FDA chief reports first drug shortage due to coronavirus – MedCity News

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The Food and Drug Administration has recorded the first drug shortage due to coronavirus.

In a statement Thursday, FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn wrote that a manufacturer had alerted the agency to the shortage of a drug that had been added to the drug shortages list. Although the manufacturer notified the FDA that the shortage was indeed due to coronavirus, Hahn’s statement did not identify it or the drug in question.

“The shortage is due to an issue with manufacturing of an active pharmaceutical ingredient used in the drug,” Hahn wrote. “It is important to note that there are other alternatives that can be used by patients.”

Hahn added that the FDA is working with the manufacturer in question and other manufacturers to mitigate the shortage. The agency has been in contact with more than 180 drugmakers and has asked them to evaluate their supply chains, including active pharmaceutical ingredients and other components that are made in China, where the coronavirus – known as SARS-CoV-2 – was first identified. It has identified 20 other drugs that are made in China or source all their active pharmaceutical ingredients from there, though the five companies making them have not yet reported shortages of the drugs, which are all considered not to be critical.

The coronavirus outbreak has caused significant concerns among drugmakers about potential supply chain disruptions, given the large number of ingredients that are sourced in China, in particular because of the number of people on lockdown and unable to go to work. Last weekend, Axios reported that the FDA had compiled a list of about 150 drugs that could face potential supply chain disruptions.

Sanofi announced last Monday the creation of a new active pharmaceutical ingredient supplier that will be based in Europe in order to lessen the dependence on producers in Asia, though a spokesperson for the company said it was not related to the coronavirus outbreak.

As of Thursday, the number of people infected globally stood at more than 82,000, with more than 2,800 dead, according to the World Health Organization. While the vast majority most of the cases and infections have been within China, and particularly around the central Chinese city of Wuhan, significant outbreaks have also occurred in South Korea, Italy and Iran.

Several drug companies, such as Moderna and Gilead Sciences, have rushed to develop vaccines and drugs against the virus.

Photo: Andreas Solaro, Getty Images

Why Should I Work For Your Firm? Why Should I Retain You?

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You walk into a big firm. The partner sitting behind the desk starts to make his pitch: “You really must work for a large firm, such as Bigg & Mediocre, because only large firms have the resources to handle big matters. We can staff big cases. We handle transnational stuff. If you go to work for a small firm, you just don’t have the opportunity to work on matters that capture headlines.”

Then you walk into the big firm down the street. The partners there make exactly the same pitch. And then you walk into a firm halfway across the country. And hear the same pitch again.

Do these people really think they’re telling you something persuasive? Or creative? Or worth listening to?

You stroll into the branch office of a big firm. The partner makes her pitch: “We’re absolutely unique! We combine the collegiality of a small firm with the practice of a big firm. The 25 of us in this branch office all know and like each other, but we get to work on cases attracted by the 300 lawyers in New York.  It’s the best of both worlds!”

You walk into a small firm: “We’re a great firm, so we attract great cases. But there are really two other reasons to work here. First, our size makes us collegial; we really know and like each other. Second, our size forces us to advance the careers of junior lawyers. We don’t staff cases with five lawyers, which causes the junior lawyer to carry the bags of the senior folks. You’ll be taking depositions from day one!”

And, of course, all of the partners at all of the firms shout in unison the real reason why you should work at their firms: “Our people are unique and great.  It’s the people that make us different!”

I’m not really knocking this. (I take that back; I am really knocking this.)  Maybe this is the best pitch for your firm. You say exactly the same stuff as the guy down the street, and you expect the law student to be convinced by it. But if there were really anything unique about your firm, or if you had an ounce of creativity, couldn’t you say something that I couldn’t satirize without even knowing who you are?

So, too, when law firms pitch clients for new business: “We’re Bigg & Mediocre!  We have massive resources that we can bring to bear on your case. We permit one-stop shopping. If there are any tentacles of your case that must be explored, we’re guaranteed to have a specialist who knows that precise area of law. And we work together as a team. We assign the right lawyer to your case and, because we work together all the time, we save you time and money.”

Or a smaller firm: “We’re efficient! Unlike those other, or bigger, firms, we don’t send in the Fifth Fleet. We send in the Special Forces. By staffing leanly, we handle your cases efficiently and less expensively.”

