Opinion / Columnist
Zanu-PF has not achieved a 2/3 majority in Parliament
07 Feb 2024 at 14:16hrs | Views
As was universally predicted, the Saturday, 3rd February 2024, by-elections saw Zanu-PF Parliamentary and Local Authority Candidates walloping Tshabangu's CCC Candidates, together with candidates secretly sponsored by Chamisa (done to test the waters), but masquerading as Independents.
In the National Assembly, Zanu-PF won in all 6 contested Constituencies and 23 out of 26 Local Authority Ward By-Elections. The total composition of the National Assembly is 280, which includes 210 elected members, 60 Women's Quota, and 10 Youth Quota (see Section 124 of the National Constitution). In the 280-member National Assembly, Zanu-PF now commands 190, thereby achieving a clear 2/3 majority. A 2/3 majority threshold in the National Assembly is 186.6, let's say 187 to the nearest (I can't be bothered to search whether it will be 186 or 187 to the nearest. As they say, it's the same difference, whichever way you look at it, Zanu-PF exceeds the 2/3 majority threshold by 3-4 seats in the National Assembly). This means that Zanu-PF has exceeded the 2/3 majority threshold in the National Assembly by 3-4 seats.
Attaining a 2/3 majority in the National Assembly does not mean Zanu-PF has achieved a 2/3 majority in Parliament. Parliament is made up of 2 Houses: the National Assembly and the Senate.
As a matter of fact, Zanu-PF does not have a 2/3 majority in the Senate. The Senate, with a total membership of 80, is composed as follows: 32 Zanu-PF Senators, 16 Senator Chiefs, and 19 CCC Senators, with 9 vacancies to be filled in by the opposition.
A 2/3 majority threshold in the Senate is 53. So, with 32 seats in the Senate, Zanu-PF is way below the 2/3 majority threshold in the Senate.
The total constitutional composition of the Senate is 80, including 60 (6 from each of the 10 Provinces), 16 Chiefs (i.e., 2 from each of the 8 non-Metropolitan Provinces), and 2 (the President and Deputy President of the National Council of Chiefs), plus 2 representing persons with disabilities. Even if an assumption is made that on a given issue all 18 Chiefs support the position of the Ruling Party and decide to vote with Zanu-PF Senators, that too will not achieve a 2/3 majority for Zanu-PF, as this will still fall short of the 2/3 majority threshold in the Senate by 3-4.
To drive home the point I am making, Zanu-PF has not achieved a 2/3 majority in Parliament, contrary to what is being peddled on social media. To attain a 2/3 majority, a party must command a 2/3 majority in each of the 2 Houses of Parliament. To pass a Constitutional Bill a party requires the affirmative votes of 2/3 of the membership of each House (see Section 328(5) of the National Constitution).
Those who have eyes, let them "eye," and those who have ears, let them "ear." Nokuti hatigoni kurega kutaura zvatakaona nezvotakanzwa
In the National Assembly, Zanu-PF won in all 6 contested Constituencies and 23 out of 26 Local Authority Ward By-Elections. The total composition of the National Assembly is 280, which includes 210 elected members, 60 Women's Quota, and 10 Youth Quota (see Section 124 of the National Constitution). In the 280-member National Assembly, Zanu-PF now commands 190, thereby achieving a clear 2/3 majority. A 2/3 majority threshold in the National Assembly is 186.6, let's say 187 to the nearest (I can't be bothered to search whether it will be 186 or 187 to the nearest. As they say, it's the same difference, whichever way you look at it, Zanu-PF exceeds the 2/3 majority threshold by 3-4 seats in the National Assembly). This means that Zanu-PF has exceeded the 2/3 majority threshold in the National Assembly by 3-4 seats.
Attaining a 2/3 majority in the National Assembly does not mean Zanu-PF has achieved a 2/3 majority in Parliament. Parliament is made up of 2 Houses: the National Assembly and the Senate.
As a matter of fact, Zanu-PF does not have a 2/3 majority in the Senate. The Senate, with a total membership of 80, is composed as follows: 32 Zanu-PF Senators, 16 Senator Chiefs, and 19 CCC Senators, with 9 vacancies to be filled in by the opposition.
A 2/3 majority threshold in the Senate is 53. So, with 32 seats in the Senate, Zanu-PF is way below the 2/3 majority threshold in the Senate.
The total constitutional composition of the Senate is 80, including 60 (6 from each of the 10 Provinces), 16 Chiefs (i.e., 2 from each of the 8 non-Metropolitan Provinces), and 2 (the President and Deputy President of the National Council of Chiefs), plus 2 representing persons with disabilities. Even if an assumption is made that on a given issue all 18 Chiefs support the position of the Ruling Party and decide to vote with Zanu-PF Senators, that too will not achieve a 2/3 majority for Zanu-PF, as this will still fall short of the 2/3 majority threshold in the Senate by 3-4.
To drive home the point I am making, Zanu-PF has not achieved a 2/3 majority in Parliament, contrary to what is being peddled on social media. To attain a 2/3 majority, a party must command a 2/3 majority in each of the 2 Houses of Parliament. To pass a Constitutional Bill a party requires the affirmative votes of 2/3 of the membership of each House (see Section 328(5) of the National Constitution).
Those who have eyes, let them "eye," and those who have ears, let them "ear." Nokuti hatigoni kurega kutaura zvatakaona nezvotakanzwa
Source - @ChinamasaPA
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