Zimbabweans reject proposed constitution amendments

Zimbabweans countrywide are resoundingly rejecting proposed constitutional amendments that seek to give the executive more powers.

During public hearings, the parliamentary portfolio committee on justice, legal and parliamentary affairs has been told  the motion by the Zanu-PF government “seeks to assault and undermine people’s rights”.

One participant in Bulawayo accused the government of trying to create a “bigger monster” than late former president Robert Mugabe had because the amendments aid President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s “stranglehold on power.”

“Doing away with the running mate clause before it takes effect in 2023 is scandalous. We will have a situation where the president does as he pleases,” said one attendant.

Repealing the running mate clause would mean the president will have authority to appoint vice-presidents instead of them being voted for. As such, they would serve at his mercy.

Analysts said this is primarily designed to deal with Zanu-PF’s internal power fissures so that just like he was fired by Mugabe before the coup, Mnangagwa can fire a vice- president he deems ambitious.

Civic society groups and academics led from the front, arguing that if Amendment No 2 sailed through it would undermine principles of separation of power, accountability and democracy.

In Mutare, James Mupfumi from the Centre for Research and Development, said it did not make sense to amend a relatively new constitution adopted in 2013 when many laws were yet to be aligned to it.

Other sticking issues people spoke against were the attempt to limit parliament’s power to approve international treaties and giving the president power to appoint high court judges without public interviews.

The hearings are being held during the Covid-19 lockdown and there is a limit on the number of attendees.

The MDC Alliance said the government opted to do so because it doesn’t want resistance from public submissions.

“The lockdown remains at level 2. It is yet to be lifted. This means freedom of assembly is greatly curtailed. The decision to fast track the public hearings process means   most people will not be able to attend the public hearings and make their voices heard due to restrictions on movement as well as restrictions on those who can attend,” MDC spokesperson Fadzayi Mahere told journalists.