Zimbabwean President issues law amending constitution

On May 22, Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe signed into law a law amending the constitution, paving the way for elections later this year.

Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe. (Source: AFP)

The implementation of a new constitution, which will replace the current one drafted when Zimbabwe gained independence from Britain in 1980, is one of the prerequisites for holding elections to choose a successor to the power-sharing government formed by President Mugabe four years ago, after a disputed 2008 presidential election led to bloodshed.

Last March, the new draft constitution was overwhelmingly passed in a referendum and then ratified by the Zimbabwean Parliament.

Speaking at the signing ceremony of the law, Zimbabwe's Minister of Constitutional and Parliamentary Affairs, Eric Matinenga, stressed: "This is a historic event. This document will take us into the future."

Under Zimbabwe's new constitution, the president's powers are limited and he or she can only serve a maximum of two terms, each lasting five years.

However, as the new rule does not apply to the previous period, incumbent President Robert Mugabe, who has been in power since Zimbabwe's independence in 1980, could continue to lead the country for the next decade.

In addition, the constitution also stipulates that decrees issued by the president must be supported by a majority in the cabinet and that declaring a state of emergency or dissolving parliament must receive two-thirds of the votes in the legislature./.

According to (TTXVN) - DT