Parliament tables draft

delays.

This comes as chief whips of the three political parties represented in Parliament say they expect legislators from their parties not to delay the Bill when debating it as the country gears for harmonised elections ahead of the expiry of the life of the Seventh Parliament next month.

Zimbabweans overwhelmingly endorsed the draft Constitution at the referendum two months ago, which makes debate in Parliament a mere academic exercise as legislators cannot alter what was accepted by their constituents.

Copac co-chairperson Cde Munyaradzi Paul Mangwana (Zanu-PF) last night said all was set for the introduction of the Bill this afternoon.

“The Minister (of Constitutional and Parliamentary Affairs-Eric Matinenga) will tomorrow at 2pm introduce the Bill in the House of Assembly for its first reading,” he said after the constitution management committee meeting last night.

“The minister has confirmed at our meeting that he will be introducing it. The meeting was also winding up on the Constitution-making process and to receive our final report.”

His MDC counterpart Mr Edward Mkhosi (MDC) concurred.
“We had a meeting just now (last night) as the management committee and the minister has just confirmed that he will be introducing it tomorrow. We expect the Bill to go through both houses smoothly. We should be able to conclude it in the Lower House (House of Assembly) by Thursday and then in the Upper House (Senate) next week,” he said.

Mr Mkhosi, who is also the MDC chief whip, said they did not expect legislators to delay the Bill when debating it, adding that they were expected to pass it because the people already endorsed the draft Constitution at the referendum.

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Zanu-PF chief whip Cde Jorum Gumbo said all legislators were expected to pass the Bill without delay.
“This Constitution has already been passed by the people when they voted for it at the referendum.

Therefore we expect all the MPs across the political divide to pass it smoothly and urgently. All the parties in Parliament have already agreed to the draft so if there are any MPs from whichever political party who try to delay the process unnecessarily then we will know that they want us to revert to the Lancaster House Constitution.

“The MPs may debate and air their views, but they cannot change anything in that draft,” said Cde Gumbo.

His MDC-T counterpart, Mr Innocent Gonese added: “We are anticipating the introduction of the Bill tomorrow and we expect legislators to support it. As for my party, we have been supporting this Bill all along so we do not expect our legislators to go against the party.”

The draft Constitution became a Constitutional Bill after the President gazetted it on March 28 and it lasted the statutory 30-day period before its scheduled debate beginning today in Parliament.

If both Houses pass the Bill, as is expected, the Bill will then be sent to President Mugabe for his assent.

After the assent, the Bill will become law after it has been gazetted paving way for the President to proclaim the date for the harmonised elections.