Farirai Machivenyika
Senior Reporter
THERE is currently no law banning tints on car windows, the Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, Ziyambi Ziyambi, said yesterday.
Responding to questions from legislators during the National Assembly’s question time, Minister Ziyambi said any such ban would need Parliament to change the law.
This follows an announcement of a ban on tints on car windows by Permanent Secretary for Presidential Affairs and Devolution Mr Tafadzwa Muguti on Tuesday.
Mr Muguti said the ban covered both private and public transport vehicles, with exemptions only for official Government VIP vehicles and factory-standard tints.
He said the ban was intended to curb crime involving vehicles with tinted windows, citing the recent rape of a Grade Seven girl in a minibus at Julia Zvobgo Street bus terminus in central Harare.
Minister Ziyambi, however, set the record straight yesterday, saying Parliament would have to be involved if such a law was to be enacted.
“At the moment, we don’t have any law banning tinted windows on vehicles. If we are to have such a law, it would involve consultations between my ministry and that of Home Affairs and we would also have to bring it to Parliament,” he said.
Responding to a question on what the Government would do to compensate motorists who were fined for driving vehicles with tinted windows from the time Mr Muguti made the pronouncement, Minister Ziyambi said they were free to seek recourse at the courts.
“You have to be charged for breaking a particular law and I wouldn’t know how those motorists were charged on a law that is not there. Our police are professional and I don’t think they would do that,” he said.
“However, the admission of guilt ticket issued by the police is a court document and if there are motorists who have been issued such tickets, they are free to approach the courts for redress.”
Minister Ziyambi also informed the House how Government policy positions on various issues were made public.
“Government’s policy pronouncements are made through the Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, (Dr Jenfan Muswere) and his Permanent Secretary (Mr Nick Mangwana) or the Presidential spokesperson (Deputy Chief Secretary Mr George Charamba),” he said.
Minister Ziyambi said Government ministries were empowered to make public pronouncements on issues related to their portfolios.
“As for me, I can only speak on Government policies when I am in this House (as Leader of Government Business in the House) but can’t do it when I am outside,” he said.
Meanwhile, Minister Ziyambi said the Government would soon launch an agency to deal with the drugs and substance abuse menace.
“This agency will be responsible for curbing the drug and substance abuse menace and also the rehabilitation of addicts. It will be a multi-stakeholder agency,” he said.
Minister Ziyambi said Cabinet had since approved the establishment of the agency following recommendations from the Ministerial Committee on drugs and substance abuse chaired by Defence Minister Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri.