HARARE - Crispen Mandizvidza, who was brutally killed by Zanu (PF) supporters, will be remembered as one person who died trying to write a new people-driven constitution. He never succeeded, because the process was hijacked by politicians and violence took precedence.National Constitutional Assembly (NCA) Chairman, Lovemore Madhuku, has blamed both major political parties Zanu (PF) and MDC-T for the death of the young man – while the MDC puts the blame on Zanu (PF). Zanu (PF) says there is nothing unusual in the death of Mandizvidza, while his family blames the police for not doing their job diligently. And so the blame game continues.
One thing is clear – after the loss of life people will not participate freely in the constitution-making process.
Politicians have hijacked the process. People are no longer free to express themselves. The constitution-writing process has been reduced to a political contestation between the two political parties and the MDC has no political right to blame Zanu (PF), said Madhuku.
Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai said he was shocked by the needless violence and that the process was not free. People are waiting to see whether he will decide to pull out from the whole process or soldier on. But his comment would appear to render continuing with the process meaningless:
This process fails to pass the test of legitimacy, credibility and people-driven-ness. So messy was the whole process that it rendered the hearings unnecessary and out of step with the slightest meaning of what could be regarded as a people-driven constitution-making process. A national constitution is not a party manifesto. A constitution is not an election message.
But Madhuku, who from the onset has cried himself hoarse against political leaders taking the lead in drafting the new constitution, says that both political parties used the process to put across their political agendas. Madhuku wanted, and still wants, civil society to lead the process. He even says that he has the support to campaign for a no vote if the referendum ever comes.
Every political party is responsible for the death of people. It is not morally good for MDC to blame Zanu (PF). MDC has been part of the process. I have the capacity to campaign for a no vote, he said.
Zanu (PF) and the two MDC formations are leading the constitutional process, which is to go through a referendum. The application of the draconian Public Order and Security Act (POSA) has made it difficult for NGOs to carry out education and awareness programmes, leaving ordinary Zimbabweans at the mercy of political parties.
Instead of letting people write their own constitution, Zanu (PF) has been intent on foisting the so-called Kariba Draft upon the nation. The military have been hooked in to force the people into accepting the Kariba Draft and Tsvangirai is well aware of that. The military and state agents involvement must be investigated and the principals must meet immediately to map the way forward, said Tsvangirai.
However Paul Mangwana of Zanu (PF), the co-chair of the steering committee says that there is nothing out of the ordinary in the violence that erupted in Harare during the last weekend of the consultation meetings.
There is nothing unusual that happened in Harare. The same violence also happened in other provinces of the country and people should know that Harare is not Zimbabwe. We are dealing with a society which has not fully gone through the process of national healing and reconciliation and whose people have different political ideologies, said Mangwana.
Ordinary Zimbabwean interviewed by this paper expressed doubts on the constitution. Many said the process is not free and fair and should be abandoned.
Post published in: News