Recalling the processes that lead to the creation of the Peoples'
Convention and subsequent drafting and adopting of the Peoples' Charter;
Specifically recalling the spirit and letter of Article 3 of the Peoples' Charter in respect of constitution making processes;
Being mindful of the Global Political Agreement, particularly Article 6 which relates to a constitution making process;
We the civil society organisations hereby affirm our commitment to the following:
1. We hold that Article 6 of the Global Political Agreement is and
remains inadequate as a tool of creating a new people driven
constitution. This is because the oversight role given to the
Parliament of Zimbabwe in the same said article is undemocratic and
subject to political party control as evidenced by the passage of
Constitutional Amendment Number 19 on February 5 2009 and that this
view shall be communicated to the political parties in the GPA as well
as the Parliament of Zimbabwe.
2. We reaffirm our commitment to Section 3 of the Zimbabwe Peoples
Charter which outlines both the content and process of a people-driven
constitutional.
3. That civil society shall be guided by the principles
articulated over the last 10 years in relation to constitutional
reform, both in the People's Charter as well as in Resolutions of the
People's Constitutional Convention of 1999 on the definition of people
driven processes in relation to an All Stakeholders Constitutional
Commission, National Referendum, National Outreach, Compilations and
Draft Constitution.
4. That at the end of the constitutional reform process, there
should be a general election conducted in terms of the provision of
that new democratic constitution.
5. That the views sought and acquired after a public outreach and
consultation process be made public as well as unchangeable by law or
the Parliament of Zimbabwe.