Published by the government of Zimbabwe
6 July 2009
Harare — CIVIC society members have slammed the National Constitutional Assembly and ZCTU for refusing to participate in the current constitution- making process, saying the process will go ahead despite their boycott.
Members of civic society took turns to castigate NCA chairman Dr Lovemore Madhuku at last Friday's convention "for trying to hold the nation at ransom" by refusing to participate in the process.
Addressing a gathering at a constitution- making convention organised by civic society in Harare last Friday, Transparency International Zimbabwe Chapter former chairperson Professor John Makumbe and Parliament Select Co-chairman Mr Douglas Mwonzora said the constitution- making process was bigger than NCA and ZCTU.
He added that they could not be held back just because of the two organisations.
NCA and ZCTU have in the past been part of the civic society that have been vocal in criticising Government policies.
But in a rare show of division between the NCA and ZCTU on one side and other members of civic society, the Friday convention resolved that the constitution-making process should be held despite the hard economic challenges facing the country.
"Let's not be held by one person, we should write the Constitution even if there are economic problems, even if it means writing with a chalk or ball point pen if there are no computers," said Prof Makumbe in a rare broadside against Dr Madhuku.
Mr Mwonzora, who is a former NCA vice chairperson, said the country could not be held to ransom by the refusal by the Dr Lovemore Madhuku led NCA.
Mr Mwonzora and his Co-Chairperson, Cde Munyaradzi Paul Mangwana went to NCA offices for a meeting with Dr Madhuku but the latter failed to turn up despite the fact that he had committed himself for that meeting.
"When we then later met him at another function he said he never thought we were serious that we want to meet him. Zimbabwe cannot wait for a person who is dilly-dallying," said Mr Mwonzora
Turning to the progress of the constitution making process, Mr Mwonzora said the Parliamentary Select committee has completed identification of stakeholders and started sending out invitations for an all stakeholders conference set for July 10.
"We have identified stakeholders and we have since sent out invitations starting today, if you have not seen your invitation may be it is because it was sent out when you were already here," said Mr Mwonzora. He was responding to questions from various stakeholders who wanted to know progress of the process.
Some stakeholders also wanted to know if Parliament would not tamper with the people's views when the Draft Bill is brought before the House for debate and enactment.
"Parliament will not debate contributions made by the people during an outreach programme as that is being done during plenary sessions of thematic committees," said Mr Mwonzora who is also Nyanga North Member of House of Assembly.
"What we will debate is a report by the Select Committee whether it managed to conduct in the process that we had agreed or not and not the contributions made by people."
There was however a heated debate on how much attention the Select Committee would give to the Kariba Draft.
Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights director, Ms Ireen Petras slammed the MDC-T saying it did not make sense for the party to claim that it will give equal attention to the Draft with any other Drafts that have been produced.
Ms Petras said the fact that the Kariba Draft was mentioned in the Global Political Agreement whereas other documents were not mentioned, gives it some precedence over others in consideration.
She was responding to assertions by Mr Mwonzora who had told the gathering that the Select Committee will treat the Kariba Draft the same way they will do with the National Constitutional Assembly Draft, the Constitutional Commission Draft among others.
"Why was that document referred to in the GPA when other documents were not referred to.
The Kariba Draft was signed by the three political parties and we don't know why the MDC-T has suddenly decided to distance itself from it," said Ms Petras.
President Mugabe has since said the constitution-making process must be premised on the Kariba Draft as agreed by the three parties.
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