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ZIMBABWE
National Assembly

This page contains the full text of the PARLINE database entry on the selected parliamentary chamber, with the exception of Oversight and Specialized bodies modules which, because of their excessive length, can be only viewed and printed separately.

Modules:
GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE PARLIAMENTARY CHAMBER

Parliament name Parliament
More photos  >>>
Structure of parliament Bicameral
Chamber name National Assembly
Related chamber (for bicameral parliaments) Senate
Affiliation to the IPU Yes
Affiliation date(s) 1981 -
LEADERSHIP
President Jacob F. Mudenda (M) 
Notes Elected on 3 Sep. 2013, re-elected on 11 Sep. 2018.
Secretary General Kennedy Mugove Chokuda (M) 
Notes Appointed on 20 May 2015.
COMPOSITION
Members (statutory / current number) 270 / 270
PERCENTAGE OF WOMEN


More statistics  >>>
Women (current number) 85 (31.48%)
Mode of designation directly elected 210
other 60
Notes Others: 60 seats reserved for women*
*The statutory number of members of the National Assembly stipulated in the 2013 Constitution is 210, one elected from each of the 210 constituencies. In accordance with Article 124 (1) (b) of the Constitution, an additional 60 seats will be reserved for women only for the first two Parliaments to be elected under the 2013 Constitution (i.e., in 2013 and the next one due in 2018).
Term 5 years
Last renewal dates 30 July 2018
(View details)
CONTACT INFORMATION
Address National Assembly
Parliament of Zimbabwe
Box CY 298, Causeway
HARARE
(Export mailing lists)
Phone (2634) 70 0181-9
25 29 36-50
25 99 34
Fax (2634) 25 29 35 (Clerk)
25 29 48
70 89 25
70 89 22
E-mail clerk@parlzim.gov.zw
Website
http://www.parlzim.gov.zw/

ELECTORAL SYSTEM

Parliament name Parliament
Structure of parliament Bicameral
Chamber name National Assembly
Related chamber (for bicameral parliaments) Senate
LEGAL FRAMEWORK
Electoral law 15 December 2004
Last amendment: (Electoral Act 85/2013)
Mode of designation directly elected 210
other 60
Constituencies - 10 multi-member constituencies corresponding to the country's 10 administrative provinces, which are divided into 210 districts
Voting system Majority:
- First-past-the-post (FPTP) for the 210 directly elected seats
- Six women will be elected in each of the 10 administrative provinces based on the votes cast for candidates representing political parties in proportion to the parties' overall share of votes received under the FPTP

Vacancies arising between regular elections under the FPTP are filled at by-elections held within 90 days after the vacancy becomes official. Vacancies for the 60 seats reserved for women are filled by the "next-in-line" candidate of the same party.
Voting is not compulsory.
Voter requirements - age: at least 18 years old at the time of registration
- Zimbabwean citizenship
- registration within the constituency
- residence in an electoral constituency
- disqualifications: absence from the constituency for more than one year, insanity or mental incompetence, incapacity to manage own affairs, conviction for electoral offence
CANDIDATES
Eligibility - qualified elector
- age: 21 at the time of registration
- Zimbabwean citizenship
- resident in the country for at least 5 years in the 20 years preceding the election

Disqualifications:
- persons disqualified under the Fourth Schedule of the 2013 Constitution for registration as a voter
- persons who, within five years before the election, vacated a seat in the Senate or the National Assembly because they were convicted of an offence
Incompatibilities - public office (except for Ministers or Deputy Ministers)
- members of the defence forces or certain members of the reserve police force
- persons holding unpaid office (other than allowances)
Candidacy requirements - candidacy by individuals or political parties
- nomination by not fewer than five persons registered on the voter roll for the constituency
- deposit of the nomination fee

LAST ELECTIONS

Parliament name Parliament
Structure of parliament Bicameral
Chamber name National Assembly
Related chamber (for bicameral parliaments) Senate
BACKGROUND
Dates of election / renewal (from/to) 30 July 2018
Timing and scope of renewal Elections were held for all seats in the National Assembly.
Text is being prepared.
STATISTICS
Voter turnout
Distribution of votes
Distribution of seats
Distribution of seats according to sex
Men

Women

Percent of women
185

85

31.48%
Distribution of seats according to age
Distribution of seats according to profession
Comments
Source: https://www.zec.org.zw/pages/election_results2018#

