Movement for Democratic Change senator Obert Gutu was elected chairman of the powerful Parliamentary Legal Committee. Four other seats of the five-member committee were divided evenly between the MDC and the Zimbabwe African National Union- Patriotic Front.
The Parliamentary Legal Committee is responsible for evaluating the constitutionality of all proposed legislation.
The chairmanships to the various parliamentary committees were allocated based on party. For example, if a ministry was led by ZANU-PF, the relevant committee was allocated to one of the two MDC formations.
Full cable:
Viewing cable 09HARARE281, ZIM PARLIAMENT PUTS IN PLACE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEES
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VZCZCXRO8647
OO RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHSB #0281/01 0931016
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 031016Z APR 09
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4322
INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AF DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE
RUEHAR/AMEMBASSY ACCRA 2753
RUEHDS/AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA 2875
RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN 1321
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 2140
RUEHDK/AMEMBASSY DAKAR 2496
RUEHKM/AMEMBASSY KAMPALA 2923
RUEHNR/AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 5364
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RUZEJAA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK
RHMFISS/EUCOM POLAD VAIHINGEN GE
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 2042
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 000281
SIPDIS
AF/S FOR B. WALCH
DRL FOR N. WILETT
ADDIS ABABA FOR USAU
ADDIS ABABA FOR ACSS
STATE PASS TO USAID FOR J. HARMON AND L. DOBBINS
STATE PASS TO NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR MICHELLE GAVIN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/03/2019
SUBJECT: ZIM PARLIAMENT PUTS IN PLACE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEES
Classified By: Ambassador James D. McGee for reason 1.4 (b) and (d)
——-
SUMMARY
——-
¶1. (SBU) Zimbabwe’s parliament finalized its committee
nomination process this week by announcing appointments to
the Parliamentary Legal Committee as well as to the 20
various portfolio committees. These bodies serve as
important mechanisms to evaluate the legality of proposed
legislation and to monitor executive policy decisions.
Committee nominations were made in keeping with party
representation, while taking relevant experience into
consideration.
¶2. (SBU) A snag was hit in determining who should chair
committees related to establishing a new constitution. MDC
MPs proposed that civil society should hold these positions,
while ZANU-PF MPs felt they should be filled by
parliamentarians. Both sides agreed to refer the decision to
party principals. END SUMMARY.
——————————–
Oversight Committees Established
——————————–
¶3. (SBU) Xolani Zitha, the director of the Speaker of the
House of Assembly’s (HOA) office, told poloff on March 31
that the HOA’s influential Standing Rules and Orders
Committee (SROC) met on March 30 and established nominees to
the Parliamentary Legal Committee (PLC) and the 20 various
parliamentary portfolio committees (PCs). The PLC is a five
member body responsible for evaluating the constitutionality
of proposed legislation, while the PCs scrutinize legislation
and “monitor, investigate, enquire into and make
recommendations relating to any aspect of the legislative
program.” Both the PLC and PCs are key components of
Parliament’s oversight of the government.
¶4. (SBU) The PLC chairmanship was granted to Senator Obert
Gutu of the MDC-T, with the remaining four seats divided
evenly between the MDC and ZANU-PF. Chairmanships to the
various PCs were allocated based on party. For example, if a
ministry was led by ZANU-PF, the relevant PC was allocated to
one of the two MDC formations. Within this context, the
party chief whips then made the individual determinations.
——————————
Impasse on Constitutional Issue
——————————-
¶5. (SBU) The SROC also discussed certain framework issues
dealing with Parliament’s role in crafting a new
constitution. Specifically, the SROC discussed who should
chair the Constitutional Select Committee and associated
sub-committees. Zitha said that MDC MPs were generally
supportive of filling these seats with members of civil
society to ensure that the process is transparent and people
driven. An unverified local press report mentioned that the
MDC’s top candidate was an unnamed retired judge.
¶6. (SBU) Conversely, ZANU-PF MPs were more supportive of
parliamentarians holding these positions. During the SROC
meeting, the ZANU-PF Minister of Defense, Emmerson Mnangagwa,
was adamantly opposed to an independent chair and argued that
Qwas adamantly opposed to an independent chair and argued that
SADC had determined that Parliament should lead the
constitutional process. Morgan Tsvangirai and Arthur
Mutambara were strongly supportive of an independent chair.
Unable to agree, the SROC decided to forward the decision to
the principals, to include President Mugabe. A decision was
HARARE 00000281 002 OF 002
expected by April 8. Should a non-MP from civil society
become the chair of the Constitutional Select Committee or a
sub-committee, in order for them to report their conclusions
to Parliament, the standing rules and orders would have to be
amended.
——-
COMMENT
——-
¶7. (C) Overall we are pleased to see Parliament picking up
its pace and assuming its critical oversight role. As the
first non-ZANU-PF controlled parliament in Zimbabwean
history, it bears considerable responsibility for checking
government and ensuring transparency. We are also encouraged
that the MDC side is putting its support behind backing a
civil society candidate to chair the constitutional
committee. If that motion succeeds, it would lend
credibility that the constitution drafting process will be
done in an inclusive manner. END COMMENT.
MCGEE
(45 VIEWS)
