Maravi

(NEWZIMBABWE) Tsvangirai to run for two presidential terms

Tsvangirai to run for two presidential terms
RESTRICTIVE...MDC's constitution adopted at the party's formation in February 1999
by
27/06/2009 00:00:00

PRIME Minister Morgan Tsvangirai intends to run for President at the next election and should he win, he will serve out a maximum of two five-year terms, he says in a new interview.

Tsvangirai, who has been the leader of the former opposition party the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) for a decade, says Zimbabwe “needs to adopt term limits as a principle”.

Asked by the France 24 news channel on Friday if he will run for elections, possibly in two years, Tsvangirai said: "Certainly, I think that my party will put me forward as their candidate.

“One thing that I am committed to is we have to commit ourselves to 10 years because I think that historically, it allows for regeneration of political leadership, it allows for new ideas to come into the political sphere and so I think that Zimbabwe needs to adopt term limits as a principle, two terms of five years each."

Zimbabwe’s current constitution is silent on term limits for the President which has allowed Robert Mugabe to rule uninterrupted for 29 years, first as Prime Minister and later as President.

The country has begun a process to come up with a new constitution within two years, expected to be followed by elections. Imposing term limits for the President is likely to be one of the key discussion areas.

Tsvangirai’s public commitment to term limits may expose him to an uncomfortable discussion within his own party whose constitution adopted in February 1999 says the party president “shall serve a maximum of two terms”.

If the MDC constitution was correctly applied, it would block Tsvangirai from standing again as president of the party and the country – unless if he runs as an independent.

Labels: MDC, MORGAN TSVANGIRAI, PRESIDENCY

posted by MrK @ 3:13 PM