What Zimbabwe MPs said about the Constitution Amendment Bill-Part Two

There has been a lot of interest in the heated debate that ensued in Parliament on Tuesday, 20 June, over the Constitution Amendment Bill which seeks to give the President powers to appoint the top three judicial officers of the nation. The constitution says they must be selected after interviews. For the benefit of our readers were hereby serialize the debate.

*HON. MANDIPAKA:  Thank you , I am a bit troubled when the other side debate as they are debating. I think we are just wasting time here Mr. Speaker Sir. What they are debating on is, I am thinking deeply but I do not see where this is leading us to. Looking at where we are debating, the title is saying  Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment No. 1 Bill [H.B. 1, 2017]. As an individual, I do not see what is wrong with this title. I do not know whether we did not want to call it amendment, if it is an amendment. I do not know whether it is not Number 1 as it is written because what we are doing is exactly the title on its own and it is good. I thank you.

*HON. MUNENGAMI: When we stand up to debate, if one Hon. Member stands up we have to give each other chances. I have two questions Mr. Speaker Sir. The first one is to thank Hon. Mandipaka for he said it is an amendment. The Bill is saying Amendment Number 1 but on our Constitution, it is written Amendment Number 20 which means the Short Title should say Amendment Number 21. I want to know because they are saying Amendment Number 20.

Secondly, on the issue of separation of powers between the Executive and the Legislature is that when we hold public hearings, it is the duty  of Parliament to go out and hear what the people are saying. We want the Hon. Vice President to give us an answer on the questions that I have asked. I thank you.

 *HON. TARUSENGA: Looking at this Short Title, it caused a lot of mayhem in the country. It is not welcome.

THE VICE PRESIDENT AND MINISTER OF JUSTICE, LEGAL AND PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (HON. MNANGAGWA): As I had said before, I appreciate the contributions by the Hon. Members from the Opposition especially Hon. Gonese, Hon. Majome, Hon. Chamisa, Hon. P. D. Sibanda, Hon. Maridadi and my other two Hon. Members. Before I forget what you debated on that it should be Number 21, the Act Number 20 is the Constitution of the country and this is Number 1 in amending the Constitution of our country – Constitution Number 20 Act.

 I appreciate your indulgence because the debate from Hon. Members is the same debate which was carried out during the Second Reading debate. I replied to the issues they are raising and those who are not familiar with my replies to the similar issues they are raising now have the liberty to read the Hansard. I want to say that the will of the people in this Chamber is represented by the ruling party. It is true that they also represent the will of the people to the extent that is a minority.

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