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Zvamaida Murwira Senior Reporter
Government has gazetted the Special Economic Zones Bill to attract foreign investment and stimulate economic growth.

The Bill will establish the Special Economic Zones Authority charged with the responsibility to ensure the project is a success.

It awaits tabling before Parliament for debate and is expected to pass without much of a hassle.

The regulations are expected to go a long way in solving challenges affecting investors in setting up new projects within the country and play an integral role in reviving industry.

Finance and Economic Development Minister Patrick Chinamasa is expected to administer the regulations if passed into law.

Clause 18 of the Bill provides for the functions of the authority, chief among them is to establish special economic zones, approve and regulate their activities.

The Bill, provides for implementation of incentives for the operators and businesses located within the zones.

It also addresses challenges identified in the existing Export Processing Zones.

Clause four of the Bill provides for the establishment of the Zimbabwe Special Economic Zones Board.

In terms of Clause Five, the board would be constituted with no more than 11 members, six of whom shall be appointed from the private sector and four from Government ministries and a chief executive officer who will be an ex-officio member.

Clause six reads: “(1) Subject to this part, a member shall hold office for such period, not exceeding three years, as the minister may fix on his or her appointment, (2) Subject to Section 14, a member shall hold office on such conditions as the minister may fix in relation to members generally, (3) a retiring member shall be eligible for re-appointment as a member (4) a member appointed in subsection (1) shall not be re-appointed after a second term of office”.

Clause seven provides for the various possible scenarios that might disqualify a potential member from appointment.

Some of the scenarios for disqualification are if he or she has or married to a person with financial interest in any business, been adjudged to be insolvent or had been convicted of a criminal offence and served a prison term.

Clause eight provides for the procedure to be taken when a member has vacated office.

Some of the conditions include giving notice to the responsible minister, conviction of criminal offence and sentenced to a prison term without an option of a fine also renders a person unfit to continue holding office.

Clause nine sets out the various circumstances in which the minister might dismiss or suspend a member.

“The minister may require a member to vacate his or her office if the member (a) has been guilty of any conduct that renders him or her unsuitable as a member or (b) had failed to comply with the conditions of his or her office fixed by the minister in terms of Section 6 (2) or (c) is mentally or physically incapable of efficiently carrying out his or her functions as a member,” reads the clause.

Clause 14 provides for the disclosure of an interest a member might have in an investment and this include his or her spouse.