Or everybody: “We use technology! By using cutting-edge technology, we reduce the use of lawyers and minimize the hours spent on your case.”

I don’t mind that you say this stuff. (I take that back; I really do mind.) But don’t think that you’re being creative, or thoughtful, or there’s any reason for people to listen when you spout this stuff. Understand that you’re saying exactly the same thing the listener has heard a hundred times before, and there’s a fair chance that, although you’re talking, no one’s listening.

Mark Herrmann spent 17 years as a partner at a leading international law firm and is now deputy general counsel at a large international company. He is the author of The Curmudgeon’s Guide to Practicing Law and Drug and Device Product Liability Litigation Strategy (affiliate links). You can reach him by email at inhouse@abovethelaw.com.

Coronavirus Hits Manhattan, And Prominent Biglaw Firms Prepare For The Worst

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(Image via Getty)

Coronavirus has finally made its way to Manhattan. New York confirmed its first official infection on March 1 in a health care worker who had just returned from a trip to Iran. Governor Andrew Cuomo has said it is now “inevitable” that there will be “community spread” in New York City.

Thankfully, Biglaw firms are prepared.

In our previous reporting on the burgeoning threat of coronavirus, we noted that Latham — one of the world’s wealthiest law firms, with 2,720 lawyers in 29 cities across 14 countries — had canceled a client reception at the American Museum of Natural History in New York “[o]ut of an abundance of caution.” Now, the firm has decided to cancel its global partners’ meeting. The American Lawyer has the details:

“After careful consideration, and with the health and well-being of our colleagues and clients foremost in mind, we made the difficult decision to cancel our global partners meeting,” said Richard Trobman, the firm’s chair and managing partner, in a statement. “While we perceive the risks to be small, safety is our first priority, and we thought this decision was in the best interests of all concerned given the uncertainty surrounding COVID-19.” …

Latham’s global footprint includes China, where more than 78,000 people have been infected by the virus, as well as South Korea, Japan and Italy, which have respectively seen at least 600 reported coronavirus cases, according to The New York Times.

Latham isn’t the only firm that’s taking extra steps to protect its workforce in light of the coronavirus outbreak. It’s been reported that Linklaters has instituted a mandatory 14-day self-quarantine for all employees who have traveled to coronavirus hot spots for either work or entertainment.

What is your firm doing to protect its employees from potential exposure to coronavirus? Please email us or text us (646-820-8477). Stay safe, everyone.

Latham Cancels Global Partners’ Meeting in New York, Citing Virus Fears [American Lawyer]
Linklaters Sends Home Lawyers Returning from Virus Hot-Spots [Law.com International]

Staci ZaretskyStaci Zaretsky is a senior editor at Above the Law, where she’s worked since 2011. She’d love to hear from you, so please feel free to email her with any tips, questions, comments, or critiques. You can follow her on Twitter or connect with her on LinkedIn.

Morning Docket: 03.02.20

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Don McGahn (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

* A federal appeals court has ruled that President Trump’s former White House Counsel, Donald McGahn, does not have to testify before Congress. [CNBC]

* Roger Stone called an adversary’s lawyer a “little bitch” at a deposition last month. Check out the video to see if the insult was warranted. [VICE]

* Lori Loughlin’s attorney says that notes written by the mastermind of the Varsity Blues racket exonerate Loughlin of wrongdoing. [Forbes]

* This week, the Supreme Court will hear its first major abortion case of the Trump era. [Reuters]

* A new lawsuit alleges that Disney is breaking the law by making people with disabilities wait too long for rides. I sense an episode idea for Curb Your Enthusiasm here… [Texarkana Gazzette]

Jordan Rothman is a partner of The Rothman Law Firm, a full-service New York and New Jersey law firm. He is also the founder of Student Debt Diaries, a website discussing how he paid off his student loans. You can reach Jordan through email at jordan@rothmanlawyer.com.

Looting cheap food from hungry Zimbabweans – The Zimbabwean

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As ruthless land evictions continue in Chisumbanje, in the south-eastern part of Zimbabwe, to make way for a voracious ethanol producer, everyone feels vulnerable, but women – who have traditionally been economically and socially marginalised – find themselves in an especially desperate situation.

