Staff Reporter
HARARE — President Emmerson Mnangagwa is expected to officially open the Fourth Session of the 10th Parliament and deliver the 2026 State of the Nation Address (SONA) at the New Parliament Building in Mt Hampden tomorrow.
The President will address a joint sitting of the Senate and National Assembly at 2pm, where he is expected to outline the Government’s legislative agenda for the new parliamentary session.
Speaker of the National Assembly, Advocate Jacob Mudenda, announced the event through General Notice 1866 of 2026, titled “Notice of Official Opening of Parliament and SONA”, which was published in the Government Gazette last Friday.
According to the notice, President Mnangagwa will address the joint sitting in terms of Section 140(1) of the Constitution and set out the Government’s legislative agenda for the Fourth Session of the 10th Parliament. He will also deliver the State of the Nation Address in terms of Section 140(4) of the Constitution.
The opening of the new session comes after Parliament completed its Third Session, during which legislators passed several Bills and considered reports from Parliamentary Portfolio Committees as part of their legislative and oversight functions.
Among the major developments during the previous session was the passage of Constitutional Amendment Act Number 3, which received support from members of both Zanu PF and the CCC. The legislation was supported by 226 members of the National Assembly, while 41 voted against it.
In the Senate, 75 members voted in favour of the legislation, while four voted against it.
Parliamentary Portfolio Committees also tabled 54 reports during the Third Session, including 16 reports covering quarterly budget performance by Government ministries, as well as reports arising from public petitions and other inquiries.
The legislature also passed seven other Bills dealing with areas including hosting of IATFCO entities, insurance and pensions, medical services, school examinations, tourism, occupational safety and health, and climate change management.
Another notable development during the Third Session was the launch of the Committee for the Future, which is tasked with anticipating emerging developments and helping the country prepare for future challenges.
President Mnangagwa’s address comes as Parliament begins a new legislative session and is expected to provide broad policy and legislative direction for the Government’s programme during the Fourth Session.
