Zimbabwe’s Parliament has begun nationwide public consultations on the Whistle-Blowers and Witness Protection Bill (2026), with citizens and organisations bein...
Zimbabwe’s Parliament has begun nationwide public consultations on the Whistle-Blowers and Witness Protection Bill (2026), with citizens and organisations being invited to give their views on the proposed legislation.
The public hearings are being conducted from August 24 to 28 by the Portfolio Committee on Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs together with the African Parliamentarians Network Against Corruption.
The consultations are intended to gather public input before the Bill proceeds further through the law-making process. Citizens, organisations and other stakeholders can make oral or written submissions during the hearings.
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The proposed legislation seeks to establish a legal framework for protecting whistle-blowers who disclose information about conduct that is harmful to the public interest. It also seeks to provide protection for witnesses whose cooperation is important to criminal investigations and prosecutions.
A central objective of the Bill is to encourage people to report corruption and other forms of wrongdoing without fear of retaliation. The proposed framework covers disclosures relating to corruption, bribery, fraud, abuse of office and the misuse of public resources.
It also covers violations of the law and seeks to provide safeguards for people who make disclosures in good faith. The proposed protections include measures against reprisals and occupational detriment.
The Bill further provides for measures to protect the confidentiality and identities of whistle-blowers. The proposed framework would apply to both the public and private sectors.
The nationwide consultations began on Monday, with hearings held at Chipadze Hall in Bindura, Wadzanai Hall in Shamva and Ngoni Hall in Norton.
On Tuesday, Parliament continued the hearings at the New Ambassador Hotel in Harare, Unit L Chitungwiza Hall, Kwekwe Theatre Hall and Mkoba in Gweru.
The hearings are continuing today at Dema Grounds in Seke, Mbuya Nehanda Hall in Marondera, Lupane Hall in Lupane and Ntabazinduna Hall in Umguaza.
On Thursday, the public hearings will move to Beithall Sakubva in Mutare, Nyanyadzi Business Centre in Chimanimani, Gwanda Hall in Gwanda and Heany Hall in Umzingwane.
The final day of consultations is scheduled for Friday, when hearings will be held at Mucheke Hall in Masvingo, BSPZ Gutu, Bulawayo Small City Hall and Lobengula Hall in Bulawayo.
The consultation programme provides members of the public with an opportunity to raise concerns, make recommendations and comment on the proposed protections contained in the Bill.
The proposed law focuses on people who provide information about conduct that could harm the public interest, as well as witnesses who assist criminal investigations and prosecutions.
For whistle-blowers, the Bill proposes safeguards intended to protect those who report wrongdoing in good faith. These include protection from reprisals and occupational detriment, together with measures aimed at maintaining the confidentiality of their identities.
The legislation would cover disclosures concerning a range of conduct, including corruption, bribery, fraud, abuse of office, misuse of public resources and violations of the law.
The proposed protections would extend across both public and private sectors, giving the Bill a broad scope in relation to disclosures and whistle-blower protection.
The hearings are part of the parliamentary process through which public views can be gathered before proposed legislation progresses further. The nationwide programme allows communities in different parts of the country to make submissions directly during the scheduled hearings.
The consultations also provide an opportunity for organisations and other stakeholders to respond to the proposed legal framework and raise issues they consider important before the Bill moves to the next stages of the law-making process.
The Whistle-Blowers and Witness Protection Bill (2026) therefore remains at the public consultation stage, with Parliament collecting views from citizens and stakeholders across the country.
The hearings will conclude on Friday in Masvingo and Bulawayo, following consultations held in communities including Bindura, Shamva, Norton, Harare, Chitungwiza, Kwekwe, Gweru, Seke, Marondera, Lupane, Mutare, Chimanimani, Gwanda and Umzingwane.
