MDC-T says horrified by Zanu (PF) attempts to overhaul constitution

via MDC-T says horrified by Zanu (PF) attempts to overhaul constitution – The Zimbabwean 9 March 2015

MDC-T says it is startled by recent threats by Zanu (PF) reported in the media that it would use its parliamentary majority to overhaul the constitution that was adopted in 2013 after a national referendum.

The ruling party indicated that it would leave intact only the first four chapters of the constitution that deal with founding principles.

The overhaul, claimed Zanu (PF), would be necessary to cut expenditure on arms of government such as parliament and statutory commissions.

“The MDC-T is horrified by the a press report of the devious and evil plan hatched by Zanu (PF) political party to abuse its ill-gotten majority in Parliament to overthrow the Constitution of Zimbabwe assented to only on May 22 2013 and yet to be implemented,” said the opposition party in a statement by Jessie Majome, its justice secretary.

“Such a threat to revoke all but the first four chapters of the Constitution , or any part of it before it is implemented, is a full frontal attack on the people of Zimbabwe who approved of the Constitution by a landslide world record 94 percent “yes” vote , in the referendum of March 16 2013,” said MDC-T.

The party urged Zanu (PF) to respect the will of the people from who it derived its authority to rule.

MDC-T acknowledged that parliament, which is among the biggest on the continent compared with countries with far larger populations, was bloated, but said that must not be used as an excuse for government failure to raise adequate revenue.

“Reducing the size of parliament will not exonerate Zanu (PF) from dealing with the economic fundamentals needed to instill confidence in the economy which is impossible as long as the present tired, overstayed and failed leadership of Zanu (PF) in toto continues to misrule Zimbabwe,” said MDC-T.

It urged the ruling party to reduce its cabinet from 71 ministers by also abolishing the post of provincial minister as a cost cutting measure, and remove ghost workers from its payroll.

MDC-T said government must also reduce military recruitment and limit foreign travel expenses, in addition to plugging abuse of expenditure by adhering to the auditor general’s recommendations and the elimination of corruption.

“The MDC T demands that the government publishes the comparative costs of all the above items of its expenditure and the cost of parliamentary seats so that the public can decide for itself how government expenditure can best be cut,” added the opposition party.

It said commissions must not be removed as they were the “only means the long suffering masses have of venting their voice against the Zanu (PF) government’s abuse of power.”

It accused Zanu (PF) of an attempt to avoid scrutiny its human rights records by removing the peace and reconciliation commission.

“The MDC-T finds this threat to change the composition of Parliament as sabotage of gender balance in Parliament as the temporary 60 proportional representation seats for women in the National Assembly will in any event fall away in 2023.

“The MDC-T condemns Zanu (PF)’s failure and refusal to entrench gender balance mechanisms among other pro democracy electoral reforms in the recent Electoral Amendment Bill, which would eliminate the need for ‘extra’ seats for women,” charged the opposition party.