HARARE – Zimbabwe’s newly-instituted parliament will have its first sitting this coming Tuesday at the new US$200 million Chinese-built facility in Harare’s Mt Hampden area.
The new arrangement was proclaimed by President Emmerson Mnangagwa in an extraordinary gazette.
“Now, therefore, under and by virtue of the powers vested in me as aforesaid, I do, by this my Proclamation, fix the New Parliament Building, Mt Hampden, as the place in which the First Session of the Tenth Parliament of Zimbabwe shall be held: twelve o’clock noon on Tuesday, the 3rd October 2023, as the time and date on which the First Session of the Tenth Parliament shall begin,” Mnangagwa declared.
The government facility, situated 25 km from the Harare CBD where there is the old parliament building, has six floors housing both the upper and lower houses of assembly.
The parliamentary chambers within the high-rise building can accommodate up to 650 legislators, their offices, conference rooms, and meeting spaces.
Zanu PF has 176 lawmakers in the country’s tenth parliament while the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) has 110.
Zanu PF also has 33 senators while CCC has 27.
The 60 senators from the two political parties will be joined by 18 chiefs and two representatives of people with disabilities.
