Our Constitution

NKONE CATTLE BREEDERS SOCIETY OF ZIMBABWE

CONSTITUTION AND BYE-LAWS 2023

AMENDED AND UPDATED FROM THE NGUNI CATTLE SOCIETY OF ZIMBABWE CONSTITUTION AND BYE-LAWS 1999

1. NAME:

The name of the organisation shall be “The Nkone Cattle Breeders Society of Zimbabwe.” Hereinafter referred to as “The Nkone Cattle Society.”

1. CONSTITUTION:

1. Subject to the rules regulating membership, any farmer owning Nkone cattle, or in the case of a company, the duly appointed representative, shall be eligible for full Membership, provided his/her application for membership is accepted by the Executive Council.

1. Application for membership shall be made to the Secretary of the Society and will be subject to approval by the Council. The Council may admit a member on such conditions as it may determine or refuse admission to membership without giving a reason for such refusal. 

1. All members shall undertake to abide by the Rules and Regulations of the Society. 

Subject to the provisions of the above, there will be the following classes of membership. 

1. ORDINARY MEMBERS

 Application for membership of a company or partnership shall, as in the case of persons, be eligible for membership of this Society. A company or partnership making application for membership shall, in addition to the requirements imposed on all members, furnish the Society with the name and address of the person appointed by it to act as its representative at meetings of the Society. 

1. HONORARY MEMBERS 

Any Body or Institution interested in the affairs of the Society may be elected as an Honorary member of the Society with the approval of the Executive Council. 

1. HONORARY LIFE MEMBERS AND HONORARY VICE PRESIDENTS

 Any person who has performed exceptional and meritorious work on behalf of the Society may be elected by a majority vote at any general meeting of the Society, and if so elected shall enjoy all the benefits, privileges, and advantages of an ordinary member of the Society, including election to the Executive Council with voting rights, but shall not be required to pay any subscription or entrance fees whatsoever to the Society.

1. ASSOCIATE AND JUNIOR MEMBERS

Any person or company interested in Nkone cattle, whether or not by virtue of ownership, may become an Associate Member, or if under the age of eighteen years, a Junior Member, subject to the approval of the Executive Council. Associate Members may be elected to the Executive Council and vote on the business affairs of The Society and may participate in its affairs at the discretion of the Executive Council. Junior Membership is open to all persons under the age of eighteen years.

Members shall be further classified by the number of animals registered with ZHB, as follows: 

1. i) Ordinary Member: 0 Animals 
2. ii) Small Breeder: 1-50 Animals 

iii) Medium Breeder: 51-100 Animals 

1. iv) Large Breeder: 100+ Animals.
2. OBJECTS:

The objects of the Society shall be:

1. To encourage breeding of Nkone cattle, maintain the purity of the breed and to promote, generally, the interests of the Nkone breed.

1. To review the breed standards from time to time and to make any necessary amendments to the breed criteria.

1. To encourage the use of the Nkone breed for up-grading and crossing purposes.

1. To promote the exhibition of Nkone cattle, disseminate information on Nkone cattle and their crosses at shows and slaughter competitions; to assist Show Societies by nominating judges approved by the Society and to advertise the merits of the breed by means of performance testing and production data.

1. To promote the re-establishment of Nkone cattle among the Communal and Small-Scale farming sectors and the Commercial sector. To make optimum use of original bloodlines in the Communal sector.

1. To purchase, hire, take on lease, or acquire for the purpose of the Society, building, lands goods, chattels, and effects, and to sell, let, or otherwise dispose of same.

1. To receive subscriptions, donations and other funds and use these for the purposes of the Society.
2. To provide members and the public with information on breeding and management of Nkone cattle through literature and field days.

1. SUBSCRIPTIONS

1. All fees and classes of membership shall be laid down by Council and ratified by an Annual General Meeting and must be paid on due date.
2. Any member whose subscription is in arrears on 31st December shall. At the discretion of the Executive Council, cease to be a member of the Society.

1. MANAGEMENT:

1. The management of the Society shall be vested in an Executive Council, which shall have the power and authority to carry out the aims of the Society and perform such functions as may be necessary for the implementation of the Constitution and Bye Laws.

1. The Executive Council shall consist of not less than three (3) nor more than five (5) elected members, including the Chairman and Vice-Chairman. A Secretary and Treasurer shall be appointed by the Executive Council and shall not be entitled to vote unless elected by members of Council. The office of the Secretary and Treasurer may be held by the same individual. Non-elected Breed Inspectors shall be ex-officio members of the Council.

1. The Executive Council is empowered to co-opt members who need not be Society members, subject to confirmation at subsequent Annual General Meetings.

1. The Chairman, who shall have a casting vote, and two members shall form a quorum at any meeting of the Executive Council. In the absence of both the Chairman and Vice-Chairman, a Chairman shall be appointed for the meeting by the members present.

1. One member of the Executive Council shall retire at each Annual General Meeting but shall be eligible for re-election. Initially, the order for retirement of members shall be decided by ballot and thereafter in rotation.

1. Meetings of the Executive Council shall be held at such places as the Council shall determine. Fourteen days clear notice shall be given of these meetings.

