President Robert Mugabe's ruling party has pushed through amendments to Zimbabwe's constitution, paving the way for the Government to nationalise seized white-owned farms and impose travel bans on "traitors". Mugabe's ZANU-PF party, using the two-thirds parliamentary majority it won in disputed March elections, approved constitutional changes that also set up a second legislative chamber to be known as the Senate, which critics say will be packed with Mugabe allies. ZANU-PF mustered 103 votes for the amendments, with 29 parliamentarians voting "No", 28 of them from the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), which has criticised the changes as another blow to democracy in Zimbabwe. Parliament's lone independent legislator also voted against the bill - the 17th set of changes to the country's constitution Mr Mugabe has pushed through since independence from Britain in 1980. "This is a disastrous amendment bill," said Lovemore Madhuku, chairman of the National Constitutional Assembly, which advocates a "people driven" overhaul of the constitution. "It simply shows how this regime continues in its intention of pulling down the country. It has no other intention except to keep this government in power."
The amendments call for seized farms to be nationalised, effectively barring white farmers from using the courts to challenge seizures which economic analysts say have ruined Zimbabwe's once-thriving agricultural sector. The amendments will also give the Government new tools against its political opponents, allowing it to impose travel bans on Zimbabweans suspected of engaging in terrorist training abroad or who have called for sanctions or military actions against Mr Mugabe's government.
The MDC, which is backed by several Western countries in its charges that ZANU-PF rigged the March polls, has advocated its own set of changes to Zimbabwe's constitution which would limit the tenure of a president to two terms in office and create an "independent" electoral body. The Government's plan, by contrast, would set up a new Senate of 65 members, of which 50 would be elected, the rest going to traditional chiefs and presidential appointees. Mr Mugabe's ZANU-PF argues that the changes will enable the Government to conclude its controversial land reforms while a Senate will improve the quality of legislation.