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This follows the successful passage of the Bill in both the House of Assembly and the Senate this week bringing to an end Constitutional and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Eric Matinenga’s mandate in the Constitution-making process.
Minister Chinamasa told The Herald that he has since started incorporating provisions to do with elections into the Electoral Act ahead of polls.
“The remaining process is to effect the electoral provisions to do with the structures of the system for instance proportional representation, quota system and other electoral provisions.
“We have to provide those in the (Electoral) Act to align the process and I have already started the process.”
Minister Chinamasa said following the passage of the Bill by Parliament, it will be sent to President Mugabe for his assent.
“After the President has assented to the Bill, then there will be publication and it becomes law. After publication then we will align electoral laws to the new Constitution through a Bill (Electoral Amendment Act) that we are already working on,” he said.
Minister Chinamasa will take the Electoral Amendment Bill to Parliament where it will go through the lawmaking stages in both the House of Assembly and Senate before it is sent to President Mugabe for his assent.
He could not be drawn into disclosing the timeframes.
Efforts to get a comment from Clerk of Parliament, Mr Austin Zvoma were fruitless as he was said to be away on Parliamentary business.
Meanwhile, Mr Zvoma and University of Zimbabwe law lecturer, Professor Lovemore Madhuku told ZBC news last night that it was still feasible to hold elections on or before the expiry of the life of Parliament on June 29.
They scoffed at claims by MDC formations that more time was needed to inspect the voters’ roll and for registration, saying voter registration was an ongoing exercise and that the same people who voted in the referendum were the same that would vote in the general elections.
“It is still feasible (told hold elections by June 29), there is talk of ‘there is not enough time to inspect the voters’ roll.’ The voters are alive today, there are people who have registered and there are those who have not registered and they still have time to register, that is why registration is still on. They are the same people who voted at the referendum and most of them are the same people who voted in 2008. Those who were not qualified (in 2008) knew that when attaining the age of 18, they qualify to vote.
They should have then taken that opportunity to register as voters because registration of voters is never closed, it is always open. It is still feasible under the constitution,” said Mr Zvoma.
Prof Madhuku said the tenure of the inclusive Government was coming to an end on June 29 along with the life of the Seventh Parliament.
“The country must run in terms of a Government elected for a five-year term. The current Government has had its five-year term utilised and by the time that their term ends we must have elections,” said Prof Madhuku.
According to the law, once a Bill has been passed by Parliament in terms of the Constitution and the provisions of the Standing Orders and it is authenticated by the Clerk of Parliament, the Bill is then presented to the President for assent.
The President is required to assent to the Bill within 21 days or if he withholds his assent, he is supposed to return the Bill to Parliament.
But if the President has assented the Bill becomes law.
—Stages left—-
Parliament sends the Constitutional Bill to President Mugabe for his assent
President assent to the Bill
The Bill is published to become law
Justice and Legal Affairs Minister Chinamasa aligns the electoral provisions in the new constitution to the Electoral Act
The Electoral Amendment Act is brought to Parliament to go through both the House of Assembly and the Senate.
If Parliament passes the Bill, it is then taken to President Mugabe for assent.
The amended Electoral Act is then published and becomes effective.
Online Reporter