The opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) views the impending Electoral Amendment Bill as unconstitutional, inadequate, anti-reform and meant to disqualify its candidates ahead of the elections this year.
In a statement, CCC spokesperson Fadzayi Mahere said the party demanded the voters’ roll, respect for voting rights and an end to political violence as prerequisites in the bill ahead of 2023 harmonised general elections.
Mahere said the proposed amendment requiring aspiring candidates to make solemn declarations that they have no conviction of at least 12 months prior to the election was meant to disqualify their leaders who would have been “facing targeted prosecutions and are victims of clear weaponization of the law”.
“This proposed amendment requires aspiring candidates to make solemn declarations that they have no conviction of at least 12 months prior to the election.
“This amendment is calculated to ensure our members who are facing targeted prosecutions and are victims of clear weaponization of the law to silence the opposition do not stand as candidates.
“This implied disqualification clause for Parliamentary candidates violates and is ultra vires the Constitution. The Constitution sets out the only competent grounds for disqualification of Members of Parliament in sections 121, 125 and 129. Crucially, there is no mention of disqualification due to prior conviction before tenure of office,” she said.
Mahere further alleged that the draft amendments had been forwarded to Zanu-PF to make sure the ruling party benefits from it.
“The draft amendments have been put forward by Zanu-PF to suit their ends with no public consultation whatsoever. The Electoral Reform Bill is designed to create the impression that electoral reforms are being implemented when in fact, the proposed amendments take away more than they give and seek to exclude effective political participation in the forthcoming elections by the CCC.
“Despite the constitutional obligation under s68 to consult the public when administrative action of this nature is undertaken, there is no record of public or stakeholder consultations in the lead up to the draft amendments.
“No meetings of political parties nor Civic Society Organizations were convened by either by ZEC or the Ministry of Justice to consider recommendations from stakeholders. Written submissions were not solicited either.
“An attempt has been made to belatedly stitch together electronic public hearings which are set to commence today. We take issue with this methodology as it excludes the majority of the population which do not have access to the internet and may not be able to participate in the radio hearings due to technical challenges or load shedding.
“The electronic hearings are also unconstitutional as they fail to facilitate comprehensive involvement and submissions from interested parties in legislative matters as required sections 68 and 141 of the Constitution,” read the statement.
The country is set to hold its harmonised general elections in five months time now.
The authors r mutsvagwa,cde binmaster & foolish ziyambi
Political persecution by Zanu pf…. they’re afraid of Job Job Wiwa Sikhala
Ma candidates haaperi vakawanda vafinhiwa ne ZANU PF, vamwe avo who have become career politicians ngavachiita assume advisory positions vambosiira vechidiki…we need new leaders with new ideas
Murume WeMunhu ofcoz new leaders with fresh ideas are needed but can we turn a blind to an unfair play which is spearheaded by ZANU PF
Mj Jnr one fundamental truth is that ZANU PF has and will never have fair play in its vocabulary, the record is there. It will do anything to retain power at all cost and will never listen to the voice of reason. There is no need to waste energy fighting its unfair play but rather countering it with new and innovative ways. Look at what happened with CCC, it was outsmarted and today its crying for structures to infiltrate and go back to its old tricks…new ideas new leaders new strategies thats how you defeat the old dinosaur
Mj Jnr no we can’t
Murume WeMunhu their noise about structures it’s also a sign of another defeat
In my humble opinion no persons with a first schedule criminal record should be a member of parliament… that is what applies to company directors so why not filthy politicians.
RT @NehandaRadio: ‘Electoral Amendment Bill targets disqualification of CCC candidates’ – Nehanda Radio – https://t.co/GUQpnWoqgr https://t…
RT @NehandaRadio: ‘Electoral Amendment Bill targets disqualification of CCC candidates’ – Nehanda Radio – https://t.co/GUQpnWoqgr https://t…
RT @NehandaRadio: ‘Electoral Amendment Bill targets disqualification of CCC candidates’ – Nehanda Radio – https://t.co/GUQpnWoqgr https://t…
‘Electoral Amendment Bill targets disqualification of CCC candidates’ – Nehanda Radio – https://t.co/GUQpnWoqgr https://t.co/rCowvSvv52
If its done across the board it should be welcomed nhaimi vanhu
Chris Chiwara obvious it’s targeting other political party u know the game
Your alarm Fadzai Mahere clearly shows that your party is also not clean. I thought you should be celebrating that at least we are now a step in the right direction to having men and women of integrity. I know somehow the play field is not even but your celebration would have send in a different meesage than what I am reading here.
The law is the law. This proposal is not uniqe to Zimbabwe alone, where aspiring candidates for political office not have been previously convicted of a criminal offence. We cannot elect convicts into office, those are the ramifications of crime…of whatever nature.
When justice is done it should not only be done but should be seen to be done. In a country not outside our borders it’s neither of the two!
This is bullshit