Mugabe's critics demand new constitution

Mugabe's critics demand new constitution

• Alex Magaisa: Constitutional amendment spells doom for economy

• Zimbabwe senate will last only 5 years

• Moyo fights senate constitutional amendment

By Staff Reporter

CRITICS of Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe slammed his government's proposed constitutional amendments on Thursday and instead called for a new constitution.

Mugabe's ruling ZANU-PF took a two thirds majority in March parliamentary elections -- described as neither free nor fair by the opposition and western nations -- and is using this to introduce a raft of changes to the constitution.

The amendments include barring individuals whose land has been seized from making a court challenge except on the amount of compensation, the introduction of a senate and the imposition of travel restrictions on Zimbabweans suspected of "engaging in terrorist training abroad".

"What Zimbabweans want now is a new constitution, not piecemeal amendments," opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) shadow secretary for agriculture Renson Gasela told a poorly attended parliamentary committee hearing on proposed changes.

He did not say what the MDC wanted to see in a new constitution. In the past it has called for a president to be limited to two terms in office and for any senate to be elected by proportional representation to avoid it being filled with Mugabe's appointees.

In 2000, the MDC helped defeat Mugabe in a nationwide referendum on a new constitution, but he does not need a referendum to introduce amendments to the original document.

Gasela said the new changes to the land law would further hit investment in the country's key agriculture sector, already suffering the effects of the government's seizure of thousands of white-owned farms for redistribution to landless blacks.

White farmers have mounted several court challenges, most of which are still to be resolved.

Critics say Mugabe's proposed 66-member Senate would cost money Zimbabwe cannot afford after six years of recession and would be used to accommodate ZANU-PF politicians.

"The sinister purposes of the Bill are to re-introduce a Senate which will accommodate Mugabe's cronies ... to shamelessly whittle down an already emaciated declaration of rights by attacking the judiciary, and limiting freedoms of movement and rights to own property," pressure group National Consitutional Assembly (NCA) said in a statement.

Police in central Harare stopped and picked up NCA activists demonstrating against the proposed constitutional amendments. There was no immediate information on the number of people arrested - Reuters
JOIN THE DEBATE ON THIS ARTICLE ON THE NEWZIMBABWE.COM FORUMS
debate@newzimbabwe.com