constitutional crisis - The African Mirror

Mar

2023

Israel’s ‘fired’ defence chief hangs on as Netanyahu hits pause

DAN WILLIAMS THE Israeli defence chief whose dismissal by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu brought the country's constitutional crisis to a boil is staying in office until further notice, aides said, suggesting government indecision on how to proceed. Beset by three months of unprecedented protests against his nationalist-religious coalition's signature plan to overhaul the judiciary, Netanyahu on Monday hit the pause button and called for compromise negotiations with the centre-left opposition. "Our goal is to reach agreements," he said in a pre-Passover toast to his staff, likening the crisis to a squabble among family gathered for the Jewish festival that begins…

Sep

2021

By The African Mirror

Tunisians protest against president’s “coup”

NEWS

TAREK AMARA SEVERAL hundred demonstrators gathered in Tunis to protest against Tunisian President Kais Saied's seizure of governing powers in July, which triggered a constitutional crisis and prompted accusations of a coup. The protesters gathered in the centre of the capital chanting "shut down the coup" and "we want a return to legitimacy", while a few dozen Saied supporters held a counter-demonstration chanting "the people want to dissolve parliament". The protest, accompanied by a heavy police presence, was the first since Saied declared on July 25 he was sacking the prime minister, suspending parliament and assuming executive authority. Saturday's protests…

Feb

2021

By The African Mirror

Zuma’s defiance is a grave moment for South Africa. But it’s not a constitutional crisis

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

THE attempt by former South African president Jacob Zuma to destabilise the country’s constitutional order, and defy the rule of law, does not constitute a constitutional crisis as some have claimed. RICHARD CALLAND, Associate Professor in Public Law, University of Cape Town It is, nonetheless, a grave moment for modern South Africa and its fledgling democracy. A former president who, as the Constitutional Court has pointed out, has a particular responsibility to respect the constitution even out of office, has chosen to defy an order from the highest court. This, while attacking the legitimacy of the judiciary and the Commission…

Oct

2020

By The African Mirror

How Kenya courted a constitutional crisis over parliament’s failure to meet gender quotas

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

MUTHOMI THIANKOLU, Lecturer, School of Law, University of Nairobi UNLIKE the typical liberal constitution, Kenya’s 2010 constitution is transformative in character. Liberal constitutions primarily seek to demarcate the mandates of key organs of the state. Transformative constitutions on the other hand seek to bring large-scale egalitarian social, economic and political change. Its interpretation and application, therefore, requires a value-centric approach that takes account of the historical, social, cultural and political contexts of the country. Gender representation falls squarely into these categories. The 2010 constitution calls for the elimination of all forms of gender-based discrimination and marginalisation. Article 27 (8) requires…