Addressing a press conference at the party’s headquarters in Harare today, Douglas Mwonzora, MDC National Spokesperson, said the MDC National Executive was satisfied by most of the provisions in the document.
“The MDC national executive met today to receive a report and consider the draft Constitution concluded by the Parliamentary Select Committee and Management Committee of Copac.
“After extensive deliberations, the executive committee was satisfied that the draft Constitution essentially captures the views of the people of Zimbabwe and represents an incremental gain in the democratization process.”
The Government of National Unity (GNU) is mandated by Article five of the Global Agreement GPA to make a constitution driven by the will of the Zimbabwean people.
A new constitution in Zimbabwe is important as it is going to pave way for an election.
The MDC says it is happy on the question of citizenship by firstly, guaranteeing citizenship to Zimbabweans who were previously denied citizenship and secondly allowing dual citizenship to Zimbabweans by birth.
It also noted the establishment of foundations for strong democratic institutions that include a stronger Parliament to effect checks and balances on the Executive while providing for a strong and accountable President and the creation of independent commissions including the gender commission.
The devolution of power to the provinces, freedom of press and media, the establishment of the National Prosecution Authority and the Constitution Court, an expanded and comprehensive Bill of Rights and provision of comprehensive mechanisms for equal representation of women in Parliament are some positives that impressed the party.
However MDC said there are some issues they wanted to see in the document but will just respect the will of the people of Zimbabwe.
“Although there are some things that the MDC may have wanted included in the Constitution, the MDC respects the will of the people of Zimbabwe and the fact that some aspects of this Constitution had to be negotiated.
“The party resolved that the people of Zimbabwe must be given opportunity to decide on the draft through a referendum,” Mwonzora said.
Post published in: News
Zanu PF Politburo approved “97%” of the new constitution and rightly so too because during the “horse trading” they had everything, and I mean everything, the party disapproved of removed. After 32 years of brutal tyrannical rule and with the political violence of 2008 still fresh in their minds every Zimbabwean wanted the new constitution to put and end to this scourge of political violence. The buzz word on this was Security Sector reforms.
The new constitution has done nothing that can be seen in anyway or form as Security Sector reform. This was a sacred cow and not to be touched, people like George Charamba openly said so. The top brass in the Army, Police and other security organs have openly said they will not accept anyone with no “liberation war credential†as State President. The Police continue to turn a blind eye to Zanu PF thuggery and lawlessness as we speak.
Minister Patrick Chinamasa has already pushed through parliament the Human Rights Bill which will force the Human Rights Commissioners to limit their human rights investigations to the post 2009 period only. The Bill was passed under MDC’s very noses. It is Zanu PF’s insurance in case the new constitution is rejected.
There is nothing in the new constitution beyond the usual platitudes about press freedom that will force Zanu PF to end its monopoly of the media and ensure the people are informed and not brainwashed as is the case at present.
The people of Zimbabwe wanted Mugabe barred from standing again on the grounds of his advance age, that he had already serve 32 years, or what ever; they just wanted to see the back of the tyrant. The new constitution should have been bold to have a clause like, “no individual will serve for more than ten years in a life timeâ€.
Of course now with not even one meaningful reform in place Mugabe is free to cheat, buy votes, use violence; whatever it takes to secure election victory.
MDC is a party known for giving in to every Zanu PF demand and they did just that in writing this new constitution. This new constitution will do nothing to end this Mugabe / Zanu PF dictatorship. It will be folly to pretend it is an “incremental gain in the democratization processâ€.
Zimbabweans must vote NO to this 97% Zanu PF (tyrannical) and 3% MDC (democracy) constitution!
Zanu PF Politburo approved “97%” of the new constitution and rightly so too because during the “horse trading” they had everything, and I mean everything, the party disapproved of removed. After 32 years of brutal tyrannical rule and with the political violence of 2008 still fresh in their minds every Zimbabwean wanted the new constitution to put and end to this scourge of political violence. The buzz word on this was Security Sector reforms.
The new constitution has done nothing that can be seen in anyway or form as Security Sector reform. This was a sacred cow and not to be touched, people like George Charamba openly said so. The top brass in the Army, Police and other security organs have openly said they will not accept anyone with no “liberation war credential†as State President. The Police continue to turn a blind eye to Zanu PF thuggery and lawlessness as we speak.
Minister Patrick Chinamasa has already pushed through parliament the Human Rights Bill which will force the Human Rights Commissioners to limit their human rights investigations to the post 2009 period only. The Bill was passed under MDC’s very noses. It is Zanu PF’s insurance in case the new constitution is rejected.
There is nothing in the new constitution beyond the usual platitudes about press freedom that will force Zanu PF to end its monopoly of the media and ensure the people are informed and not brainwashed as is the case at present.
The people of Zimbabwe wanted Mugabe barred from standing again on the grounds of his advance age, that he had already serve 32 years, or what ever; they just wanted to see the back of the tyrant. The new constitution should have been bold to have a clause like, “no individual will serve for more than ten years in a life timeâ€.
Of course now with not even one meaningful reform in place Mugabe is free to cheat, buy votes, use violence; whatever it takes to secure election victory.
MDC is a party known for giving in to every Zanu PF demand and they did just that in writing this new constitution. This new constitution will do nothing to end this Mugabe / Zanu PF dictatorship. It will be folly to pretend it is an “incremental gain in the democratization processâ€.
Zimbabweans must vote NO to this 97% Zanu PF (tyrannical) and 3% MDC (democracy) constitution!