheld and that the State and all institutions and agencies of government at every level act constitutionally and in the national interest
• All institutions and agencies of the State and government at every level are accountable to Parliament
• The Parliament had the duty to formulate laws known as Statues or Acts which are approved or rejected and signed by the president
• The parliament discuss government policies and passes determinations
• The parliament can pass a vote of no confidence on an elected government if agreed upon by two thirds of the members

The Duties of a Member of Parliament

• The MP represents the views of their constituency
• They also educate their constitution on government policies and functions and the government resources at their disposal and how they can access them
• They are supposed to explain new laws an assist with problems arising in the constituency

Composition of National Assembly

• The National Assembly consists of two hundred and ten members elected by secret ballot from the two hundred and ten constituencies into which Zimbabwe is divided for the life of the first two Parliaments after the effective date, an additional sixty women members, six from each of the provinces into which Zimbabwe is divided, elected through a system of proportional representation based on the votes cast for candidates representing political parties in a general election for constituency members in the provinces
• It is led by a Speaker of Parliament

THE SENATE

Composition of Senate

• The Senate is led by the President of the Senate
• The Senate consists of eighty Senators, of whom:
  1. Six are elected from each of the provinces into which Zimbabwe is divided,
     by a system of proportional representation
  2. Sixteen are chiefs, of whom two are elected by the provincial assembly of
     Chiefs from each of the provinces, other than the metropolitan provinces,
     into which Zimbabwe is divided
  3. The President and Deputy President of the National Council of Chiefs
  4. Two are elected in the manner prescribed in the Electoral Law to represent
     persons with disabilities

To access more topics go to the History Notes page.