Zimbabwe’s lawmakers remain divided along party lines over the amendment a section of the Constitution in a bid to extend President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s stay in office.
Debate on the Constitutional Amendment Bill Number Three has entered a third week in Parliament.
The heated discussions have also exposed deep divisions within the opposition, Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC). Those opposing the Bill have argued that the proposed changes undermine democratic principles.
CCC member of Zimbabwe Parliament, Joana Mamombe says, “The legislative authority that we enjoy today is derived from the people. Parliament is therefore not a master of the constitution, but parliament is a servant of this very constitution. Madam speaker, this bill when read as a war does not merely make technical changes, it forms a coherent scheme that weakens the electoral accountability, reduces citizens’ participation and consolidates power in the executives.”
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