PRESIDENCY OF THE PARLIAMENTARY CHAMBER

Parliament name Parliament
Structure of parliament Bicameral
Chamber name National Assembly
Related chamber (for bicameral parliaments) Senate
APPOINTMENT AND TERM OF OFFICE
Title Speaker of the National Assembly
Term - duration: 5 years (term of House)
- reasons for interruption of the term: resignation, death, dissolution of the Parliament, incapacity
Appointment - elected by all Members of the Parliament
- after Members are sworn in
Eligibility - any one who is not a Member or any Member of the Parliament can be elected
Voting system - formal vote by secret ballot
- absolute majority is required
Procedures / results - the Secretary to Parliament presides over the House during the voting
- the Secretary to Parliament supervises the voting
- the Secretary to Parliament announces the results without any delay
- the results cannot be challenged
STATUS
Status - position equivalent to a Cabinet Minister
- represents the Assembly with the public authorities
- is president ex officio of the Committee on Standing Rules and Orders and the Parliamentary Library Committee
- in the absence of the Speaker, the Deputy Speaker can assume his/her role and functions
Board
Material facilities - allowance
- official car
- secretariat
- body guards
- domestic staff
FUNCTIONS
Organization of parliamentary business - organizes the debates and sets speaking time
Chairing of public sittings - makes announcements concerning the House
- takes disciplinary measures in the event of disturbance, and lifts such measures
- establishes the list of speakers, gives and withdraws permission to speak
- calls for a vote, decides how it is to be carried out, verifies the voting procedure and cancels a vote in the event of irregularities
- authenticates the adopted texts and the records of debates
- has discretionary power to give the floor outside the agenda and thus organizes impromptu debates
The Leader of the House:
- opens, adjourns and closes sittings
- establishes the order in which amendments are taken up - selects which amendments are to be debated
Special powers - is consulted for the recruitment, assignment and promotion of the staff
- appoints the Clerk with the approval of the House
- appoints Internal Arrangements Committee
- is responsible for relations with foreign Parliaments
Speaking and voting rights, other functions - provides guidelines for the interpretation or completion of the text under discussion
- intervenes in the parliamentary oversight procedure
- issues a certificate to the President of the Republic indicating that the constitutional procedures have been complied with

