The proposals, contained in a 29-page document in Radio VOP's possession, seeks an overhaul to nearly all the 18 chapters of the draft constitution, raising fears Zanu (PF) wants to delay the conclusion of the drafting of the new constitution.
Zanu (PF) insiders told Radio VOP that the strategy would enable President Mugabe to unilaterally call for fresh polls under the Lancaster House constitution.
President Mugabe wants fresh polls to end the acrimonious government of national unity. However, the just-ended Southern African Development Community (SADC) summit, which was held in Angola to discuss the political fall-out in Harare, insisted that elections should be held once all outstanding issues in the Global Political Agreement (GPA) have been finalised.
Regarding the election of the President, Mugabe’s party wants 50 percent plus one to be a constitutional matter and not statutory.
The issue of the election of the President was covered under the Electoral Act but now Zanu (PF) wants it enshrined in the new constitution.
Zanu (PF) opposes devolution of power to the provinces, the National Prosecuting Authority, the Constitutional Court, the Truth and Reconciliation.
The party also wants the removal of a clause in the draft barring the military from dabbling in politics. It further proposes the removal of a clause, which says the President should first seek parliamentary approval before declaring war. It proposes that the President should be allowed to unilaterally declare war without the input of legislators, or unbridled Presidential powers to declare war. The party advocates for unlimited ministerial appointments by the President.
In the preamble, the party wants removal and insertion of certain words the party feels resonates with its ideologies and aspirations. For instance in paragraph 1 of the preamble, Zanu (PF) wants the “oppression” to be added after “domination.” In Paragraph 2 it wants the words “and heroes and heroines” added after the words “men and women.” In paragraph 3 they want “forebears replaced with “founding fathers and mothers”, among other mundane additions.
“What Zanu (PF) urgently needs is sound, legal advice,” commented a COPAC official on the new Zanu (PF) demands.
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This situation is now becoming a game between MDC and ZANU-PF, it is becoming increasingly confusing what the mandate for the government for national unity stands for, The first impression was that it was to ensure that a transparent voters role was created, and anew constitution drafted that would clear the way for free and fair elections. Three years later none of this has happened. Now we hear talk of, first the end to violence to create a conducive environment. The questions is how do you end violence, when on one hand ZANU-PF’S culture since independence has been to use every means possible to win the elections including violent assault of any opposition. MDC on the other hand came in 1999 with their own culture which was fight fire with fire which included the formation of a wing called GAMBANJA (sorry don’t know its correct spelling)who’s aim was to use violence to subdue ZANU-PF’S aggression and physically intimidate Zimbabweans to VOTE for change. Hence a new culture was born that of unprecedented violence; indeed it worked well for the MDC because use of an international media culture to highlight the beatings they were receiving made them win international support. However the effect of failing to highlight the violence and atrocities committed by MDC members has created a smoke screen and fueled a culture of violence because MDC members can now use violence on innocent people and blame it on ZANU-PF and get international support for this. The point I am trying to make here is as long as you have MDC and ZANU-PF contesting an election it is guaranteed there will be violence. The question is What about the human rights of Zimbabweans? if on the one hand the international community can condone the violence from one political party and not from another which initially they condoned in the first place. remember the Matabeleland massacres, the bottom line is the term 0f the parliament is about to expire and it is the human rights of Zimbabweans to demand an election now whether MDC or ZANU-PF like it or not. They cannot be seen to have their cake and eat it too, at the expense of the nation. The GPA has had enough time to sort out the issues that were initially brought up to induce a conducive election environment. Enough is enough Zimbabweans are being railroaded by cheap politicking by these two parties backed by an unsympathetic international community. Zimbabweans have a right to chose their destiny, we all know we cannot stop violence but that is not an excuse for Zimbabweans not to exercise their human rights. Elections now and let nature take its course we can not have a country led by two minds heading in different directions while their party members line their pockets at the expense of the Nation.
all people know who they want to vote for but honestily speaking using old constitution and old voters rol is unfare to the people of Zimbabwe because it favours Zanu pf.The needs to be changed then people go to polls.
A day ago the Headlines were “Another Army Chief declares loyalty to Zanu PF”. Today the Headlines are “Zanu PF walk out of COPAC meeting”! This is the sort of news Zimbabweans have had week after week, month after month for the last three and half years. The bottom-line in all these stories has been the same “Mugabe is not going to implement any meaningful democratic reforms, period!†And now the count down to fresh elections has started and some people still hope against hope that the long refused democratic reforms will be implemented in the remaining twelve months!
There is nothing wrong with Mugabe or the message he has sent out; God knows it has been loud and repeated umpteen times. As for Tsvangirai and MDC, they are way out of their depth; for three and half years they have blundered from pillar to post, they do not know what day it is! The problem in Zimbabwe is with the people themselves: they simple refuse to see the reality of ruinous garden path Mugabe is taking the nation and, the few who do, refuse to accept that the blundering Tsvangirai is doing nothing to stop him.
And so Zimbabweans are counting down to refresh elections they know are going to be marred by political violence and still they match like sheep to the slaughter! How anyone can be so indifferent to their own fate is a great mystery