Biti to challenge recent constitutional amendment

0Shares

MDC Alliance vice president Tendai Biti says the amendments to the national Constitution recently passed by the Senate are illegal as the process was done in violation of Section 147 of the Constitution and the party will challenge the move in court.

Biti argued that the sitting and reading of the Bill happened in the Robert Mugabe era and the constitution makes it clear that any motion lapses at the dissolution of Parliament. He said:

The 7th Parliament was dissolved on 28 May 2018 and the motion also lapsed.

That’s unconstitutional and illegal; we will go to court about that

Zanu PF can’t unilaterally amend a negotiated constitution, which was voted for by three million people in a referendum.

The challenge should be how to implement the constitution.

Biti said the MDC-T president and vice president, Douglas Mwonzora and Thokozani Khupe, respectively are Zanu PF stooges.

He further said the duo was given money by Zanu PF to destroy the MDC Alliance and democracy in Zimbabwe.

The MDC-T leadership reportedly coaxed the party’s Senators to support the passage of the Bill in the hope that the ruling party will return the favour by backing the party in its battles with the mainstream MDC Alliance.

The charge has however been dismissed by the party, with MDC-T chief whip Tichinani Mavetera claiming members make their decisions independently. He said:

Whoever is bringing that has a sinister motive. Not a single person was coached or told what to do.
If there is any coaching, it has to come through me as I am the chief whip.
When in Parliament, we allow our members to make independent decisions.
We believe that the people we seconded to Parliament know the party policy and also what is good for the country.
–The Standard