Judgment No. CCZ 10/2018 Const. Application No. CCZ 80/2016 that she received a petition from Harare residents concerning the violent intimidation at the public hearings and requesting that they be allowed to air their views on the Bill. She duly presented this petition to the Speaker, but Parliament proceeded with the passage of the Bill despite this protest. As regards the alleged violation of s 278(2) of the Constitution, the applicants aver that the amendments effected by Act No. 8 of 2016 to the relevant provisions of the Rural District Councils Act [Chapter 29:13] and the Urban Councils Act [Chapter 29:15] create tribunals whose members are beholden to the Minister. Moreover, the procedures for their operation are not conducive to their independence as required by the Constitution. The order sought by the applicants seeks various declarators and consequential relief. In particular, they seek a declarator that the respondents failed in their constitutional obligations in the enactment of Act No. 8 of 2016. Accordingly, the Act was not lawfully enacted and is therefore invalid and of no force or effect. Alternatively, they pray for a declarator that the amended sections of the Rural District Councils Act and the Urban Councils Act relative to the tribunals are inconsistent with s 278(2) of the Constitution and are therefore invalid and of no force or effect. The applicants also claim costs against all the respondents. DISTRIBUTED BY VERITAS e-mail: veritas@mango.zw; website: www.veritaszim.net Veritas makes every effort to ensure the provision of reliable information, but cannot take legal responsibility for information supplied. 3