HARARE
Parliament was recalled on Sunday to beat an April 13
deadline for the establishment of a special parliamentary committee to
spearhead the Constitution-making process amid spirited resistance from
civil society.
Speaker of the House of Assembly, Lovemore Moyo,
announced a 25-member tripartite parliamentary select-committee that he
said would steer the constitution-making process.
The global
political agreement (GPA) setting up the inclusive government between
President Mugabe and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai outlines a
timeline for the process that starts with February 13, 2009, the
inception of the new government – the date most of the ministers were
sworn in.
The agreement says exactly two months from the
establishment of the inclusive government, i.e. April 13, a
parliamentary select committee must be set up, hence the recall of
Parliament during the Easter holiday.
The September 15 power-sharing
agreement binds the new government to come up with a new constitution
in 18 months, followed by free and fair elections six months later.
Speaker
Moyo named the select committee members as Flora Buka (Zanu (PF));
Senator Fortune Charumbira, the President of the Chiefs Council; Amos
Chibaya (MDC-T); Walter Chidakwa (Zanu (PF)); Senator David Coltart
(MDC-M); Senator Gladys Gombani Dube (MDC-T); Joram Gumbo (Zanu (PF))
and Ian Kay (MDC-T).
The others are Martin Khumalo (Zanu (PF));
Senator Dalumuzi Khumalo (MDC-M); Cephas Makuyana (MDC-M); Paul
Mangwana (Zanu (PF)); Evelyn Masaiti (MDC-T); Editor Matamisa (MDC-T);
Senator Tambudzai Mohadi (Zanu (PF)); Edward Tsholotsho Mkhosi (MDC-M);
Olivia Muchena (Zanu (PF)); Senator Monica Mutsvangwa (Zanu (PF));
Douglas Mwonzora (MDC-T); Senator Jabulani Ndlovu Ndlovu (MDC-T) and
Brian Tshuma (MDC-T).
Fambai Ngirande, spokesman of the National
Association of Non Governmental Organisations, NANGO, said already both
parties had achieved consensus on their own around the Kariba draft
Constitution and that there were fears the people would be relegated to
rubberstamping the draft that was most amenable to the political elites
in the government of national unity, GNU.
"The true test of the
GNU’s commitment to a people-driven process rests in their ability to
urgently remove the manifold structural impediments to democratic
particpitation and the enjoyment of human rights in Zimbabwe," Ngirande
said.
BY GIFT PHIRI
Post published in: Politics