POLITICAL Actors Dialogue (Polad) members have endorsed the
proposed constitutional amendments that were gazetted recently but appealed to
Government not to fast-track the process.
Polad consists of political parties that participated in
the 2018 harmonised elections, minus MDC Alliance which has chosen to stay
away.
Polad’s subcommittee on governance and legislative reforms
met in Bulawayo yesterday to deliberate on the proposed constitutional
amendments.
Constitutional lawyer and National Constitutional Assembly
president, Professor Lovemore Madhuku chairs the subcommittee.
The deliberations by the members touched on several clauses
that include the proposed removal of the Presidential running mate clause,
increase in the number of non-constituency MPs who can be appointed Cabinet
ministers and extension of the women’s quota beyond 2023 elections.
Polad members said in principle they agree that the
Constitution should be amended with respect to identified clauses, although
some areas need fine-tuning.
Prof Madhuku said the Presidential running mate clause was
dangerous as it could lead to the running mate plotting against a sitting
President for political expediency.
“There were people
who were feeling that clause is a dangerous clause as a person who is a running
mate and waiting to become President may actually harm the existing President.
It creates instability, because if you know that I’m going to be the next President
and it’s guaranteed by the Constitution it tends to create problems,” said Prof
Madhuku.
He said Parliament should be the one which elects an
individual to succeed a President in case the incumbent dies or resigns as
opposed to the existing system where a political party selects who should be
seconded to the top post.
MDC-T Bulawayo Proportional Representation MP Mrs Priscilla
Misihairabwi-Mushonga said the subcommittee’s technical team also supports the
proposal to increase the number of non-elected Cabinet ministers.
She said while the proposed constitutional amendments give
the President the power to appoint seven unelected individuals into Cabinet
instead of five as is the case now, they suggested that the number be increased
to eight or more.
Mrs Misihairabwi-Mushonga said the proposed Constitutional
changes should be biased towards the inclusion of women and the youth
ministers.
“We are just agreeing in principle but we will get good
drafters who will draft it in a manner that the aspect of young people would be
included and that it is not just aspirational but is actually in the context
that they are included. In summary, we agree but we want gender representation
and we want youth representation,” she said.
During the deliberations some members said there should be
a cap on the number of people who will constitute the Cabinet.
Mrs Misihairabwi-Mushonga said Polad also agree that the
women’s quota system must be extended beyond 2023.
She said in extending the women’s quota system, Government
should consider including women who belong to independent parties as opposed to
the existing system where they are selected from political parties. Chronicle
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