AD-HOC COMMISISON ON CONSTITUTION APPROVED

The Mozambican parliament, the Assembly of the Republic, on Wednesday approved a resolution moved by the majority Frelimo Party to set up an Ad-Hoc Commission to draft constitutional amendments.Both the opposition parliamentary groups, from the former rebel movement Renamo, and from the Mozambique Democratic Movement (MDM), voted against the proposal. The opposition is perplexed because Frelimo has not stated exactly which aspects of the constitution it wishes to change. It has, however, ruled out fundamental change, talking instead of “improving” the existing constitution, which was approved in 2004.Frelimo has also repeatedly denied that it has any intention of changing the constitutional limit on presidential terms of office to allow the current head of state, Armando Guebuza, to stand for a third term of office. Guebuza himself has categorically denied that he has any wish for a third term.A further opposition objection was that Frelimo had argued against setting up an ad-hoc commission to revise the country’s electoral legislation, largely on financial grounds, yet when it came to the Constitution, the objections to an ad-hoc commission fell away.“Frelimo wants to change the Constitution through a mere ad-hoc commission, and using methods that are not clear”, protested Renamo deputy Ivone Soares.The current constitution, she argued, corresponded to political consensus that had been reached in 2004, and any alteration might endanger political harmony in the country. She was suspicious of the speed with which Frelimo was moving on the issue, and claimed “this is a danger for the future of democracy in Mozambique”. Saimone Macuiana, also from Renamo, demanded that, if the constitution were to be revised, the work should be done by the existing parliamentary commission of legal and constitutional matters – just as Frelimo had insisted that revising the electoral legislation was a task for the existing commission on public administration.Then, Frelimo had argued there was no money for an ad-hoc commission, said Macuiana, so where had the money been found for an ad-hoc commission this time?For Frelimo, Nyeleti Mondlane pointed out that previous amendments to the constitution had been discussed in ad-hoc commissions, and Cidalia Chauque, said there was no reason to be afraid of improving the country’s fundamental law.“We should bear in mind that we live in a world in constant transformation, and it is opportune that the constitution be brought into line with domestic and international dynamics”, said Chauque. She added that, at a timely moment, Frelimo would deposit its own proposals for amendments with the ad-hoc commission.The commission will have 21 members and a budget of 20 million meticais (about 590,000 US dollars) for 2011. Its task will be to collect suggestions, not only from the parliamentarians, but from civil society bodies and the public at large.