admin
Ivan Zhakata Herald Correspondent
The country is this year celebrating the 11th anniversary of the homegrown Zimbabwean Constitution.
The major political parties at the time, in consultation with the people of Zimbabwe, came together to draft the 2013 Constitution which was subsequently approved in the referendum of 16 March, 2013.
The Constitution was approved by Parliament on May 9, 2013, and the then President Robert Mugabe gave it his assent on May 22, 2013, to replace the Lancaster House Constitution.
The British essentially imposed the Lancaster House Constitution upon the country in 1979 at the Lancaster House Conference that led to the attainment of Independence in 1980.
In a statement, the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission (ZHRC) applauded the Government of Zimbabwe for commendable progress in the implementation of the provisions of the Constitution.
“ZHRC notes that the broadened scope of rights in the Constitution has over the years facilitated domestication of provisions in many international and regional instruments and that, coupled with progress made in alignment of national laws to the Constitution has provided a solid legal basis for the promotion and protection of human rights,” reads a statement from ZHRC.
“However, alignment of laws to the Constitution, review of laws and enactment of new laws in line with the new Constitution is still work in progress and there is need to speed up the process. A key positive feature of the Constitution celebrated is the inclusion of socio-economic rights as justiciable rights, thereby obligating the State to take progressive steps to fulfil them.”
The Commission said there is still a need to ensure that the positive effects of development programmes filter down to the ordinary people in both urban and rural areas.
“In this regard, the State needs to enhance its resource capacity to deliver basic services, ensure availability of basic commodities at affordable prices, cushion and protect the rights of pensioners.”
Online Reporter