The draft is so democratic that Zanu (PF) is painfully aware that going for elections under that document will be committing political suicide. They are also dead scared about the impending visit by Prophet TB Joshua, the man who prophesied Malawian president Bingu wa Mutharika’s death months before it actually happened. I suspect that there is fear that when and if he gets into this country, TB Joshua might prophesy Mugabe’s demise and the chaos that may follow such a tragedy.
This is a classic misunderstanding of how prophets and prophecies work. The man of God does not have to be in this country in order to prophesy events relating to Zimbabwe. TB Joshua was not in Malawi when he prophesied about wa Mutharika’s death. In a recent broadcast on his TV channel, TB Joshua prophesied about an unidentified African leader who would fall seriously ill.
Zimbabweans are aware that Mugabe’s health is reportedly deteriorating as the dear leader approaches four score and 10. His party should know that denying TB Joshua a visa to enter Zimbabwe will not change whatever God may have ordained will happen to Mugabe or to any of us, for that matter. In fact, denying the man of God a visa may anger God.
But back to the draft constitution – one of the things the people of this country said loud and clear was that one person, the President, has too much power, and that this should be changed to ensure that whoever will be elected President under the new constitution would lead this country together with others.
He will have to consult some committee, commission or Parliament on most of the serious decisions pertaining to the governance of this country. Zanu (PF) reads this to mean that Mugabe’s power will be diluted, but this is far from the truth. The point is that Mugabe will not win the next election so the President whose power will be diluted is certainly not Mugabe.
The draft constitution also provides for the creation of a National Prosecuting Authority, thereby reducing the Attorney General to the role of a mere legal advisor to the government of the day. As matters stand right now, the AG is actively doing Zanu (PF)’s bidding when it comes to the prosecuting of that party’s political enemies – real or imagined.
The two MDC formations in Copac will be best advised to insist on this constitutional provision for the creation of the NPA. After all, they have for too long been at the receiving end of Tomana’s hatred of all Zanu (PF)’s political rivals. Several meetings to be held this week will determine whether this provision and several others will remain part of the draft constitution. It is true that we are headed for a negotiated constitution, but the nation must stand firm with regard to the rejection of the Kariba draft.
Accepting the noxious Kariba draft will be tantamount to returning this country to the period prior to the inauguration of the inclusive government, something we can ill-afford given our experiences since 1980. – makumbe60@gmail.com
Post published in: Analysis