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Zvamaida Murwira-Senior Reporter

Parliament has reduced the number of legislators attending plenary sittings and will conduct portfolio committee meetings virtually as part of measures to comply with Government’s directive to contain Covid-19 infections.

Government has since led the way after the Public Service Commission ordered ministries to have just 40 percent of staff physically present on duty.

Units that provide essential services will have higher percentages of staff on duty.

In an interview yesterday, Clerk of Parliament, Mr Kennedy Chokuda, said they had reduced numbers for both legislators and its staff complement.

“We are following the same measures. We have drastically reduced legislators in the Chamber if you have noticed. With respect to portfolio committee meetings, we are doing them virtually, if they have to be done physically, we are reducing the number of those attending,” said Mr Chokuda.

Parliament has also been limiting the number of journalists covering its sittings in the Chamber and most of them have been following sittings and other portfolio committee meetings virtually.