by Tawanda Musariri

The Chinese Government has granted Zimbabwe RMB 676.43m, translating to $97.4 million for the construction of a new Parliament complex in Mt Hampden, a few kilometres outside Harare in Mashonaland West’s eastern limits of Zvimba District.  

The new Parliament of Zimbabwe will ride the Mt Hampden Kopje overlooking the North.

The Project, which shall employ majority locals, shall be executed by the Shanghai Construction Group, a Chinese construction conglomerate with funding coming from the Chinese Government, not as a loan but a grant, said President Mnangagwa in his keynote address at the colourful ceremony. 

Shanghai Construction Group is a leading construction conglomerate in China. The construction of the new parliament building will be completed in 32 months.

“The construction of this new parliament building will see the commencement of the building of a new city. With the leadership of Your Excellency, your hard work will see Zimbabwe regaining its past glory to becoming a middle income economy and become an envy of many African countries. We have confidence in the leadership of Zimbabwe. This is shown by the responses of our Chinese enterprises,” said the Chinese Charge dé Affairs

“The current parliament building is now an archaic structure which is occasioning great hardship for its internal and external customers. We must take into consideration the fact that upon attaining our independence in 1980, the house of assembly was meant to accommodate only 100 legislators. But as of 2018, it houses 270 members and when there is a joint sitting, 350 members have to fit in a building with a sitting capacity for 100,” said Senate President honourable Mable Chinomona.

Speaker of parliament honourable Jacob Mudenda could not attend as he was away on parliamentary business.

Chiefs from Mashonaland West, led by Chief Zvimba, Members of Parliament, Government Ministers, the Presidium and the Chinese Embassy attended the function.