“When it was time to get compensation land (for their own which had been seized by the ethanol firm with tacit approval of the government), the headman said if I wanted to get half a hectare of land, I had to have sex with him,” says a woman from this Chisumbanje area in an a documentary done by the Zimbabwean chapter of Transparency International (TIZ). “I had to agree because we are poor and landless. I only did it because I wanted land, but he wanted to continue having sex with me, indefinitely. When I refused to continue with the relationship, the headmen kicked me out of Bepe Village.”

According to a report, Gender and Corruption in Zimbabwe, published by TIZ at the end of January, this is just but a tip of the iceberg as cases of “sextortion” like this are on the rise as the socio-economic situation gets even dire in the southern African nation.

Sextortion

Sextortion is an abusive practice in which sexual favours are demanded in return for access to land, jobs, food, water, education, healthcare among other basic socio-economic needs, most of which are in critical short supply in Zimbabwe. The major findings from the survey indicate that most women are experiencing corruption in accessing these everyday social and public services. The rights of women are seriously undermined by the increasing need to bribe when accessing public goods.

The Chisumbanje interviewee also indicated that several women had traded sex in return for land in the area, but they could not disclose it as this would ruin their marriages or the community would label them prostitutes.

“This study noted that sextortion is a growing form of corruption that is least reported due to factors that are embedded in the social structure of the Zimbabwean societies,” the TIZ said. “These factors include the fear of condemnation by and expulsion from the community and the fear of losing the land, the asset that they would have sacrificed their health and morals to gain.”

According to the findings of the research, sextortion is now so commonplace that more than half of women in Zimbabwe have faced it as they carry out their day-to-day activities.

Worrisome statistics

More than 57 percent of the people surveyed by corruption watchdog revealed that sexual favours were a currency used in Zimbabwe to access a wide range of socio-economic benefits, including even when seeking placements at schools for their children.

About 45 percent of the women said they had received requests for sexual favours to access a service and 15 percent had used sex to get employment.

“57.5 percent of these respondents noted that sexual favours are the form of non-monetary bribe they had experienced. Sextortion is thus a part of the bribery culture in Zimbabwe. Women who do not have money to pay for bribes are thus forced to use sex as a form of payment,” reads the report.

Sex-preneurs

Women in business seeking government tenders were also found to face similar sexual harassment from men in positions of authority.

“At times you get asked for sexual favours in return for tenders or business,” a woman entrepreneur told the researchers. “What makes the situation difficult, especially for state contracts, is how women in business are perceived by men in control of these processes. When they see a woman, for most of them sex is the first thing that comes to their minds. Hence women are sexualised and seen as sex-preneurs rather than entrepreneurs,” TIZ reported.

No recourse

The study revealed that the prevailing harsh economic situation in Zimbabwe is forcing women into corruption, while fear of repercussions ensures that most of these cases go unreported.

“For some respondents it was fear of reprisal that stopped them from reporting whilst others indicated that there was no reward for reporting corruption. Regarding sextortion, respondents cited the justice system as too masculine, hence they opted not to report. All the key informants who took part in the research indicated that Zimbabwe lacks a robust corruption reporting system. They also highlighted the need for a system to promote and protect whistle-blowers,” TIZ reported.

The research also showed that in the social, political and economic environment prevailing in Zimbabwe women lack both political and economic muscles, which greatly hinders their ability to demand transparency and accountability to highlight their specific concerns about corruption.

“Sex is a currency in many corrupt deals in Zimbabwe,” the researchers quoted one informant from civil society as saying. “Sexual harassment is institutionalised, and women have been suffering for a long time. There is need to actively deal with all forms of sexual harassment in all sectors.”

Recommendations

The researchers recommended that institutions dealing with corruption be sensitised so that in patriarchal societies, such as Zimbabwe, issues affecting women do not remain at the periphery of mainstream social debates.

“Women’s experiences are in many ways marginalised and there is lack of formal institutional support to respond to women’s unique experiences of corruption,” the researchers pointed out. “In this regard, the capacity of formal anti-corruption institutions such as the police, the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission and the judiciary must be strengthened to respond to corruption using a gender lenses.”

