Zimbabwe: Aligning laws with the new constitution

Published: 4/May/2015
Source: The Zimbabwean

In Part 1 of this progress report on constitutional alignment, we started to list what the Government has done so far in amending laws to implement the Constitution. We began with legislative changes needed to give effect to rights and freedoms conferred by the Declaration of Rights.

We continue the list in this Constitution Watch, setting out in each case what the Government has done to implement the necessary changes.

[…]

B. Implementation of Other Provisions of the Constitution

Zimbabwe’s statutes need amendment to comply not just with the Declaration of Rights but with other provisions of the Constitution as well.

1. Citizenship

The Citizenship of Zimbabwe Act must be amended to bring it into line with Chapter 3 of the Constitution, which protects the rights of citizens and limits the circumstances in which people can be deprived of their citizenship. In particular:

Citizens by birth must be protected from being deprived of their citizenship, and the grounds on which citizenship may be revoked must be adjusted.

The grounds on which citizens by registration may be deprived of their citizenship must be limited to those set out in section 39 of the Constitution.

Foundlings [children under the age of 15 of unknown parentage who are found in Zimbabwe] must be accorded their right to Zimbabwean citizenship.

The new Citizenship and Immigration Board mandated by section 41 of the Constitution must be established.

What has been done?

Nothing.

[…]

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Themes: Acquisition of nationality, Acquisition by children, Dual Nationality, Naturalisation and Marriage, Loss and Deprivation of Nationality
Regions: Southern Africa, Zimbabwe
Year: 2015