The Sunday News
Bruce Ndlovu, Sunday News Reporter
CABINET has approved the amendment of the Legal Practitioners Act, with several provisions of the Act set to be changed to ensure a high standard of professional ethics, efficient and economical use of resources as well as transparency and accountability.
The Act established the Law Society of Zimbabwe, a corporate body which was incorporated in terms of the Law Society of Zimbabwe (LSZ). The proposed amendments to the act were approved by cabinet yesterday after they were presented by Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, Honourable Ziyambi Ziyambi.
Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa said the amended act will give power to government to monitor and were necessary reject foreign funding advanced to the LSZ, while increasing the number of appointees in the law council from two to four.
“The nation is informed that Section 52(o) of the Act will be amended by the insertion of a new section that authorises the Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs to exercise his discretion to approve or disapprove external funding raised by the Law Society of Zimbabwe to ensure efficient and economical use of resources. This will ensure good corporate governance principles as entrenched in the Constitution. Furthermore, Section 54(1)(b) is amended so that Ministerial appointments to the Law Society Council are increased from two to four Councillors in the national interest,” she said.
