Addressing delegates at the official opening of the second All Stakeholders’ Conference on Monday, 22 October 2012, President Mugabe said inter alia ….. "Ivo vatatu vamuri kuona ava, tisu takanyora ichi chinonzi Global Agreement. Ndisu zvakare takati kumember dzedu dzeParliament’ hapana anoti kwete, mese munosungirwa kuvhota (in parliament for constitutional amendment number 19). Zvino idemocracy iyoyo? … I am saying this because sometimes parliament thinks that it is full of sovereignty that it should control the acts of the Principals, hazviite”.
President Mugabe’s views run contrary to provisions of Article VI of the Global Political Agreement (GPA), which stipulates that:
6.1 The Parties hereby agree that:
a) they shall set up a Select Committee of Parliament, composed of representatives of the parties; whose terms of reference shall be as follows:
i) to set up such sub-committees chaired by a member of Parliament (MP), and representatives of civil society, as may be necessary; to assist the Select Committee in performing its mandate herein;
ii) to hold such public hearings and such consultations as it may deem necessary in the process of public consultation, over the making of a new constitution for Zimbabwe;
iii) to convene an All Stakeholders' Conference, to consult stakeholders on their representation in the Sub-Committees referred to above, and such related matters as may assist the Committee in its work;
iv) to table its draft to a Second All Stakeholders Conference; and,
v) to report to Parliament on its recommendations over the content of a new Constitution for Zimbabwe.
Nowhere in the GPA are the so-called Principals given a role, let alone final say, in the making of the new constitution. President Mugabe’s statement is not only unfounded, but also contradicts the spirit and notion of a people-driven constitution-making process.
The three GPA leaders are not the only people in Zimbabwe; the country has fourteen million citizens. Besides, the President’s utterances are not shared by the other GPA Principals.
The import of the President’s remarks is that the people’s views do not matter at all. This should not surprise anyone, since disregard of the will of the people has been President Mugabe’s hallmark for the past two decades.
M.K.D maintains that the baseline of constitutionalism is at the individual level, in the heart and mind of every citizen; irrespective of their station in life. The country may have the best constitution in the world, but as long as such constitution or other laws are not respected and obeyed, especially by those claiming to be leaders, such document counts for nothing.
President Mugabe’s statement is a clear signal of the unwarranted interference by the Executive, in the activities of the Legislature.
The GPA Principals have no mandate to finalise the country’s constitution. Therefore, President Mugabe should not usurp the powers and responsibilities of both Parliament and the people of Zimbabwe.
Mavambo.Kusile.Dawn (M.K.D) wishes to embolden COPAC and the people of Zimbabwe, not to be intimidated and cowered by President Mugabe’s antics.
Post published in: News