Paul Mangana, co-chair of the Select Committee driving the process, said 70 teams had been deployed countrywide to gather views and ideas that Zimbabweans wanted included in the new governance charter. The new constitution for Zimbabwe is an attempt to end the “big man” syndrome, where the winner of an election is all-powerful and virtually impossible to remove.
The days of the all-powerful president are over, said a committee member.
When Zimbabwe started down the path of creating a new constitution just after formation of an inclusive government last year February, the whole country was geared up and excited – but the momentum has since been lost. The process has so far been sidetracked by partisan bickering, shameless scrounging for donor dollars and bogus non-issues. The Police has sought to benefit financially from the process, literally hawking their services to the select committee, and demanding US$3million. Consultations should have been completed by November 13 last year, according to the timeline set out in the GPA.
The public consultations are an extremely important stage in the political transition, bearing in mind the GPAs insistence that the new Constitution must be written by the people for themselves. But many have lamented that they would not feel free to express their opinions, especially in the rural areas where there have been widespread reports of intimidation by supporters of Zanu (PF).
Some parliamentarians are insisting they want US$75 a day not the proposed US$25.
“This is a clear indication that this group of mercenaries is only in this process to fatten their pockets and not to write the constitution,” Maddock Chivasa, spokesman for the National Constitutional Assembly (NCA) said. A spokesman for the country’s biggest labour federation, the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions, Japhet Moyo concurred. The NCA further lamented the timing of the public hearings, when the whole nation was transfixed on the FIFA soccer world cup.
MDC will triumph
Despite the delay tactics that are being employed by Zanu (PF) in the writing of the new constitution, the MDC-T believes that the people will triumph. Zanu (PF) is being forced to join the people’s agenda unwillingly, its a party of the society that is retrogressive and against democratic principles. But we believe as a party that the people will not be defeated by a few regressive elements,” said MDC-T Deputy Organising Secretary Morgan Komichi. He said Zanu (PF) officials had complained about the cutting of daily allowances but the MDC had accepted the reduction. “We are well aware of the economic situation. The key objective is the constitution and we urge people to participate despite threats of violence and coercion,” said Komichi.
Post published in: News