Constitutions must serve citizens, not political power
As debates over constitutional reforms intensify in parts of Africa, a North-West University (NWU) legal expert has cautioned that changes to a country’s highest law should not be judged by the political interests they advance, but by their ability to protect democracy for future generations.
Mpho Justice Khoza
As debates over constitutional reforms intensify in parts of Africa, a North-West University (NWU) legal expert has cautioned that changes to a country’s highest law should not be judged by the political interests they advance, but by their ability to protect democracy for future generations.
Advocate Mpho Justice Khoza, a constitutional law expert and lecturer at the NWU’s Faculty of Law, says recent developments in countries such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Zimbabwe highlight the importance of strong safeguards when governments seek to amend constitutions.
Zimbabwe’s Parliament recently approved constitutional amendments that include extending presidential and parliamentary terms and removing direct presidential elections, while proposed constitutional changes in the DRC have triggered protests by opposition parties.
According to Adv. Khoza, constitutional reform is a normal part of democratic development, but the process must protect the core purpose of a constitution: limiting and regulating public power.