The report warned that the everyday normalisation of corruption has serious implications for gender equality and attainment of sustainable development goals.

Unbelievable reality – Zimbabwe Vigil Diary – The Zimbabwean

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Zimbabwe has long been a member of the club of failing states which, with Russia’s help, include such corrupt regimes as Iran, Syria and Venezuela. An article in the UK Times this week explained how these regimes prosper from catastrophe: how the unbelievable becomes the reality.

The writer, Roger Boyes, concludes that ‘enforced poverty depoliticises rather than radicalises the population’. He says: ‘Revolutions erupt because of rising but thwarted expectations. So the primary task of kleptocrats is to banish ambition. The ambitious, the able-bodied, the desperate flee the country in droves. And the leaders are OK with that, too. One day, they figure, the pressure of refugees mounting up in western countries will force the outside world to strike a deal with leaders who have demonstrated their survival skills. Allowing their states to fail gives them a perverse advantage: it makes them indispensable. As a result many people in these miserable states don’t even pretend to trust their leaders. Better muddle through with the ruler we know, is the short-term calculation, than topple him and risk the wholesale collapse of society.’ (See: http://www.zimvigil.co.uk/vigil-news/campaign-news/1063-why-do-some-failing-states-never-fail.)

A sobering assessment, which perhaps explains Russia’s renewed interest in Africa’s raw materials and profitable reasons for propping up the Zanu PF regime – with or without Mnangagwa, whose tenure in office may soon be terminated, according to the maverick former Zanu PF minister Jonathan Moyo, stirring up trouble from the safety of South Africa.

Moyo talks of an exit package being agreed with military chiefs under which Mnangagwa would get a settlement of US$10 million and continued benefits on leaving office, as well as ‘a modest motorcade’. In a separate tweet Moyo speaks of Mnangagwa’s daughter collecting an apparent down payment of a quarter of a million dollars from the Reserve Bank as part of a payment of $5 million (See: https://zwnews.com/mnangagwa-daughter-fraudulently-gets-us250k-from-rbz-no-receipts-for-transaction/.)

In Harare’s febrile culture these stories may prove to be off mark, but allegations of secret money printing by the Central Bank are anchored on a statement by the International Monetary Fund. IMF officials found that more of the dodgy Zimbabwe dollars were being printed to provide subsidies for gold producers (see: https://www.ft.com/content/4ae27da8-5967-11ea-abe5-8e03987b7b20).

As the cost of living soars the government have resorted to providing soldiers with subsidised basic commodities to stem unrest (see: https://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/news/africa/Zimbabwe-military-shops/4552902-5471140-tqj028z/index.html). The police will have to be next . . . and then teachers . . . until the only ones paying the cost will be – who else but the people.

A welcome revelation came in the state-owned Herald newspaper that the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission has identified over US$7 billion in cash and assets stashed abroad. ZACC Chairperson and former High Court judge, Loice Matanda-Moyo, said ‘Informally, we have now identified over US$7 billion worth of property and cash all over the world which were siphoned by our former leaders, current leaders, private sector and individuals. So this information we only got informally, so now we have to formalise the process so that we start the processes of repatriating the monies back home’. (See: https://www.iol.co.za/business-report/economy/zimbabwe-pursuing-billions-of-dollars-stashed-in-foreign-countries-43505463.)

Good luck to judge Matanda-Moyo but the Vigil bets the odds on jailing any ‘former or current leaders’ are approximately zero.

Other points

  • The Vigil was bewildered by how the MDC was persuaded to waste its energies during the Government of National Unity on a new constitution, which we knew would be altered later. Now Zanu PF is seeking to cancel, through amendments, key concessions made during the constitutional reform process (see: http://constitutionnet.org/news/fortifying-zimbabwes-imperial-presidency-proposed-second-amendment-constitution).
  • Thanks to the intrepid few who braved the foul weather to help set up the Vigil today: Beaulah Gore, Alice Majola, Rosemary Maponga, Philip Maponga, Tapiwa Muskwe, Ephraim Tapa and Kevin Wheeldon. Thanks to Rosemary and Alice for looking after the front table and for taking photos, to Kevin and Tapiwa for handing out flyers and to Rosemary for providing hot drinks.
  • For latest Vigil pictures check: http://www.flickr.com/photos/zimb88abwevigil/. Please note: Vigil photos can only be downloaded from our Flickr website.

