News / National
Zimbabwe MPs gang up against Mugabe
02 Oct 2015 at 06:33hrs | Views
LEGISLATORS from across the political divide on Thursday unanimously rejected President Robert Mugabe's bid to introduce Statutory Instrument (SI) 77 of 2015 to enable him to invoke Presidential Powers and force government to take over Premier Service Medical Aid Society's (PSMAS) $144 million debt.
The MPs argued it was unconstitutional for the government to assume a private entity's debts.
This was after Parliamentary Legal Committee (PLC) chairperson, Jonathan Samukange had issued an adverse report on SI No 77 of 2015 (Presidential Powers) Application of (Chapter 8:14) to Premier Medical Aid Society Regulations, 2015, saying taking over the debts of a private entity was ultra vires (against) the Constitution and the State Liabilities Act. On July 16, Mugabe gazetted the SI which prohibits issuance of attachment orders on State property.
He invoked his Presidential Powers to protect PSMAS properties from being attached by service providers over the debt.
The MPs argued it was unconstitutional for the government to assume a private entity's debts.
He invoked his Presidential Powers to protect PSMAS properties from being attached by service providers over the debt.
Source - newsday