1. Any Executive Council member who fails without leave of absence to attend three consecutive meetings shall be removed from the Council automatically, and the Council shall have power to appoint an alternate to fill the vacancy until the next Annual General Meeting of the Society.

POWERS OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL:

The Executive Council shall have the following powers:

1. To make, alter, or rescind Bye Laws for the management of the affairs of the Society. 

1. To appoint a Secretary and Treasurer and such other officials as may be necessary for carrying out the work of the Society and arrange for the renumeration (if any) of such officials.

1. To appoint Sub-committees to deal with any branch of the Society’s work. 

1. Generally, to do such as is necessary for the welfare of the Society and the conduct of its affairs, provided that any action taken shall not be inconsistent with the Constitution and Bye Laws.
2. To appoint people to be breed inspectors and to act as breed judges where necessary.

RECORDS.

The Secretary shall maintain records of proceedings of all meetings of the Society and its Council. The Secretary shall keep a register of members. The secretary shall keep and ensure the safe keeping of Society historical records and documents. The Treasurer shall keep a record of receipts and expenditure.

MEETINGS.

1. An Annual General Meeting of the Nkone Cattle Breeders Society of Zimbabwe shall be held each year and shall be convened at the instance of the Chairman, in his absence by the Vice- Chairman, or the official acting as such, and by giving 30 days’ notice in writing to each member.

1. At the Annual General Meeting the Chairman shall submit a report, and the Treasurer, a statement covering the past financial year. New members of the Executive Council shall be elected by ballot. The Annual General Meeting will elect the Chairman and Vice-Chairman.

1. Special General Meetings of members may be convened in the same manner as the Annual General Meeting. The business of the meeting shall be stated in the notice convening it and no other business shall be discussed. A Special General Meeting shall also be called at any time on written request by not less than one fourth of the total members of the Society.

1. At any General Meeting, five or one fourth of the registered members, whichever is the lessor, shall form a quorum.

1. All matters relating to the Constitution and Bye Laws brought before any properly constituted meeting [see (d)] shall be decided by a majority vote of at least two thirds of the members present, in person or by proxy, provided due notice of the resolution has been given. Where a simple majority is required, the Chairman of the meeting shall have a second or casting vote in addition to his vote as a member.

1. Fully paid-up members of the Society shall be entitled to vote at any Annual General Meeting if eligible.

1. Votes may be registered by proxy. The instrument appointing a proxy shall be in writing under the hand of the appointer and must be filed with the Secretary prior to the specific meeting. No person shall be appointed a proxy who is not a fully paid-up member of the Society.

1. VOTING 

All questions and matters brought before any general meeting shall be decided by a majority of the 

votes of the members actually present, and in the case of an equality of votes, the Chairman of the 

meeting shall have a second or casting vote in addition to his vote as a member. 

Votes to members will be allocated (Or weighted) according to the below listed criteria: 

1. i) Ordinary Member: 0 vote    (0 Animals)
2. ii) Small Breeder: 1 vote         (1-50 Animals)

iii) Medium Breeder: 2 votes  (51-100 Animals)

1. iv) Large Breeder: 3 votes      (100+ Animals)
2. v) Committee Member: 1 extra vote above his or her allocation

 

9. FINANCE.

All monies received on behalf of the Society shall be deposited in a bank, building society, Post Office Savings Bank, or other suitable depository, to be chosen by the Executive Council. All drawings on the Society’s account for payment of administration or other authorized expenses shall be signed for by signatories nominated by the Executive Council.

The funds of the Society shall be applied in operation of the Society’s business or objectives as set forth above.

The accounts of the Society should be made up to the 31st December of each year and shall be checked by a person appointed by the Executive Council.

10. AFFILIATION

The Society shall be a member of the Zimbabwe Herd Book in terms of the Registration of Pedigree Livestock Act 2001 and shall represent the breeders of Nkone cattle.

At an Annual General Meeting of the Society, the members shall elect a representative and an alternate to serve on the Council of the Zimbabwe Herd Book.

11. AMENDMENT OF CONSTITUTION AND BYE LAWS

The Constitution of the Society shall not be altered or amended in any manner whatsoever, except at an Annual General or a Special General Meeting. The particulars of any proposed alteration, addition or amendment shall be despatched to all members of the Society 30 days in advance of the meeting.

Such alteration, addition or amendment shall be considered to have been passed when two thirds of the members present in person or by proxy and voting at the meeting are in agreement and when it has been approved by the Zimbabwe Herd Book.

The Executive Council may, however, from time to time, frame Bye Laws of an administrative or technical nature and put same into effect without reference to a General Meeting, but such Bye Laws shall be subject to review at the next Annual General Meeting.

12. REGISTRATION OF STOCK:

(a) The Society shall provide for the registration of Nkone Cattle through the Zimbabwe Herd Book.

(b)  The Council has the right to accept or reject any application for registration in any of its Registers and its decision thereon shall be final.

(c) Any person having cattle entered or registered in the Zimbabwe Herd Book shall keep a proper record of such cattle and of their progeny.