PARLIAMENTARY MANDATE

Parliament name Parliament
Structure of parliament Bicameral
Chamber name National Assembly
Related chamber (for bicameral parliaments) Senate
NATURE
Nature of the mandate · Free representation
Start of the mandate · When the MPs take the oath (S. 44 of the Constitution of 1979, as amended up to and including 1993, Schedule 1 to the Constitution, SO 1 of the Standing Orders (Public Business)
Validation of mandates · Validation by the High Court only in case of challenge by election petitions
· Procedure (S. 124 to 137 of the Electoral Act)
End of the mandate · On the day when the legal term of the House ends - or on the day of early dissolution (S. 41 (1) (b) in connection with S. 63 (7) of the Constitution; for early dissolution, see S. 63 (2) of the Constitution). For the Speaker, see also S. 40 (4) of the Constitution.
Can MPs resign? Yes · Yes, of their own free will (S. 41 (1) (c) of the Constitution)
· Procedure (S. 41 (1) (c) of the Constitution): notice in writing to the Speaker or to the Secretary to Parliament
· Authority competent to accept the resignation: the Speaker
Can MPs lose their mandate ? Yes (a) Definitive exclusion from Parliament by the latter:
- Loss of mandate for absence (S. 41 (1) (d) of the Constitution)
- Conviction for certain offences (S. 41 (1) (m) and 43 of the Constitution)
(b) Loss of mandate by judicial decision:
- Sentence to death or imprisonment (S. 41 (1) (l) and 42 of the Constitution)
- Electoral offences (S. 41 (1) (p) of the Constitution, Electoral Act)
- Mental health/incapability of managing own affairs (S. 41 (1) (n) and (o) of the Constitution)
(c) Death (S. 41 (1) (a) of the Constitution)
(d) Resignation from membership of a political party (S. 41 (1) (e) of the Constitution)
(e) Loss of mandate for incompatibilities (S. 41 (1) (f) to (k) of the Constitution)
(f) Preventive detention (S. 41 (1) (q) of the Constitution)
STATUS OF MEMBERS
Rank in hierarchy
Indemnities, facilities and services · No diplomatic or official passport
· Basic salary (for the Speaker, see S. 45 of the Constitution)
· No exemption from tax
· Pension scheme (see also SO 157 of the Standing Orders (Public Business): pensionable service 15 years, pensionable age 55 years
· Other facilities:
(a) Assistants (see S. 48 of the Constitution)
(b) Telephone services
(c) Travel and transport
Obligation to declare personal assets No
Parliamentary immunity - parliamentary non-accountability · The concept does exist (S. 49 of the Constitution, Privileges, Immunities and Powers of Parliament Act).
· Parliamentary non-accountability is limited to words spoken or written by MPs and votes cast within Parliament.
· Derogations: offence or insult (SO 72 of the Standing Orders (Public Business); see Discipline)
· Non-accountability takes effect on the day when the mandate begins and offers, after the expiry of the mandate, protection against prosecution for opinions expressed during the exercise of the mandate.
Parliamentary immunity - parliamentary inviolability · The concept does exist (S. 49 of the Constitution, Privileges, Im-munities and Powers of Parliament Act).
EXERCISE OF THE MANDATE
Training · There is no training/initiation process on parliamentary practices and procedures for MPs.
Participation in the work of the Parliament · It is not compulsory for MPs to be present at plenary sittings or committee meetings. For leave of absence, see SO 19 of the Standing Orders (Public Business).
· Penalties foreseen in case of failure to fulfil this obligation (S. 41 (1) (d) of the Constitution): loss of mandate
· Body competent to judge such cases/to impose penalties: Parliament
Discipline · The rules governing discipline within Parliament are contained in SO 69, and 71 to 79 of the Standing Orders (Public Business).
· Disciplinary measures foreseen:
- Warning for irrelevance (SO 71 of the Standing Orders (Public Business))
- Call to order (SO 71 of the Standing Orders (Public Business))
- Order to discontinue the speech (SO 71 of the Standing Orders (Public Business))
- Order to withdraw (SO 73 of the Standing Orders (Public Business))
- Naming and suspension (SO 73 (2), and 74 to 76 of the Standing Orders (Public Business))
- Adjournment of Parliament, suspension of the sitting (SO 79 of the Standing Orders (Public Business))
· Specific cases:
- Offence or insult (SO 72 of the Standing Orders (Public Business)): call to order, order to present apologies, other disciplinary measures
- Contempt of Parliament in cases of disobedience to rules or orders of the House (SO 77 of the Standing Orders (Public Business)): committal, reprimand or admonition, suspension, expulsion (penal jurisdiction)
· Competent body to judge such cases/to impose penalties (SO 69 of the Standing Orders (Public Business)):
- Warning for irrelevance, call to order, order to discontinue the speech, order to withdraw, naming, adjournment of Parliament, suspension of the sitting, offence or insult: the Speaker
- Suspension, offence or insult, contempt of Parliament in cases of disobedience to rules or orders of the House: Parliament
· Procedure:
- Warning for irrelevance, call to order, order to discontinue the speech (SO 71 of the Standing Orders (Public Business))
- Order to withdraw (SO 73 of the Standing Orders (Public Business))
- Naming and suspension (SO 73 (2), and 74 to 76 of the Standing Orders (Public Business))
- Adjournment of Parliament, suspension of the sitting (SO 79 of the Standing Orders (Public Business))
- Offence or insult (SO 72 of the Standing Orders (Public Business))
- Contempt of Parliament in cases of disobedience to rules or orders of the House (SO 77 of the Standing Orders (Public Business))
Code (rules) of conduct · This concept does not exist in the country's juridical system but there are some relevant provisions (S. 41 (1) (m), (q), and 43 of the Constitution, SO 78 of the Standing Orders (Public Business)).
· Penalties foreseen for violation of the rules of conduct:
- Suspension, with loss of remuneration, expulsion (S. 41 (1) (m) and 43 (1) of the Constitution, SO 78 of the Standing Orders (Public Business); conviction for certain offences)
- Loss of mandate (S. 41 (1) (q) of the Constitution; preventive detention)
· Competent body to judge such cases/to impose penalties:
- Suspension, with loss or remuneration, expulsion: Parliament
. Procedure:
- Suspension, with loss of remuneration, expulsion (S. 41 (1) (m) and 43 of the Constitution, SO 78 of the Standing Orders (Public Business); conviction for certain offences)
- Loss of mandate (S. 41 (1) (q) of the Constitution; preventive detention)

Relations between MPs and pressure group · There are no legal provisions in this field.

This page was last updated on 11 September 2018
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