Hearings on electoral Amendment bill to start

Comment & Analysis
BY NQOBANI NDLOVU BULAWAYO — Public hearings on the contentious Electoral Amendment Bill which have been postponed twice due to violence fears, are set to begin tomorrow, according to the Parliament Portfolio Committee on Justice, legal and Constitutional Affairs.

The hearings on the Bill that have set the MDC’s and Zanu-PF on a collision course on various issues kicks off in Marondera before spreading to other cities and ending in Harare on October 24.

“The public, interested groups, business persons and organisations are invited to the hearings. The contributions made will be considered by the Committee in compiling a report to be tabled in Parliament,” read in part a statement released by the Portfolio Committee on Justice, Legal and Constitutional Affairs.Douglas Mwonzora, the chairperson of the committee urged Zimbabweans to attend the hearings to contribute to the drafting of an Act guaranteeing free and fair elections.

The hearings were initially set to begin on August 24 and later September 26, but were postponed due to fears of violence.

Public hearings on the Human Rights Commission Bill were for example, marred by violence, which was blamed on Zanu PF supporters.

The Electoral Amendment Bill proposes a number of changes to the existing electoral law with a view to promoting free and fair elections.

The Bill has put Zanu-PF and the MDC-T on a collision course, for example, on the Diaspora vote.