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Zvamaida Murwira Senior Reporter
Government has overhauled the Tripartite National Forum Bill from the one that had been crafted by the inclusive Government as it seeks to strengthen social dialogue between itself, business and labour, legislators have heard. Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Deputy Minister Tapiwa Matangaidze, said the principles governing the Bill that they had prepared were different from those that had been mooted by Mufakose MP Ms Paurina Mpariwa, who was the minister during the inclusive Government.

Deputy Minister Matangaidze said this while responding to legislators after he gave a ministerial statement on an update of the TNF Bill in the National Assembly last Tuesday.

Ms Mpariwa had asked Deputy Minister Matangaidze on why Government was taking long to bring the TNF Bill given that what had just been presented was the same with what she had conceived during the inclusive Government when she was steering the ministry.

“What I am submitting in this House are the principles which will be governing the crafting of the Bill. When you take them to Cabinet, you take them through as principles. So, I gave you an outline of the salient features of the Bill as it will be coming through. Mr Speaker Sir, if Hon Members would go through my submission, they will see that the principles I presented today are indeed different from the principles that, with due respect, Hon. Mpariwa submitted to Cabinet in 2013,” said Deputy Minister Matangaidze.

“It is our wish and fervent hope that by the third quarter, that Bill should be through Parliament for discussion.”

Presenting the ministerial statement, Deputy Minister Matangaidze said while a lot of ground had been covered, areas still outstanding were contradictory policies statements, corruption and use of informatory language and demonisation.

He told MPs that his ministry had convened consultative meetings with tripartite partners with a view to conclude the social contract.

Cde Matangaidze said the Government team of the TNF met on December 2, 2016 and finalised its submissions, which was then discussed by the parties on December 9, 2016.

“It is envisaged that the social contract will address fiscal and monitory policy implementation. Prices and incomes stabilisation, sectorial productivity enhancement in areas such agriculture, mining, manufacturing and tourism, among others. The following issues were discussed and agreed as possible ways of stabilising the economy and should be actively pursued,” he said.

The issues included promotion of investment, Diaspora engagement, implementation of Sustainable Development Goals, implementation of Special Economic Zones among other issues.

“The tripartite constituents have agreed that the TNF shall be chaired by Government in line with the practice of the International Labour Organisation at its international labour conferences and governing body sessions,” he said. He said the TNF would be supported by an independent secretariat.

“The TNF shall be funded within the National Budget. The mandate of TNF to discuss issues of national importance requires that Government sufficiently caters for the operations of the TNF. The TNF can also receive supplementary funding from development partners and others,” said Deputy Minister Matangaidze.