The Whistleblowers and Witness Protection Bill has received an adverse report from the Parliamentary Legal Committee, with Parliament set to engage Justice, Le...
The Whistleblowers and Witness Protection Bill has received an adverse report from the Parliamentary Legal Committee, with Parliament set to engage Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi on the proposed legislation.
A meeting between the Parliamentary Committee on Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs and the minister is scheduled for today, where members are expected to consider the concerns raised by the Parliamentary Legal Committee and make recommendations on the way forward.
The development comes after nationwide public hearings conducted to gather views on the proposed legislation before it proceeds further through the law-making process.
The public consultations were jointly conducted by Parliament and the African Parliamentarians Network Against Corruption.
During the hearings, citizens, organisations and other stakeholders were given an opportunity to make oral and written submissions on the Bill.
The submissions are now being considered by Parliament as the committee works on recommendations regarding the proposed legislation.
Chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee on Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, Cde Eddison Zvobgo (Jnr), said the committee would consider the issues raised by the Parliamentary Legal Committee as well as submissions received from other stakeholders.
“The Bill has already received an adverse report from the Parliamentary Legal Committee. We will recommend suitable changes and amendments. We have also received submissions from ZACC and other stakeholders that we need to consider as well,” he said.
Cde Zvobgo said the meeting would also examine whether changes or improvements were required to address issues identified by the Parliamentary Legal Committee.
“It will also leave us to see whether the Minister will make an appeal to the Parliamentary Legal Committee on issues raised or that he will seek Parliament to overrule the adverse report,” he said.
The Parliamentary Legal Committee’s adverse report means the proposed legislation now faces further consideration before it can proceed through the legislative process.
The Bill seeks to establish a legal framework for protecting whistleblowers who disclose information about conduct considered harmful to the public interest.
It also seeks to provide protection for witnesses whose cooperation is important to criminal investigations and prosecutions.
At the centre of the proposed legislation is the intention to create conditions in which people can report corruption and other wrongdoing without fear of retaliation.
The proposed framework covers disclosures relating to corruption, bribery, fraud, abuse of office, misuse of public resources and violations of the law.
The Bill further provides safeguards against reprisals and occupational detriment for people who make protected disclosures.
It also proposes measures to protect the confidentiality and identities of whistleblowers, an issue that is considered important in encouraging people to report wrongdoing.
The proposed legislation seeks to protect people who make disclosures in good faith and would apply to both the public and private sectors.
Submissions from the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) and other stakeholders will form part of the considerations before the committee makes its recommendations.
The meeting with the minister is therefore expected to play an important role in determining how the concerns raised against the Bill will be addressed.
The minister may also seek to engage with the Parliamentary Legal Committee over the issues contained in its adverse report, while the possibility of Parliament overruling the report will also be considered.
The Bill remains part of the legislative process, with further consideration required before its final position is determined.
