Source: http://www.copac.org.zw/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=74&Itemid=317
Timestamp: 2013-06-19 12:07:00
Document Index: 569035362

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 1', 'art 2', 'art 3', 'art 4', 'art 5', 'art 6']

Chapter 12 Independent Commissions Supporting Demo
You are here: Draft Constitution 12. Independent Commissions Supporting Democracy
Part 1 - General (232 - 237) Part 2 - Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (238 - 241) Part 3 - Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission (242 - 244) Part 4 - Zimbabwe Gender Commission (248 - 247) Part 5 - Zimbabwe Media Commission (248 - 250) Part 6 - National Peace and Reconciliation Commission (251 - 253)
232. Independent Commissions
the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission;
the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission;
the Zimbabwe Gender Commission;
the Zimbabwe Media Commission; and
the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission.
| Like | Dislike 233. Objectives of independent Commissions
to support and entrench human rights and democracy;
to protect the sovereignty and interests of the people;
to promote constitutionalism;
to promote transparency and accountability in public institutions;
to secure the observance of democratic values and principles by the State and all institutions and agencies of government, and government-controlled entities; and
to ensure that injustices are remedied. Add a comment
| Like | Dislike 234. Staff of independent Commissions
The independent Commissions have power to employ staff and, subject to the law, to regulate their conditions of service.
| Like | Dislike 235. Independence of Commissions
The independent Commissions—
must exercise their functions without fear, favour or prejudice; although they are accountable to Parliament for the efficient performance of their functions.
| Like | Dislike 236. Members of independent Commissions to be non-political
Members of the independent Commissions must not, in the exercise of their functions—
Persons who are members of a political party or organisation on their appointment to an independent Commission must relinquish that membership without delay and in any event within thirty days of their appointment.
If a member of an independent Commission—
becomes a member of a political party or organisation; or
having been a member of a political party or organisation on his or her appointment to the commission, fails to relinquish that membership within thirty days of the appointment; he or she ceases immediately to be a member of the Commission concerned.
| Like | Dislike 237. Appointment and removal from office of members of independent Commissions
For the purpose of nominating persons for appointment to any independent Commission, the Committee on Standing Rules and Orders must;
advertise the position;
invite the public to make nominations;
prepare a list of the appropriate number of nominees for appointment; and
A member of an independent Commission may be removed from office only on the ground that the member concerned: is unable to perform the functions of his or her office because of physical or mental incapacity; has been grossly incompetent;
has been guilty of gross misconduct; or
has become ineligible for appointment to the Commission concerned.
The procedure for the removal of judges from office applies to the removal from office of a member of an independent Commission.
| Like | Dislike 238. Establishment and composition of Zimbabwe Electoral Commission
There is a commission to be known as Zimbabwe Electoral Commission consisting of:
a chairperson appointed by the President after consultation with the Judicial Service Commission and the Committee on Standing Rules and Orders; and
The chairperson of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission must be a judge or former judge or a person qualified for appointment as a judge.
If the appointment of a chairperson to the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission is not consistent with a recommendation of the Judicial Service Commission, the President must cause the Committee on Standing Rules and Orders to be informed as soon as practicable.
Members of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission must be Zimbabwean citizens and chosen for their integrity and experience and for their competence in the conduct of affairs in the public or private sector.
Members of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission are appointed for a six-year term and may be re-appointed for one further term, but no person may be appointed to or serve on the Commission after he or she has been a member for one or more periods, whether continuous or not, that amount to twelve years. Add a comment
| Like | Dislike 239. Functions of Zimbabwe Electoral Commission
to prepare for, conduct and supervise—
elections to the office of President and to Parliament;
elections to provincial or metropolitan councils and the governing bodies of local authorities;
elections of members of the Councils of Chiefs established by section 285; and
referendums; and to ensure that those elections and referendums are conducted efficiently, freely, fairly, transparently and in accordance with the law;
to supervise elections of the President of the Senate and the Speaker and to ensure that those elections are conducted efficiently and in accordance with the law;
to register voters;
to compile voters’ rolls and registers;
to ensure the proper custody and maintenance of voters’ rolls and registers;
to delimit constituencies, wards and other electoral boundaries;
to design, print and distribute ballot papers, approve the form of and procure ballot boxes, and establish and operate polling centres;
to conduct and supervise voter education;
to accredit observers of elections and referendums;
to give instructions to persons in the employment of the State or of a local authority for the purpose of ensuring the efficient, proper, free and fair conduct of any election or referendum; and
to receive and consider complaints from the public and to take such action in regard to the complaints as the Commission considers appropriate. Add a comment
| Like | Dislike 240. Disqualifications for appointment to Zimbabwe Electoral Commission
In addition to the persons mentioned in section 320(3), the following persons are ineligible to be appointed to the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission—
public officers, other than judges;
employees of provincial and metropolitan councils and local authorities; and
members and employees of statutory bodies and government-controlled entities.
| Like | Dislike 241. Zimbabwe Electoral Commission to report on elections and referendums
In addition to the report it is required to submit in terms of section 323, the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission must without delay, and through the appropriate Minister, submit a report to Parliament on the conduct of every election and every referendum.
| Like | Dislike 242. Establishment and composition of Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission
There is a commission to be known as the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission consisting of:
The chairperson of the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission must be a person who has been qualified for at least seven years to practise as a legal practitioner in Zimbabwe.
