Zim’s parliament votes on controversial legal reforms

HARARE – Zimbabwe’s parliament was set yesterday to vote on a highly controversial bill that will stop white farmers from legally challenging land seizures and bar travel abroad to citizens deemed to be against the state.

The bill, which was expected to sail through in a house dominated by President Robert Mugabe’s party, will also disenfranchise all those who have one or more foreign parents and hold permanent residency status but not full citizenship. For the bill to be passed, the governing Zimbabwe African National Union – Patriotic Front (Zanu-PF) needs 100 votes.The party has 107 members in the 150-member parliament, including chiefs.The bill will also re-introduce a bicameral parliament in a move that critics said was aimed at further beefing up the ruling party’s presence in the legislature.”The new bill will effectively suspend the rule of law, undermine the judiciary and will be a blow to investor confidence,” said Leslie George Smith, a member of the all-white Commercial Farmers’ Union (CFU).Another CFU member said on condition of anonymity that the “bill will merely legalise and encourage widespread looting of the productive sector in Zimbabwe which would lead to further unemployment and crime.”- Nampa-AFPFor the bill to be passed, the governing Zimbabwe African National Union – Patriotic Front (Zanu-PF) needs 100 votes.The party has 107 members in the 150-member parliament, including chiefs.The bill will also re-introduce a bicameral parliament in a move that critics said was aimed at further beefing up the ruling party’s presence in the legislature.”The new bill will effectively suspend the rule of law, undermine the judiciary and will be a blow to investor confidence,” said Leslie George Smith, a member of the all-white Commercial Farmers’ Union (CFU).Another CFU member said on condition of anonymity that the “bill will merely legalise and encourage widespread looting of the productive sector in Zimbabwe which would lead to further unemployment and crime.”- Nampa-AFP