BULAWAYO The various committees tasked to consult Zimbabweans on what they wish to see included in the proposed new constitution are expected to have finished the task by November, a top official said last week. (Pictured: Police at the all stakeholders constitutional conference that took place in Harare two weeks ago.)Douglas Mwonzora, who is one of the three chairmen of the parliamentary select committee leading the constitutional reform process, said the committees were expected to have finished gathering the views of Zimbabweans on the new constitution by November 13.
The committees that are known as thematic committees will made up of Members of Parliament (MP) comprise and individuals drawn from various stakeholder groups. MPS will make up 30 percent of each thematic committee, Mwonzora told The Zimbabwean on Sunday.
Thematic committees together with other teams that will be set up will be involved in the process of gathering input for the constitution which should be completed by 13 November in terms of the time frames spelt out in the Global Political Agreement, Mwonzora said.
Peoples views
Mwonzora, who is a member of Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirais MDC party, dismissed fears that the constitutional reform process could be manipulated saying adequate mechanisms had been put in place to ensure peoples views were not doctored or tampered with.
He said each thematic committee would produce its report in triplicate and one copy would remain with members for cross-checking purposes when the draft is eventually produced.
The draft will be gazetted and (will be) open for public scrutiny by all stakeholders for more than 30 days, he said.
He said although the select committee- tasked with steering the constitution making process- had proposed a situation 12 thematic committees, the figure had been increased to 17 in line with the recommendations of the recent all stakeholders constitutional conference held in Harare a fortnight ago.
Media and Disability thematic committees are part of the five that were included in line with the conference resolutions.
Mwonzora said his committee was considering having 40 members on each
thematic committee.
We are still considering the size of the Committees because the size has budgetary implications. It is our hope that people that will be sent to these thematic committees are knowledgeable and will make meaningful contributions towards the crafting of the new constitution, Mwonzora said.
South African process
He said country was modeling its constitution making process along the lines of the process followed by South Africa in drafting its post-apartheid constitution. The South African process won praises for producing what is regarded as one of the most democratic constitutions in the world.
The South African constitutional committee had a 44 member select committee, of-course we have 25 but it reported only to Parliament but our committee reports back to all stakeholders showing our willingness to involve all stakeholders in the constitution making process, said Mwonzora.
Mwonzora urged Zimbabweans to participate in the constitution making process.
You cannot be in control of an aeroplane that has already left, or a bus that has already left or a train that has already left. You have to get on it to be in control If you to be in control, he said.
He said the problems that had rocked the start of the process should not completely erase a lot of groundwork that had been put to get the process moving.
If the draft includes devolution of power which I know is popular in Matabeleland and now in Manicaland because of the diamonds in Chiadzwa will you just vote against it because of the process? asked Mwonzora.
Post published in: News