The issue of Presidential powers is among some of the issues that were threatening to derail the constitution making process which began in 2009 and gobbled an estimated $49 million.
Addressing a press conference in the capital today (Friday), Minister of Constitution and Parliamentary, Eric Matinenga said the political parties had agreed that the presidential powers would be distributed to cabinet and parliament as was on the COPAC draft.
Zanu (PF) had amendment the draft giving the president power to dissolve parliament without a resolution by legislation and proposed that the draft provides for presidential powers to declare war without any constraint.
“We agreed that the president can only declare a war in situations where it was urgently necessary but the cabinet has the power to reverse his decision. The president can dissolve parliament in a case of the non passage of a budget not any other issues,” he said.
Matinenga told journalists that they had resolved the issues of devolution by agreeing that the political party that would attain the highest number of political seats would chose a mayor.
On the issue of running mates the political parties agreed that they would be a transition system whereby the political party holding the presidency would appoint a president within three months in the event the president dies.
It was also agreed that the Attorney General office would cease to have prosecuting powers but only play the advisory role to the incumbent government while an independent body would be the prosecutor.
“The AG will just be an advisor to the current government and an independent judiciary team will be engaged,” he said.
Post published in: News