No to dual citizenship says Zanu-PF

The Zanu-PF Politburo met in the capital at the party headquarters and concluded its analysis and amendments to the draft constitution.

Briefing journalists after the meeting this Thursday, the Zanu-PF Secretary for Information and Publicity, Rugare Gumbo said his party has rejected dual citizenship saying only descendants of parents or grandparents of people who are Zimbabweans by birth can be considered as citizens of this country.

A political analyst, Goodson Nguni, said by rejecting the concept of dual citizenship Zanu PF was protecting Zimbabwe's revolution and its gains and ensuring that the same values that the liberation struggle was fought for are not eroded through the constitution.

He noted that if the concept had been adopted Rhodesians would be able to vote and derail the gains of the struggle.

"It is good that the concept of dual citizenship was rejected. You cannot have people with divided loyalty. The Rhodesians will come back and claim this country," he said.

National Constitutional Assembly chairperson, Professor Lovemore Madhuku said the concept of running mate never came from the people, but was adopted by negotiators from the Americans who have such a system.

He said, "We held our meeting with people and they never said they wanted the running mate. It was a creation of the negotiators and it is good that it was removed."

The Politburo also said no to homosexuality and same sex marriages.

The Politburo has also said no to the separation of the Attorney-General and prosecuting powers and suggested that the Attorney-General retains the power to prosecute and that he should remain a cabinet member and have a place in parliament.

The party proposed that the office of the Ombudsman, who is the public protector, should remain.

Turning to the issue of the Constitutional Court, the Politburo said it should be instituted under the Supreme Court and that it should be staffed by the same judges of the Supreme Court.

The issue of a running mate has been removed.

On succession, the Politburo says that he or she should be chosen from the party of the former President.

The proposed amendments by the Politburo have also abolished the land commission.

The proposed amendments will now be put up for discussion by the principals in the Global Political Agreement who will decide and pave the way for the second All-Stakeholders meeting and the referendum.

The analysis and amendment process saw the Politburo meeting four times in the last two months with some of the meetings going well into the early hours of the next day.

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