POLITICAL parties affiliated to President Emmerson
Mnangagwa’s Political Actors Dialogue (Polad) yesterday rejected the proposed
constitutional amendments, saying it was “too premature for the government to
publish a Constitutional Amendment Bill.”
Constitutional law expert and Polad member Lovemore Madhuku
said a special subcommittee tasked to analyse the Bill had observed that most
of its provisions were unacceptable.
“We have taken a two-stage approach and we are calling on
the government to withdraw the Constitutional Bill in Parliament and this is
what we are going to be recommending to our plenary,” said Madhuku, who heads
the opposition National Constitutional Assembly (NCA).
“We are saying it is too premature for the government to
publish a Constitutional Amendment Bill. As Polad we have to discuss what are
our electoral challenges, political challenges, and constitutional challenges
ahead of 2023 election on the reforms that we wish to have undertaken.”
“The question is why are you rushing for the removal of the
running mate when the elections are in 2023. As Polad we also really want the
electoral laws amended in a number of areas to create a free and fair
election,” said Madhuku.
“What we did is we went into that Bill clause by clause and
some things would be acceptable while some are not acceptable. We looked if
there were good ideas in the Bill and on balance we found that most of the
things are not acceptable and we completely rejected the Bill.”
“Even if the government decides to go ahead with the
amendment, we will fight on the provisions relating to the Judiciary, it’s a
unanimous position again. Judges must retire at 70 mandatory and as a subcommittee
we have said judges must retire at 70.”
Madhuku said on matters relating to gender equality in
Parliament they had reached an agreement of 50/50.
“The point that must be clear is that the Polad
subcommittee has not endorsed the Constitutional Amendment Bill. We are not
going to accept the Constitutional Amendment Bill and that we can assure you,”
he said. Newsday
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