If the appointment of a chairperson to the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission is not consistent with a recommendation of the Judicial Service Commission, the President must cause the Committee on Standing Rules and Orders to be informed as soon as practicable.
| Like | Dislike 243. Functions of Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission
The Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission has the following functions:
to secure appropriate redress, including recommending the prosecution of offenders, where human rights or freedoms have been violated;
to direct the Commissioner-General of Police to investigate cases of suspected criminal violations of human rights or freedoms and to report to the Commission on the results of any such investigation;
to visit and inspect—
prisons, places of detention, refugee camps and related facilities; and
places where mentally disordered or intellectually handicapped persons are detained; in order to ascertain the conditions under which persons are kept there, and to make recommendations regarding those conditions to the Minister responsible for administering the law relating to those places.
The Commissioner-General of Police must comply with any directive given to him or her by the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission under subsection (1)(h). Add a comment
| Like | Dislike 244. Reports to and by Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission
The Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission may require any person, institution or agency, whether belonging to or employed by the State or otherwise:
to inform the Commission of measures they have taken to give effect to the human rights and freedoms set out in the Declaration of Rights; and
to provide the Commission with information it needs to prepare any report required to be submitted to any regional or international body under any human rights convention, treaty or agreement to which Zimbabwe is a party.
In addition to the report it is required to submit in terms of section 323, the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission may, through the appropriate Minister, submit reports to Parliament on particular matters relating to human rights and freedoms which, in the Commission’s opinion, should be brought to the attention of Parliament. Add a comment
| Like | Dislike 245. Establishment and composition of Zimbabwe Gender Commission
There is a commission to be known as the Zimbabwe Gender Commission consisting of:
eight other members, of whom—
seven are appointed by the President from a list of not fewer than twelve nominees submitted by the Committee on Standing Rules and Orders; and
one is a nominee of the national Council of Chiefs, appointed by the President.
Members of the Zimbabwe Gender Commission must be chosen for their integrity and their knowledge and understanding of gender issues in social, cultural, economic and political spheres, and the genders must be equally represented on the Commission. Add a comment
| Like | Dislike 246. Functions of Zimbabwe Gender Commission
to do everything necessary to promote gender equality. Add a comment
| Like | Dislike 247. Reports by Zimbabwe Gender Commission
In addition to the report it is required to submit in terms of section 323, the Zimbabwe Gender Commission may, through the appropriate Minister, submit reports to Parliament on particular matters relating to gender issues which, in the Commission’s opinion, should be brought to the attention of Parliament.
| Like | Dislike 248. Establishment and composition of Zimbabwe Media Commission
There is a commission to be known as the Zimbabwe Media Commission consisting of:
Members of the Zimbabwe Media Commission must be chosen for their integrity and their competence in administration and their knowledge and understanding of human rights issues and the best practices in media matters.
| Like | Dislike 249. Functions of Zimbabwe Media Commission
The Zimbabwe Media Commission has the following functions—
to promote and enforce good practices and ethics in the media;
to monitor broadcasting in the public interest and, in particular, to ensure fairness and diversity of views broadly representing Zimbabwean society;
to encourage the formulation of codes of conduct for persons employed in the media and, where no such code exists, to formulate and enforce one;
to receive and consider complaints from the public and, where appropriate, to take action against journalists and other persons employed in the media or broadcasting who are found to have breached any law or any code of conduct applicable to them;
to encourage the use and development of all the officially recognised languages of Zimbabwe;
to encourage the adoption of new technology in the media and in the dissemination of information;
to promote competition and diversity in the media; and
to conduct research into issues relating to freedom of the press and of expression, and in that regard to promote reforms in the law.
An Act of Parliament may confer power on the Zimbabwe Media Commission to—
conduct investigations and inquiries into:
any conduct or circumstance that appears to threaten the freedom of the media; and
the conduct of the media, and
take or recommend disciplinary action against media practitioners who are found to have breached any law or any code of conduct applicable to them.
An Act of Parliament may provide for the regulation of the media.
| Like | Dislike 250. Reports of Zimbabwe Media Commission
In addition to the report it is required to submit in terms of section 323, the Zimbabwe Media Commission may, through the appropriate Minister, submit reports to Parliament on particular matters relating to the media which, in the Commission’s opinion, should be brought to the attention of Parliament.
| Like | Dislike 251. Establishment and composition of National Peace and Reconciliation Commission
For a period of ten years after the effective date, there is a commission to be known as the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission consisting of:
The chairperson of the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission must be a person who has been qualified for at least seven years to practise as a legal practitioner in Zimbabwe.
If the appointment of a chairperson to the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission is not consistent with a recommendation of the Judicial Service Commission, the President must cause the Committee on Standing Rules and Orders to be informed as soon as practicable.
Members of the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission must be chosen for their integrity and their knowledge and understanding of, and experience in, mediation, conciliation, conflict prevention and management, post-conflict reconciliation or peace-building.
| Like | Dislike 252. Functions of National Peace and Reconciliation Commission
to do anything incidental to the prevention of conflict and the promotion of peace; to conciliate and mediate disputes among communities, organisations, groups and individuals; and
| Like | Dislike 253. Reports of National Peace and Reconciliation Commission
In addition to the report it is required to submit in terms of section 323, the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission may, through the appropriate Minister, submit reports to Parliament on particular matters relating to national peace and reconciliation which, in the Commission’s opinion, should be brought to the attention of Parliament.