FOR THE RECORD: ­­­9 signed the register.

 

EVENTS AND NOTICES:

  • ROHR general members’ meeting. Saturday 14th March from 11.30 am. Venue: Royal Festival Hall, South Bank Centre, Belvedere Road SE1 8XX. Contact: Ephraim Tapa 07940793090, Patricia Masamba 07708116625, Esther Munyira 07492058107.
  • The Restoration of Human Rights in Zimbabwe (ROHR) is the Vigil’s partner organisation based in Zimbabwe. ROHR grew out of the need for the Vigil to have an organisation on the ground in Zimbabwe which reflected the Vigil’s mission statement in a practical way. ROHR in the UK actively fundraises through membership subscriptions, events, sales etc to support the activities of ROHR in Zimbabwe. Please note that the official website of ROHR Zimbabwe is http://www.rohrzimbabwe.org/. Any other website claiming to be the official website of ROHR in no way represents us.
  • World Day of Prayer for Zimbabwe. Friday 6th March. This year the focus is on Zimbabwe and the service has been prepared by Christian women in Zimbabwe. The theme is ‘Rise! Take you mat and walk’. Christians all round the world will be praying for Zimbabwe. Try to get your own church involved. For more information check: https://www.wwdp.org.uk/.
  • Living on the Edge. Tuesday 10th March from 7 – 9 pm (doors open at 6 pm). Venue: Royal Geographical Society, 1 Kensington Gore, London SW7 2AR. The event is organised by the Mike Campbell Foundation. Among the speakers are Chief Felix Ndiweni and Beatrice Mtetwa. For full details of the event check: https://media.wix.com/ugd/02876c_5b68a136280c42ebbf39f8ebbb722299.pdf.
  • The Vigil’s book ‘Zimbabwe Emergency’ is based on our weekly diaries. It records how events in Zimbabwe have unfolded as seen by the diaspora in the UK. It chronicles the economic disintegration, violence, growing oppression and political manoeuvring – and the tragic human cost involved. It is available at the Vigil. All proceeds go to the Vigil and our sister organisation the Restoration of Human Rights in Zimbabwe’s work in Zimbabwe. The book is also available from Amazon.
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Zimbabwe Catholic Bishops reiterate appeal for food aid – The Zimbabwean

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Kudakwashe Matambo – Harare, Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe’s Archbishop Robert Christopher Ndlovu of Harare, who is also President of the Zimbabwe Catholic Bishops Conference (ZCBC), on Thursday, addressed a press conference, at the Africa Synod House, in the country’s capital, Harare. During the press event, Archbishop Ndlovu said that the country’s Catholic Bishops had renewed their appeal for urgent food aid meant for the country’s nearly eight (8) million people who could starve due to a poor harvest. The country’s drought situation and the general economic meltdown are some of the significant factors that have led to food insecurity.

8 million Zimbabweans require food relief in 2020

Outlining the Bishops’ appeal to journalists, Archbishop Ndlovu confirmed the World Food Programme’s report which estimated that nearly eight million people would require food aid in 2020 as the country faces severe food shortages.

The Archbishop further said the food insecurity is already affecting not only rural but urban communities, school-going children, newly born babies, mothers and refugees.

“This food insecurity will affect urban and rural communities. Millions of school-going children, refugees, and the poor will suffer from the severe effects of this drought,” said the Harare prelate, adding, “Our health coordinators in our hospitals are telling us that (already) some of the newly born babies instantly show signs of not being healthy. Their mothers too, because they (probably) eat only once a day and as a result may not produce enough breast milk for the babies and that will affect the development and growth of that child,” said the Archbishop.

The food appeal is for all Zimbabweans

The Bishops are targeting to raise over US 1 million dollars for the initial response programme, which will be administered to all people, without exception, through Caritas Zimbabwe.

“Our appeal and response is on behalf of the people of every race, culture, gender and religion in Zimbabwe who are and will soon be in dire need.” He continued, “Our goal is to mobilise sufficient food aid for us to make a difference to the lives of the many millions who face starvation, including children, women and those living with HIV/AIDS,” said Archbishop Ndlovu.

