Harare — The Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Local Government has pledged to support the enactment of the Engineering Council Bill into law saying the move would help regulate the engineering industry.

The Bill provides for the establishment of the Engineering Council of Zimbabwe, which shall be responsible for the registration of all engineers, engineering technicians and the regulation of their practice in Zimbabwe. The Bill also provides for the maintenance of high standards of professional service and conduct in the engineering profession by giving the council powers to caution, fine, suspend or strike off the register engineers and technicians for improper conduct or gross incompetence.

The committee pledged its support yesterday after it received oral evidence from the Zimbabwe Institution of Engineers. "It is an ideal Bill. We do not want to see bridges being destroyed or dam walls washed away during cyclones. "I personally welcome this Bill. Let us hope it goes through," said Glen View-Glen Norah-Highfield-Budiriro Senator, Cde Charles Tavengwa. Mbare MP Mr Gift Chimanikire (MDC) echoed the same sentiments. "As a committee, we will give the necessary support," he said.

Zanu-PF members of the House of Assembly Mr Faber Chidarikire (Chinhoyi), Mr Jaison Machaya (Gokwe-Kana) and MDC MP Mrs Editor Matamisa of Kadoma also supported the Bill. "We are fully supporting this Bill. I have no reservations at all," said Mrs Matamisa with Mr Chidarikire weighing in: "I have nothing against the Bill at all." "I would like to pledge my total support for this important Bill," said Cde Machaya.

The chairperson of the committee and Mazowe West Member of the House of Assembly, Cde Margaret Zinyemba, stressed that the signing of the Bill into law would help ensure regulation of the sector considering that there were some bogus people claiming to be engineers. In his evidence to the committee, the ZIE President Engineer Martin Manuhwa stressed that the enactment of the Bill into law would help deal with the issue of dubious engineers duping the society and the country.

"We have handled many cases of dubious engineers and so far we have been diplomatic with them. "The enactment of this Bill into law will give us the power to firmly deal with such cases," he said. Engineer Manuhwa revealed that the sector was experiencing a serious wave of brain drain and recommended better incentives for the professionals to arrest the problem. "We recommend that they be given a package of incentives. The loss to the country is tremendous and the retention of critical staff is essential," he added. A good number of engineers have been leaving the country in droves for South Africa where demand is high because of preparations for the 2010 soccer World Cup.

The ZIE has over 3 000 registered engineers scattered all over the world and of these the country has been left with only 600.