New bill proposes restricted movement of citizens

The Constitution of Zimbabwe states in section 22 that no person may be deprived of his freedom of movement, that is to say, the right to move freely throughout Zimbabwe, the right to reside in any part of Zimbabwe, the right to enter and to leave Zimbabwe and immunity from expulsion from Zimbabwe. However the Constitution, as an exception among other exceptions, states that restrictions are permissible if required "in the interests of defence, public safety, public order, public morality or public health".

But, in terms of a Bill before Parliament to amend the Constitution, the exception will be changed to make possible laws to restrict the movement of persons if required "in the national interest, or the interests of defence, public safety, public order, public morality, public health, the public interest or the economic interests of the State".

Accordingly the following are being introduced to the exception: "the national interest", "the public interest" and "the economic interests of the State". This means that under the amendment, laws may be passed that will empower officials to restrict movement within Zimbabwe, and even prevent departure from Zimbabwe, in what they deem to be the national interest, the public interest or the economic interests of the State. The memorandum to the Bill, which is there to explain it, does not draw attention to these implications. Something to pray about? Or pass along to others to further document the Mugabe government's decline into lunacy?

(This information came originally from an old friend still living in Zimbabwe and practising law - I have purposefully witheld his name) See also: Law Library of Congress Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights. It intrigued but did not surprise me that the Parliament of Zimbabwe's official website offers a link to the Hansard scripts of parliamentary debates, but the last entry is for Wednesday 17 November 2004. Perhaps parliament has been a bit slow since then?