( 3 minutes read)
· Zimbabwe parliament now can appoint the Vice president on his/her own without getting the person elected. The Parliament has approved a bill seeking to remove a clause in the constitution on electing vice presidents, thereby empowering the president to do so
· This move is expected to receive stiff opposition from the parties
· The president can appoint judges by himself instead of them undergoing the normal public scrutiny
Zimbabwe parliament now can appoint the Vice president on his/her own without getting the person elected. The Parliament has approved a bill seeking to remove a clause in the constitution on electing vice presidents, thereby empowering the president to do so. This move is expected to receive stiff opposition from the parties.
According to opposition parties the move is intended by President Emmerson Mnangagwa to keep a grip on his powers. The bill passed by the Senate will empower the president to appoint the deputy president directly in the event of the president dying or incapacitated as the ruling party takes time to choose a successor. The new bill says that having elected vice presidents would ensure a smooth succession and avoid political instability.
The new bill also enables the president to prolong the mandate of senior judges. The president can appoint judges by himself instead of them undergoing the normal public scrutiny. The bill also rose the retirement age of judges to 75 years instead of the previous 70 as of now. Only judges seeking to be appointed to the bench for the first time would need public scrutiny.
The opposition parties described the move by the legislature as a betrayal and said that such changes would lead to a dictatorial regime since it does not have checks and balances while exercising power.
