FATE OF DRAFT CONSTITUTION TO BE DECIDED NEXT MONTH

The highly controversial 2024 Draft Constitution bill will go for a second reading and decisive stage next month.

According to a notice by the National Assembly on the items on the agenda in its next session, the draft will come on Thursday 27 March,

The bill will need the backing of at least 42 members to give the draft any chance of proceeding to the next stages, and possibly paving the way for a referendum.

Anything short of the required majority threshold will see the draft killed as was the case in 2020 when a handful of 23 lawmakers allegedly manipulated by the executive, voted that version down.

The ruling NPP and the main opposition UDP are the two parties with the highest number of seats in the National Assembly and with many members of the opposition in general vowing to reject it, many observers feared that the new draft may face similar fate as that of 2020. However, many other voices, including some civil society, have called for it to be passed with amendments.

Source: The Standard