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Presidential term limits agreed but Mugabe not affected
31 Mar 2012 at 03:41hrs | Views
ZANU-PF and the two formations of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) have agreed on Presidential term limits in the new constitution whose referendum is now slated for September.
If adopted, a President would now be restricted to two successive terms of five years each.
President Robert Mugabe, who has been in power for the past 32 years, will not be affected by the new clause as he seeks another term in the next polls, as the term limits would not be applied in retrospect.
Douglas Mwonzora, one of the three co-chairpersons of the Parliamentary Constitution Select Committee (COPAC), confirmed the agreement on the term limits and that it will not affect President Mugabe.
"It will not affect the incumbent (President Mugabe) because it does not work in retrospect. This was the main fear of ZANU-PF. That is why it was resisting the clause," said Mwonzora.
The appointment of service chiefs, under the proposed new constitution, would no longer be done by the President, but an appropriate service commission.
Parliament, according to the draft, will appoint the service chiefs who would serve a maximum of 10 years.
According to COPAC sources, there is an agreement that anyone who commits an offence under a State of Emergence, would be prosecutable under the new supreme law of the country.
There is also agreement on the establishment of a Constitutional Court whose judges would remain in office for a maximum of 15 years.
Devolution of power has been partially completed as the three parties agreed that the majority of the people want it. A three-tier system has been agreed upon that would consist of central, provincial and local government.
However, there is yet to be a structure of the devolved state of the provincial government.
It has also been agreed that the House of Assembly should have 250 members. ZANU-PF is said to have been pushing for 300 members.
It has been partially agreed that the Senate should consist of 10 traditional chiefs against the present 18. Chiefs have been given judiciary powers, but at community level.
Sources indicated that while there are "encouraging" agreements between ZANU-PF and the two MDC formations, certain outstanding issues in the draft constitution remained such as dual citizenship, certain aspects on land and the post of Prime Minister. But these are expected to be ironed out before the Second All-Stakeholders' Conference to be held in due course.
If adopted, a President would now be restricted to two successive terms of five years each.
President Robert Mugabe, who has been in power for the past 32 years, will not be affected by the new clause as he seeks another term in the next polls, as the term limits would not be applied in retrospect.
Douglas Mwonzora, one of the three co-chairpersons of the Parliamentary Constitution Select Committee (COPAC), confirmed the agreement on the term limits and that it will not affect President Mugabe.
"It will not affect the incumbent (President Mugabe) because it does not work in retrospect. This was the main fear of ZANU-PF. That is why it was resisting the clause," said Mwonzora.
The appointment of service chiefs, under the proposed new constitution, would no longer be done by the President, but an appropriate service commission.
Parliament, according to the draft, will appoint the service chiefs who would serve a maximum of 10 years.
There is also agreement on the establishment of a Constitutional Court whose judges would remain in office for a maximum of 15 years.
Devolution of power has been partially completed as the three parties agreed that the majority of the people want it. A three-tier system has been agreed upon that would consist of central, provincial and local government.
However, there is yet to be a structure of the devolved state of the provincial government.
It has also been agreed that the House of Assembly should have 250 members. ZANU-PF is said to have been pushing for 300 members.
It has been partially agreed that the Senate should consist of 10 traditional chiefs against the present 18. Chiefs have been given judiciary powers, but at community level.
Sources indicated that while there are "encouraging" agreements between ZANU-PF and the two MDC formations, certain outstanding issues in the draft constitution remained such as dual citizenship, certain aspects on land and the post of Prime Minister. But these are expected to be ironed out before the Second All-Stakeholders' Conference to be held in due course.
Source - Fingaz
