How on earth does the Zanu (PF) politburo think that in this new season of change it can prescribe what constitution Zimbabweans should or should not have?To our utter dismay Zanu (PF) deputy spokesman Ephraim Masawi announced last week that the politburo had resolved to adopt the so-called Kariba draft constitution as the working document for the constitution making process.
In other words, the club of political dinosaurs that is the Zanu (PF) politburo in its infinite wisdom decided that the fatherless and motherless Kariba draft should be the manual to guide us as we write a new constitution for our country.
Just why President Robert Mugabe and his followers in Zanu (PF) believe they are more qualified than the citizens of this country to determine what should or should not form part of the new constitution defies logic.
We do not know what is contained in that draft constitution that seems to fascinate the Zanu (PF) politburo so much. The document has never been made public. We do not know who authored the Kariba draft constitution. Yet constitutions derive legitimacy from the hand that authors them a point you would have expected Zanu (PF) to be well aware of after the expensive fiasco of the Justice Godfrey Chidyausiku Constitutional Commission of 2000.
Of course, the leopard must first learn how to change its spots before the super patriots in Zanu (PF) are able to grasp the simple fact that the citizens of Zimbabwe are the true sovereigns of the country and not subjects of a political party. Even as the storm building up on the horizons threatens to sweep Zanu (PF) into the dustbin of history, the party still believes it can impose a constitution on Zimbabweans. Something it failed to achieve when it had relatively more power nine years ago than they wield now talk of being out of touch!
The temptation is to laugh off these men and women of yesterday who make up the politburo were it not for the fact that in their fight to preserve their ill-gotten wealth and privilege they represent the most dangerous threat to democratic change in this country. They must be stopped!
Zimbabweans dare not sit back and hope that somehow the miracle of 2000 when voters rejected the Chidyausiku draft constitution will repeat itself come next year when another constitutional referendum is called.
Neither should citizens relax in the comfort of assurances by the MDC that they will ensure Zanu (PF) abides by the peoples word on the new constitution. The MDC has been deceived by Zanu (PF) on far too many counts to trust them to keep Mugabe and his people in check on this important matter.
The onus is on the people. Either we grant Zanu (PF) its wish to write a new constitution for us which means forfeiting the future of our children or we stand up now and put a stop to this madness. The buck stops with you Zimbabweans!
Post published in: Editor: Wilf Mbanga