The page for Political debate will now focus on the positions of the political parties on three fundamental recommendations of the CRC touching on the term limit, the absolute majority principle governing presidential elections and the elimination of a constituency boundary commission and the allocation of its function to the IEC.
The provisions read as follows:
Sub clause (2) of Clause 95 of the Draft Constitution stipulates:
“If, on the first election, no candidate is elected, the Independent Boundaries and Electoral Commission shall hold a fresh election within fourteen days of the date of declaration of the results of the first election.”
The draft Constitution also proposes the restriction of the term limit of an elected president to two terms and nothing more. It stipulates in clause 100 sub clause (2) that,
“No person shall hold office as President for more than two terms of five years each, whether or not the terms are consecutive.”
This means that a person may serve as president for a period of up to ten years if re-elected while in office, but he/she will never ever be entitled to become president again. If he or she is not re-elected he or she would be allowed to serve for only one more five year term and not more.
Clause 81 deals with the demarcation of boundaries. Sub clause (1) of this clause states:
“Subject to this section, there shall be such number of constituencies for the purposes of the election of the members of the National Assembly as may be determined by the Commission and each constituency shall be represented by the number of members specified in Schedule 2.”
The Commission will also review the boundaries as stipulated in sub clause:
“The Commission shall review the number, names and boundaries of constituencies, including the constituency representing persons with disabilities, at intervals of not less than ten years, and not more than twelve years, but any review shall be completed at least twelve months before a general election of members of the National Assembly.”
The Commission will also be responsible for demarcating the boundaries of districts and wards as indicated in sub clause (3):
“The Commission shall review the number, names and boundaries of wards and districts at such intervals as may be prescribed in an Act of the National Assembly.”
In the next issue we will commence publication of what political parties have to say on the three issues.
