President Emmerson Mnangagwa has called for political tolerance among politicians aspiring to contest in the 2023 harmonized elections.
Delivering the State of the Nation Address (SONA) yesterday, Mnangagwa said politicians should lead in promoting peace ahead of the general elections.
Mnangagwa urged parliamentarians to swiftly attend to some bills that will be brought before the house including the Electoral (Amendment) Bill which he said will govern the 2023 harmonized elections.
“Political players, seeking the people’s mandate during the upcoming 2023 harmonised elections, must maintain and consolidate the peace, unity, harmony and love that we have built under the second republic, violent confrontations have never been part of our culture,” said Mnangagwa.
He added that the Electoral (Amendment) Bill, which spells out new provisions for holding the 2023 Harmonised Elections, should be speedily concluded.
Mnangagwa also appealed to legislators to accelerate the completion of matters on the legislative agenda in line with the expectations of the electorate.
He stated that the Government has created an enabling environment for Parliament to execute its mandate through separating the Office of the Attorney-General from the Ministry of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs.
“This should see this office fully discharging its mandate more efficiently and effectively. In the financial services sector, the Insurance Bill seeks to replace the Insurance Act to address regulatory gaps and weaknesses and the new Session must expedite passage of the Labour Amendment Bill.
“Cabinet recently passed the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets (Compliance, Monitoring and Evaluation) Regulations, 2022 as well as the Amendments to the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets (General) (Amendment) Regulations, 2018 which, among other provisions, will require all procuring agencies to establish the market value of goods for ease of evaluation of quotations,” he said.
