Constitutional Review Bill: who benefits?

UNITY DOW*

Someone recently said “when you propose a law, remember that you don’t know which side of the law you will be, when it is implemented”… I know I am butchering the quote, but it was words to that effect…

In Setswana we say, “Molaa kgosi waa bo a iitaela” . Now consider the following proposals contained in the recently published Constitutional review bill.

There is a proposal to increase the number of Specially Elected Members of Parliament from 6 to 10. This will add an additional 10 members of parliament to the ones you will have elected.

There are those who say we should be doing away with the SEMP arrangement as this arrangement allows for a non-elected president to bring other non-elected people to parliament. Under this arrangement, there will be 11 unelected members in parliament.

Is adding more boMmaDow to parliament expanding or shrinking our democracy?

Then there is a proposal to allow for the removal from the office of a member of parliament (including an elected member of parliament) by parliament. Since the ruling party is the one with the majority, it means ONLY opposition members will be vulnerable to removal, since they will never have the numbers to resist removal. Remember, the ruling party will have 11 non-elected members standing ready to effect this.

Will giving the party in power the power to remove an elected member from office shrink or expand our democracy. Please do not assume that  the victims of these amendments, if they pass, will always be the present opposition.

Please do not assume that the beneficiary of these amendments, if they pass, will always be the present ruling party.  I know it’s difficult to be objective in an election year, but let’s try. This country demands our honest debate.

A re tseneng mo leobong re bueng… Mua lebe…  Kana jang?

*Specially Elected Member of Parliament, Former High Court Judge