A South Sudan parliamentary delegation is in Harare seeking assistance in resolving outstanding issues betweeen their country and Sudan.
South Sudan gained independence from Sudan last year but has outstanding issues with the North over oil revenue sharing and a border dispute.
Head of delegation Bangout Amin Akech told journalists in Harare after meeting speaker of parliament, Lovemore Moyo, that her country is ready to resolve outstanding issues with Khartoum peacefully.
This despite Sudan Monday resuming its aerial bombardment of South Sudan, violating international calls for a cessation of hostilities between the two countries. Akech said the outsanding issues which include border disputes in Heglig oilfields must be resolved immediately.
Akech says South Sudan can not go to war with Sudan over resources, saying they are ready to share and would want more african countries to in their country. She said African countries must network and coordinate so they can assist each other in times of need.
Moyo said Zimbabwe has a lot of experience in crafting political solutions and stands ready to assist their south sudanese counterparts.
South sudan is complaining sudan is cutting into its border and stealing its oil resources as well as bombing its citizens.
Meanwhile, the Zimbabwe Parliament resumed sitting after adjouring in March with Moyo telling the House of Assembly members they can not debate the motion on the urban councils ammendment bills as local government minister ignatius chombo is challenging the bill in the Supreme Court.
The private members bill brought by MDC Tsvangirai’s Buhera Central legislator, Tangwara Matimba, seeks clip the minister’s powers.
Among other bills and motions, the House of Assembly is expected to pass is the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission Bill, which will operationalize, the Zimbabwe human rights commission
Parliamentary sources say Zanu-PF and the MDC formation of Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai are set to clash again over the role of parliament in debating bills in the current session.
The Zanu-PF parliamentary caucus resolved that lawmakers must not bring private member’s bills or debate specific bills they say are in breach of the Global Political Agreement, the foundation of the all inclusive government. Zanu-PF is also trying to block attempts to amend the Public Order and Security Act (POSA) and the Urban Councils Act brought through private member’s bills.
Zanu-PF lawmakers are also trying to shoot down debate on a number of laws that include Amendments to the Electoral Act and Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission Bill. But MDC chief whip Innocent Gonese says his party will press ahead to ensure the bills are read and debated in both Houses.
Defence minister Emmerson Mnangagwa, parliamentary sources add, has been tasked by his party to approach Moyo to negotiate the shelving of MDC-sponsored private members bills, a move many see as an attempt to block key reforms. Human rights lawyer Andrew Makoni told VOA that what Zanu-PF is trying to do is unconstitutional.