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Joint Civil Society Statement on the Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment (No.2) Bill
We, the undersigned Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in Zimbabwe, note with serious concern the passing of the controversial Constitutional Amendment Bill No. 2 by the National Assembly on 20 April 2021.
It is very disturbing that the proposed amendments to the Constitution are being introduced at a time when the May 2013 Constitution has not been fully implemented.
The amendments relate to critical thematic areas that include the appointment and retirement of members of the judiciary, the appointment of the head of the prosecution, removal of running mate provisions, the extension of proportional representation provisions for female parliamentarians, the composition of executive and legislative oversight role among other amendments.
Since the introduction of the Bill, we the undersigned CSOs, have expressed our reservations to this process and made several calls on all progressive citizens and duty bearers to reject this Bill as it reverses the gains that were ushered in by the 2013 Constitution.
The adoption of this Bill will undoubtedly centralise too much power in the executive, particularly the President. Besides widening the scope of Presidential powers and undermining democratic accountability, this Bill unilaterally increases the size of central government and imposes an unprecedented burden on the already suffering citizenry. Taxpayers will bear the primary burden of a bloated government.
The proposed amendments on the promotion of judges to the superior courts and extension of tenure of office for judges over 70 years will greatly compromise the independence of the judiciary.
The proposed sections of the Amendment Bill are a backward step in the pursuit of democracy, accountability, the divisions of governmental power, representativeness, the rule of law, and human rights in Zimbabwe.
The adoption of the Bill entails further strengthening of the President’s powers while weakening the mechanisms intended to hold the President to account for his or her actions, wrongdoing, and in some cases, illegal conduct.
The adoption of the Bill also sets precedence to future and further amendments to the Constitution which will additionally undermine the democratic and civic space in Zimbabwe. Hence, the undersigned CSOs condemn this development.
In essence, the Amendment Bill dilutes democracy, weakens the rule of law, and undermines the promotion and protection of human rights in Zimbabwe, particularly those of a civil and political nature.
At this juncture, the country is supposed to be focusing on the alignment of laws to the new Constitution, fully implementing provisions of the Constitution and not amending it.
We the undersigned CSOs in Zimbabwe call for alignment of laws with the Constitution. The amendments are a mockery to democracy, a recipe for disaster and a violation of the principle of separation of powers.
The undersigned CSOs in Zimbabwe therefore call on all progressive citizens to:
- Condemn and reject this amendment through all appropriate legal means;
- Call on state actors to fully implement provisions of the Constitution
- Call on those responsible within government to fully align all laws with the Constitution
- Hold to account, one way or the other, their representatives in the National Assembly who voted for the Amendment.
Signed Organisations:
- Abammeli Rights Lawyers Network
- Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe
- Build A Better Youth- Zim
- Buhera Residents Association
- Chitungwiza and Manyame Rural Residents Association
- Chitungwiza Community Development Network
- Chinhoyi Residents Trust
- Chitungwiza Residents Trust
- Combined Harare Residents Association
- Combined Restitution Association for Zimbabwean Youths
- Counselling Services Unit
- Economic Justice for Women
- Election Resource Centre
- Female Students Network
- Gweru East Ratepayers Union for Development
- Heal Zimbabwe Trust
- Institute for Young Women Development
- Legal Resources Foundation
- Masvingo United Residents and Ratepayers Alliance
- Media Institute of Southern Africa
- Media Alliance of Zimbabwe
- Mutasa Youth Forum
- Platform for Youth and Community Development Trust
- Poets for Human Rights
- Restoration of Human Rights Zimbabwe
- Savannah Trust
- Student Christian Movement Zimbabwe
- Students Solidarity Trust
- The Eastern Caucus
- United Mutare Residents and Ratepayers Trust
- Vendors Initiative for Socio-Economic Transformation
- Victory Siyanqoba Trust
- Wedza Residents Development Initiative Trust
- Women in Law in Southern Africa
- Youth Alliance for Democracy
- Youth Dialogue Action Network
- Youth Forum
- Zimbabwe Association of Doctors for Human Rights
- Zimbabwe Christian Alliance
- Zimbabwe Coalition on Debt and Development
- Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions
- Zimbabwe Divine Destiny
- Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights
- Zimbabwe Human Rights Association
- Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum
- Zimbabwe National Students Union