18th amendment a blow to democracy

JOHANNESBURG
Zimbabweans living in South Africa have strongly expressed dissatisfaction over the government's proposed 18th amendment as it infringed on citizens' democratic right to chose their own leader once the incumbent resigns or dies.
At a meeting organized by the National Constitution

al Assembly (NCA) here recently, coordinator Tapera Kapuya told more than 50 delegates from civic societies in South Africa that the proposed bill was a dubious piece of legislation as it infringed on Zimbabwe’s democracy project.
“If the bill goes on to be debated and passed in parliament, that will become a big blow to Zimbabwean democracy since the onus of choosing a President once the incumbent chooses to resign or die will rest on less than 400 people, hence the need to oppose such a law viciously,” said Kapuya.
Emmanuel Hlabangane, a leading Zimbabwean activist, said that if the bill was passed that would give Mugabe authority even to postpone elections from 2008 to 2010 so as to harmonies them with parliamentary elections.
The bill also seeks to expand the house of assembly and the senate through the delimitation exercise, which exiles have dismissed as senseless as so many people had left the country.
“A constituency is made up of 54 000 people, but looking at the exodus such figures have drastically fallen in some places, making the proposed delimitation exercise senseless as far as numbers are concerned, but meaningful in the sense of preserving Zanu (PF)’s stronghold,” added Kapuya. – Trust Matsilele

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