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Felex Share, Harare Bureau
PRESIDENT Mnangagwa yesterday met National Assembly and Senate presiding officers and exhorted them to come up with robust legislation that promotes accelerated economic development and attainment of Vision 2030.

National Assembly Speaker Advocate Jacob Mudenda and Senate president Cde Mabel Chinomona presented the presiding officers to the President at State House after they assumed various posts under the Ninth Parliament.

The event was held in accordance with provisions of Standing Rule and Order Number 11 of both houses.

MDC Alliance parliamentarians, who are members of the Standing Rules and Orders Committee (SROC), did not attend but leader of opposition in Senate Engineer Elias Mudzuri was present.

Speaking after a closed door meeting with President Mnangagwa, Adv Mudenda said they were fulfilling a constitutional requirement.
The President, he said, had outlined to them his expectations.

“The important thing is that in terms of our Standing Rule and Order Number 11, Parliament through its presiding officers and those supporting the presiding officers have to present themselves to the President so that we are fully baptised into our new assignments in Parliament,” he said.

“We are happy that the President found time to receive us and also during the brief he gave us a quite clear architecture of the economy which should lead to the 2030 Vision. He has indicated to us that Parliament must come up with robust legislation that it promotes accelerated economic development.”
Eng Mudzuri said he attended because he was a member of the SROC.

He responded: “I came here representing the Standing Rules and Orders Committee invited by the president of the Senate so that we can have that dialogue. We have already discussed the dialogue between Standing Rules and Orders and the president.”

He said of the meeting with President Mnangagwa: “The meeting was enlightening and we were given direction (by President Mnangagwa) as Parliament. We should look at the laws especially around the electoral process.

“The President pronounced that he wants that looked into. We also talked about realignment of 26 laws to ensure that we achieve policies of developing an economy and ease of doing business.”

Asked about the errant behaviour of his MDC Alliance counterparts, Eng Mudzuri said: “It’s not for me to judge. You ask the honourable members.

That becomes a personal behaviour issue. I came here representing my party on the Standing Rules and Orders Committee which is the main organisation leading Parliament.

If you are in Parliament you have to interact, dialogue with the Executive to ensure we deliver what is expected by our communities.

We went to Parliament to ensure that Government delivers and we are looking at the macro-economic conditions and what should be done to ensure we deliver.”

MDC Alliance legislators who did not attend yesterday’s event include Ms Tabitha Khumalo (leader of opposition in the National Assembly) and Prosper Mutseyami (Chief Whip).

Leader of Government business in the House as well as Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Cde Ziyambi Ziyambi, Zanu-PF Chief Whip Cde Pupurai Togarepi, Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly Cde Tsitsi Gezi, leader of Senate Cde Perrance Shiri and Chiefs Council president Senator Fortune Charumbira were part of the presiding officers.