The Archbishop further revealed that through the Zimbabwe Bishops’ Caritas Appeal, the Catholic Church in Zimbabwe had so far received over US 200 000 dollars and distribution to needy areas was presently underway.

Church’s ongoing response to Cyclon Idai emergency

Speaking at the same press conference, the Bishop of Mutare Diocese, Paul Horan, took the opportunity to brief the media about the Church’s efforts in responding to the Cyclone Idai emergency of 2019. Among some of the Diocese’s major projects is the ongoing construction of houses that collapsed due to torrential rains that came with Cyclon Idai.

Zimbabwe’s president appeals for help to end country’s ‘financial isolation’ – The Zimbabwean

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With Zimbabwe gripped by a hunger crisis and hyperinflation, Emmerson Mnangagwa has told the international community that political and economic change will cost money. Photograph: Valery Sharifulin/Tass
The president of Zimbabwe has appealed for help in pulling his debt-ridden country out of “financial isolation”.

Emmerson Mnangagwa made his passionate call for international funding after he failed to secure new loans from the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, African Development Bank and the Paris Club due to outstanding foreign debts of $8bn (£6.2bn).

Addressing the Africa forum on sustainable development in Zimbabwe’s northern town of Victoria Falls this week he said: “Our five-year national development plans running up to 2063 will endeavour to achieve an upper middle-income status by 2030.

“The need to remain alive to the shocks of drought and the impact of climate change through the necessary social safety nets cannot be overemphasised,” he said. “We appeal for multilateral support to augment our efforts.”

His pleas come amid Zimbabwe’s worst hunger crisis in a decade, with 5.5 million people in rural areas facing starvation. Humanitarian agencies have said $200m (£155m) is needed to ensure people have food.

The country is also facing rising poverty levels and hyperinflation. Mnangagwa knows that only immediate political and economic reforms will secure fresh funding but he has stressed that change will cost money.

“It should be understood that we are undertaking the reforms without the requisite external financial support as is the norm. It is regrettable that the funding gap for the sustainable development goals in Africa remains low and weighs down on the attainment of [the] SDGs in Africa,” he said.

The forum heard that no African country is on track to achieve the 17 goals – the UN blueprint to end poverty, protect the planet and address inequalities – by the 2030 deadline.

Egypt, Morocco, Algeria, Rwanda, Kenya, South Africa and Cape Verde have all made significant advances in reducing poverty, improving health, protecting the environment and reducing gender inequalities.

Amina Mohammed, UN deputy secretary general, said climate change had weakened Africa’s chances of meeting the SDGs, citing the current locust outbreak as a threat to food security.

“Major scientific and analytical reviews have made it clear that we are not on track to achieve the SDGs by 2030, and just a few weeks ago the African Union first report on the implementation of agenda 2063 demonstrated that, despite earlier progress, there is still an urgent need for enhanced action,” she told the forum.

“As we begin this exciting decade, it is vital that we recognise the progress being made in Africa on multiple fronts. Africa continues to have some of the world’s fastest-growing economies, and growth is projected to remain stable in 2020.”

She said progress had been made in “the quest for peace and security” but the number of people living in poverty had risen since 2013 and youth unemployment rates are more than twice that of adults.

“There have been considerable gains in health outcomes – with less women and children dying in childbirth or because of diseases; improvements in access to education and electricity; and a dramatic rise in internet connectivity,” she added.

Delegates were lauded for increased commitments on climate action, with most African countries having signed the Paris agreement, and 48 countries have ratified the convention.

Initiatives like the African Continental Free Trade Agreement are also expected to spur growth.

“Since no country is on track to deliver by 2030, every country must increase its ambition,” said Mohammed.

“That starts with national plans, policies, budgets and institutions that are commensurate with what it will take to deliver universal access to quality social services and an economy that provides decent jobs for all. It also requires national financing frameworks that support governments in mobilising and aligning financing from all sources.”

Paul Mpuga, economic affairs officer at the Economic Commission for Africa, said funding was a huge issue for a continent that needs $2.5tn to achieve the SDGs by 2030.

