Published: 16 September 2013

The first session of the 8th Parliament of Zimbabwe will be officially opened by President Mugabe tomorrow.

The President is expected to outline the legislative agenda for the new Parliament.

This follows the swearing in of Members of Parliament, who prevailed in the July 31 harmonised elections which were won resoundingly by Zanu-PF.

Zanu-PF dominates the 270-member National Assembly with 197 seats, MDC-T 70, MDC two, with the remaining seat held by independent legislator for Mudzi South Jonathan Samukange who failed to land the Zanu-PF ticket but has since professed to be de jure independent, but de facto Zanu-PF.

The Upper House has 80 members with Zanu-PF accounting for 37 seats, MDC-T 21 and the MDC one with chiefs coming in with 18 members and people with disabilities being represented by two special interest senators.

The swearing in of the new legislators also saw the election of Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission chairperson Advocate Jacob Mudenda and Mrs Mabel Chinomona as Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, while Mrs Edna Madzongwe was retained as Senate president and is deputised by Chenhamo Chimutengwende.

President Mugabe last week also appointed a leaner 26-member Cabinet. This was followed by the swearing in of the 26 ministers led by Vice President Joice Mujuru and Senior Minister of State Simon Khaya Moyo, 24 deputy ministers and Ministers of State for the country's 10 provinces.
- herald

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