Opposition MDC has joined a chorus of various groups who have raised alarm over the proposed constitutional amendments.
A statement by MDC Secretary for Constitutional and Parliamentary Affairs, Kucaca Phulu said they are strongly opposed to the amendments.
“The MDC is strongly opposed to the amendments since they are by and large a mere mutilation and an unjustifiable attack by the regime on an inclusive Constitution which represents fully, the varied political will of the people of Zimbabwe,” said Phulu
He said the amendments were a reversal of the 2013 Constitution as well as abuse of the Parliamentary majority.
“By so doing, the regime seeks to reverse the democratic gains of the 2013 Constitution by abusing its Parliamentary Majority to steam-roll the horrendous defacement of our people’s Constitution.
“Of particular concern to the MDC are the proposed amendments which seek at their core, to unbridled key judicial and electoral safeguards as well as the integrity of important constitutional on institutions,” he said.
Phulu said the proposed amendments which will give the President power to appoint judges and prosecutor general without public interviews is a clear lack of transparency.
“As such, what is clear therefore is that the regime’s motivation for this lack of transparency is merely to place political puppets at the helm of our judiciary.
“Secondly, the proposed amendments de-couples ZEC’s delimitation function from the population census held every 10 years. The MDC believes that the present clauses on delimitation are progressive and that the regime’s attempt to amend them is mischievous and show its lack of commitment to real electoral reform,” said Phulu.
He said the removal of an elected Vice President as a running mate makes it quite clear that the motive of the raft of amendments is personal aggrandizement and the consolidation of internal factional politics by Emmerson Mnangagwa and nothing more. It stems from his illegitimate reign.
Speaking on behald of POLAD, Professor Lovemore Madhuku said they have advised government to withdraw the bill and allow citizens to input into constitutional changes they wanted effected.