“We have the funding gap challenge because the requirements to realising sustainable development are huge,” Mpuga said. “This is going to be an uphill task. Realising [the] SDGs is not going to be easy. Most countries may not … but the potential is strong if they take action in good governance.”

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Open Committee Meetings Monday 2nd and Thursday 5th March – The Zimbabwean

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PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEES SERIES 8/2020

Open Committee Meetings Monday 2nd and Thursday 5th March

There will be committee meetings open to attendance by the public in Parliament Building, Harare, this coming week, as indicated below. 

Members of the public may attend these meetings – but as observers only, not as participants, i.e. they may observe and listen but not speak. If attending, please use the entrance to Parliament on Kwame Nkrumah Ave between 2nd and 3rd Streets. Please note that IDs must be produced.

The details given in this bulletin are based on the latest information from Parliament. But, as there are sometimes last-minute changes to the meetings schedule, persons wishing to attend should avoid disappointment by checking with the committee clerk that the meeting concerned is still on and open to the public. Parliament’s telephone numbers are Harare 2700181 and 2252940/1.

Reminder: Members of the public, including Zimbabweans in the Diaspora, can at any time send written submissions to Parliamentary committees by email addressed to [email protected] or by letter posted to the Clerk of Parliament, P.O. Box 298, Causeway, Harare or delivered at Parliament’s Kwame Nkrumah Avenue entrance in Harare.

Monday 2nd March at 10.00 am

Portfolio Committee: Defence, Home Affairs and Security Services

Oral evidence on petitions received from the Coloured Community and the Chikunda Tribe

Venue: Committee Room No.  1

Portfolio Committee: Environment, Tourism and Hospitality Industry

Oral evidence from Mr Madungure on his petition on alleged emission of toxic pollutants by Steel Brands Company in Houghton Park

Venue: Committee Room No.  413

Portfolio Committee: Higher and Tertiary Education

Oral evidence from student representatives and stakeholders on the recent higher and tertiary education tuition fees hikes

Venue: National Assembly chamber

Monday 2nd March at 2.00 pm

Portfolio Committee: Budget, Finance and Economic Development

Oral evidence from the  Bankers Association of Zimbabwe Mobile Money Transfer companies, CZI and ZNCC on the state of the economy [money supply situation, premiums charged by mobile money transfer companies]

Venue: Senate Chamber

Portfolio Committee: Information Communication Technology, Postal and Courier Services

Oral evidence from POTRAZ on the sharing of infrastructure by mobile network service providers

Venue: Committee Room No. 413

Thursday 5th March at 10.00 am

Portfolio Committee: Energy and Power Development

Oral evidence from Independent Power Producers [IPPs] and ZERA [Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority] on the state of affairs in the renewable energy sector

Venue: Committee Room No. 311

Portfolio Committee: Information, Media and Broadcasting Services

Oral evidence from the  Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe [BAZ] on regulations for establishment of Community Radio Stations

Venue: Senate Chamber

Portfolio Committee: Youth, Sport, Culture and Recreation

Oral evidence on the state of sporting facilities from the:

·        Ministry of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation

·        Ministry of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing

·        Zimbabwe Football Association [ZIFA]

·        Sports and Recreation Commission

Venue: Committee Room No.  2

Other Committee Activities of Interest

Inquiry into access to safe, clean and potable water

The Senate Thematic Committees on Human Rights, SDGs and Gender and Development will not only hold public hearings on this subject [as indicated in Veritas Parliamentary Committee Series Bulletin 7/2020 [link]], but will be touring Kwekwe Water Treatment Plant, the Nyamandhlovu Water Aquifer, the Nyazvidze Water Treatment Plant in Chivhu, the Masvingo Water Treatment Plant, the Rusape Water Treatment Plant and the Chipinge Water Treatment Plant.

Fact-finding visits to local authorities, 2nd to 10th March

The Portfolio Committee on Local Government will be paying fact-finding visits to Binga Rural District Council,

Hwange local authority, Victoria Falls local authority, Bulawayo City Council, Kadoma City Council, Chegutu Municipal Council and Zvimba Rural District Council.  They are expected to receive briefings by council officials, and tour road networks, water works, clinics and schools.

 

Veritas makes every effort to ensure reliable information, but cannot take legal responsibility for information supplied.