By Shamiso Ndangana
Seasoned lawyer David Coltart has criticised the government’s intention of coming up with the Patriotic Bill, arguing that it will only help corruption to flourish under darkness.
The Patriotic Bill whose motion was moved in the National Assembly by the late Allam Mpofu prevents citizens from talking bad about the country.
Among things that will be prohibited by the law include banning of demonstrations on international days, engaging with foreign Embassies without permission from the government and writing falsehoods among other things.
However, Coltart, a former Senator in the Parliament of Zimbabwe expressed disappointments with the proposal adding that it will serve the rich and corrupt well.
“It is designed to go against all those fundamental constitutional rights, and it will not help other companies. In fact, it will enable corruption to flourish even more in the darkness.
“The Patriotic Bill will bring to our nation, the rich will get richer, the poor will get poorer and alternatively it will undermine our nation.
“The constitution has very strong provisions regarding freedom of thought, freedom of concerns, freedom to hold opinions, freedom to associate with people and the Patriotic Bill cuts across those freedoms in a manner it has been drafted,’’ he said.
According to Coltart, the Patriotic Bill not only contravenes the power of the constitution but is going to serve as a way of consolidating power by the executive.
“It is unconstitutional as I always say, its contravening the power of the constitution from beginning to end.
“The intension behind it is to consolidate power in the hands of the executive and undermine the independence of the judiciary, that’s their intention.
“This is not so much of David Coltart or any individual thing, but this is about amending a constitution which enjoys such a massive national concession and any amendment to any constitution must be carefully done,” he said.
Patriotic Bill will help corruption to flourish
