PARLIAMENTARIANS yesterday unanimously endorsed Amendment 20 Bill of the Constitution of Zimbabwe amid song and dance across the political divide following three days of deliberations.
Report by Veneranda Langa
Speaker of the House of Assembly Lovemore Moyo said 156 MPs, which was above the 144 required for a quorum, voted in favour of the proposed new governance charter.
As soon as the Bill was read for the third time, MPs, ministers and Vice-President Joice Mujuru sang ‘Ndimwari vakanaka’ (God is good), but Zanu PF MPs later changed the song’s lyrics to sound ‘Zanu yakanaka’ taking their MDC counterparts by surprise.
The political contest by MPs then changed again with Zanu PF MPs raising clenched fists and MDCs raising their parties’ open palm symbols.
During the Committee Reading Stage of the Bill, Constitutional and Parliamentary Affairs minister Eric Matinenga introduced amendments to nine clauses which were all adopted without debate.
All the 18 chapters of the draft were adopted without debate except clause 129 (g) which says if a sitting MP wishes to be a member of a provincial council they should rescind their Parliamentary seat.
Makoni West MP Webber Chinyadza raised a point of order on the clause, saying it contradicted with clause 269 (2) (b) of the same constitution.
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The management committee deliberated on the matter and it was later noted that the wording was correct.
After its passage in the House of Assembly, the Bill now awaits scrutiny by Senate next week before President Robert Mugabe signs it into law.
