Zanu PF will require a helping hand in the Senate to achieve two-thirds if they are to pass Amendment Bill No.2.
Senate has 80 legislators drawn from Zanu PF (35) MDC-Alliance (24), MDC-T Khupe (1), Disabled Constituency (2) and Chiefs (18).
To pass a Constitutional Bill, requires one to have Two-Thirds of the Senate which is about 54 legislators.
Zanu PF has 35 legislators and usually bank on the loyalty of Chiefs (18 seats) which will give them a total of 53 seats in the Senate, one short of the Two-thirds majority.
This means Zanu PF will have to bank on getting support from either the disabled constituency which has two seats or from Douglas Mwonzora’s MDC-T.
Mwonzora’s Senators also helped Zanu PF to pass the Constitution Amendment Bill in the Senate last month.
Last week they were at it again helping Zanu PF achieve Two-thirds majority in the National Assembly to help pass the Amendment Bill.
During a press conference a few weeks ago, Mwonzora defended his legislators who voted for the Bill in the National Assembly.
He said they voted in support of the women quota and the youth quota. If his party maintain that stance Mwonzora might be the helping hand that Zanu PF will be looking to bank on.
However, Mwonzora and his legislators might be under pressure following condemnation of their support for the Bill which is regarded as the death of democracy.
Some political watchers are also of the view that those representing the disabled community might be coerced into voting with Zanu PF, due to proposed additional seats for their community.
The Bill is seeking to give President Emmerson Mnangagwa powers to appoint his deputies, extend the term of office for the top judges, extent proportional representation and creating 10 seats for young people in the National Assembly.
