MDC Alliance's Call For Electoral Reforms Unconstitutional: Lawyers

In an interview with The Herald, Constitutional law expert and opposition politician, Professor Lovemore Madhuku said according to Section 157 Sub section 5, no reform can take place after proclamation of an election date.

He said this makes the call for the amendment of the Electoral Act after proclamation of an election date unconstitutional. Said Madhuku:

It terms of Section 157 Sub section 5, it is correct that the Constitution does not allow any amendment to the Electoral Law after proclamation. That cannot be done, to do that you have to amend the Constitution. So for now it cannot be done legally. In terms of the law as it stands, that can no longer be done. Even Parliament cannot change the law now until the election has been done. That clause in the Constitution is a clause that was inserted into the Constitution at the insistence of the MDC, those are the things that they were saying when they were urging people to vote YES. It was among the things that they were saying are good about the Constitution.

Prominent Harare lawyer and Zanu-PF politician Mr Jonathan Samkange also said what the MDC Alliance wants to be done is illegal.He questioned why MDC Alliance had not changed the law in 2008 when they had the majority of MPs.

Also Read:

• Full Text: MDC Alliance’s Petition Detailing Minimum Demands For Free, Fair And Credible Elections

More: Chronicle