House of Assembly Speaker Lovemore Moyo on Monday told a delegation from the United States Embassy Parliament had a role to play in the election roadmap as well as in establishing electoral reforms for Zimbabwe.
The delegation comprised new USAid director Melissa Williams and US Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Charles Ray.
“Parliament has a big role in the finalisation of the election roadmap because the draft constitution will be debated in Parliament, as well as the crafting of an Electoral Amendment Bill set to bring forward electoral reforms,” said Moyo.
“The Legislature has also played a pivotal role in setting up of independent commissions like the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission, Zimbabwe Electoral Commission, Zimbabwe Media Commission and the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission,” he said.
Moyo said the USAid had contributed a lot towards funding of Parliament programmes, which saw the installation of state-of-the-art digital audio recording equipment in the House of Assembly, the Senate and Committees as a way of modernising the Parliament of Zimbabwe during the reign of former USAid mission director Karen Freeman.
“The USAid in 2008 also provided $6,8 million for emergency relief supplies for cholera patients and humanitarian coordination for Zimbabwe. It also provided for HIV and Aids support in Zimbabwe,” Moyo said.
He said the State University of New York also provided a lot of support to Parliament Portfolio Committees and currently Southern Africa Parliamentary Support Trust was continuing with the support for those committees.
