Political Correspondent
A crucial public hearing on the proposed ZIMSEC Amendment Bill was abruptly cancelled in Marondera on Monday after only two members of the public attended, dealing a significant blow to the democratic process.
The Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Primary and Secondary Education, chaired by Nyanga South legislator Supa Mandiwanzira, was forced to call off the session intended to gather citizen input on a bill that will shape the future of Zimbabwe’s education system.
Expressing deep disappointment, Hon. Mandiwanzira described the poor turnout as a major disservice to the nation and a setback for crafting legislation that directly impacts millions of students, parents, and teachers.
“So today, unfortunately, because the turnout was very low, we felt that going ahead with the amount of people that were there would be a disservice to the nation of Zimbabwe, our role as MPs and particularly as members of the committee on Primary and Secondary Education,” Mandiwanzira stated.
He directly addressed and dismissed speculation that legislators benefit financially from low attendance at such meetings.
“I think that it is obviously quite far-fetched to suggest that a low turnout is a method for legislators to get money. How do they get money when there’s a low turnout? We don’t get paid as legislators for a low turnout, neither do we get paid for a higher turnout,” he clarified.
The committee chair conceded that inadequate publicity was a key factor behind the apathy. He pledged a more robust mobilisation strategy for future hearings, which will involve local MPs, schools, and radio stations to ensure the public is adequately informed.
“We will call upon every Member of Parliament in the area where we are going to have these meetings to use their own infrastructure to mobilise. We will also ask schools to spread the message to parents through students because this is a very important process,” Mandiwanzira explained.
The committee is scheduled to meet this week to set new dates to return to both Marondera and Harare to resume the vital public consultations on the ZIMSEC Amendment Bill (H.B.4, 2025).
Zim GBC News | Global News From An African Perspective©2025