Bunge resumes without Kabwe

The ninth Parliamentary session starts today as Kigoma North legislator Zitto Kabwe (Chadema) continues to serve his suspension.

Earlier, some media outlets had suggested that Kabwe could still attend the meeting because he had not been issued with a formal letter of suspension.

Responding to a question, the Bunge Principal Information Officer, Ernest Zulu, said the North Kigoma MP would not be able to attend the assembly.

"The House has suspended him. The ruling is still there. He will not take part in any House activities until the next session slated for January next year," he said.

Zulu said there was no need to write an official letter to the MP because the decision was reached by voting.

During the session, some 16 bills will be tabled, with nine being presented for the second reading and seven for the first time.

The draft bills include the Health Laboratory
Practitioners Act, 2007, Medical Radiology and Imaging Professional Act, 2007 and the Tourism Act, 2007.

Others are Procurement and Supplies Professional Act, 2007 as well as the National Construction Council (Amendment) Act, 2007.

Also in the list is the Engineers Registration (Amendment), Environmental Heath practitioners (Registration) Act, 2007, and Written Laws (Miscellaneous Amendments) Act, 2007 as well as Public Service Amendments Bill,
2007.

Bills due to be tabled for the first time include the Constituency Development Fund Act, 2007, HIV/AIDS Prevention, Care and Control Act, 2007.

Others are the National Bank of Commerce (Reorganisation and Vesting Assets and Liabilities) Act, 2007, Financial
Leasing Act, 2007, and National Prosecutions Services
Act, 2007.Others are the Electricity Act, 2007 and Petroleum.