Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum 1993. They include the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). The International Convention against Torture (CAT) has not been ratified because Zimbabwe has constitutionalised the death penalty and corporal punishment of minors. Presidential Powers Zimbabwe inherited a Westminster-style Government headed by a Prime Minister, whose party had won a majority of seats in a general election. Its bicameral legislature had a 100-member House of Assembly elected by voters on two rolls, one effectively reserved for whites, and a much smaller appointed Senate representing various interest groups. Until the Constitutional Amendments of 1987, Zimbabwe had a ceremonial president as Head of State, established in the late 1960s. In 1987, the serving Prime Minister became an executive State President until the first presidential election in 1990. The incumbent later argued that this three-year period did not count as a (full) term of office. The post of Prime Minister and the Senate were disestablished. In 1990, the two-term limitation on holding presidential office was simply removedv by the tenth Constitutional Amendment, which also expanded presidential powers to ignore Cabinet advice on various decisions, including the dissolution of Parliament and the appointment, removal and functions of ministers. At present, the President is duty-bound to ‘faithfully execute’ the Constitution and all other laws in force when exercising any of his powers. These include prerogative powers to appoint and accredit diplomatic envoys, enter into international agreements, proclaim and end martial law and war, and confer honours; and any other powers that may be conferred on him by the Constitution and/or Acts of Parliament. He exercises, ‘subject to such lawful conditions as he may think fit to impose’, the prerogative of mercy, the right to impose a state of emergency for up to 14 days without Parliamentary ratification, and is protected from court enquiry into how he ‘has exercised his discretion’ or whether he has heeded any advice tendered.vi Notes iii This sub-section is taken largely from the Human Rights Monitor no 5 (August 2000). Order in Council of the UK: SI 1979/1600. v This rather clumsy amendment rendered uncertain, in the remaining clause, whether any incumbent could legally serve more than one term, but this ambiguity was never tested in the courts. vi Constitution of Zimbabwe, s.31. iv 9