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Youth Perception on Implications of the Constitutional Amendment Bill No2 on elections now and the future.

by Fanuel Chinowaita
10 May 2021 at 07:20hrs | Views
Zanu pf Youths are totally happy on Constitutional Amendment Bill number 2, while MDC Alliance Youth are totally against the Amendment Bill number 2 for they say they create a one party state in Zimbabwe.
 
However, LEAD and MDC T Youths are on the centre as they support the other part of the Bill and denying the other part.

Ronald Makusha LEAD national youth SG , Tawanda Ndawe ZANUPF DCC secretary for science and technology, Ostallos Siziva MDC Alliance National Youth Assembly Secretary and  Notion MareMaremudze the National MDC T Secretary for Political Education were  brought on CODET whatsApp platform last week so that they speak their Party's position on Constitutional Amendment.

Tawanda Ndawe  Secretary for Science and Technology in the Zanu pf Mutare Dcc Elections said, "We as Zanu pf we describe the passage of this bill as historic. When you look at the vote that has happened, the majority of the women including those from the Mdc-T voted the bill.

"It is clear that they were voting for the women quota and youth quota.The amendment were a result of the realisation that the 2013 constitution had some errors that needed to be attended to. I'm  also elated that we can plan for the 2023 elections both as political parties and as Government.

Notion Maremudze the National MDC T Youth Secretary for Political Education, however accepts that their support the Amendment of the Constitutional Amendment Bill on woman empowerment.

He however contradicts himself on the issue Youth Parliamentarians. At first he said he supports the increment of Youth positions in partly from 0-10 but later on he said 10 is a small number .

"As party yes we do support some of the clauses though there are some we are not agreeing on, as youth we do support it due to the increment of youth positions in parly from 0-10 thats a great thing for the young people of Zimbabwe.

"We also agree on the issue of women quota extension since our mothers are back born of the country

"As youth wing we not satisfied about the position since 10 member is very little, youth constitute high rate of population in Zimbabwe other than anyone , so we thought they will increase the qouta to at least 25 than 10 that we have.

"We do support the Proposed bill coz of the following reasons, We are supporting the clause were women councilors will be given some more seats.

"We are supporting the clause which is extending pr for more 10 year as we are trying to capacitate our women

"However We are not supporting the clause which say that the president can appoint judges but it camehand in hand so it's a catch 22 one", said the MDC T National Secretary of Education in the Youth Assembly.

More so, LEAD youths have something in common with MDC T Youths. They have some clauses which they are supporting and some which they are not supporting

Ronald Makusha, National Secretary of LEAD Youths said, "LEAD as a Party does not wholely agree with the Amendment Bill No 2, there are some areas we agree, partly agree and disagree.

"On the Appointment of Senior Judges and all Judges in general, it is our view as Young LEAD to have an Independent Commission elected by members from various stakeholders and Registered political parties.

"However on the issue of the Chief Justice and senior Judges, the rightful candidates should be interviewed by Judicial Service Commission, pass through the Independent Commision mentioned earlier and then the President appoints 1 of 5 Judges topping the Interviews.

"On the extension of terms of service and retirement age of Judges, it is important to note that the Constitution suggests that those serving can not benefit from the amendment, However, the clause itself is a threat to democracy, indepence and sovereignity of Zimbabwe.

"The Constitution must not Prohibit those with 2/3 majority or a sitting  government to amend the Constitution inline with what is good for the Nation of Zimbabwe.

"The introduction of Public Protector is welcome.

"However, without an independent Commision from Political parties monitoring and giving input, there is room for abuse and failure to create proper implementation of the PP."

The MDC Alliance Youths totally rejects the Constitutional Amendment Bill number two. It's Youth Assembly Secretary Ostallos Siziva said, "We in the MDC Alliance youth Assembly believe that the proposed youth quota is insufficient to answer the representative question of young people in decision making platform. For the following reasons:

"We are the major demographic divident, parliament is full of gerontocrats and sleepiest as across political device who can't hold the executive (albeit full of ageist stuck in 'we fought for the country' dross) to account, Young people are the drivers of the democratization project post the liberation project and thus must be at the centre of law making and it is used as a trap to woodwind us into the grand agenda to amputate the constitution."

"The bill actually creates executive control and directly undermines the principle of separation of powers. Powers are given to Emmerson to have defecto and dejure control over the judiciary."

The Constitutional Amendment Bill number two sailed through in the Senate with the majority voting for in last week.


Source - Fanuel Chinowaita