Interview Broadcast: October 22, 2009
Lance Guma: Hallo Zimbabwe we welcome you to the programme Behind the Headlines. Our special guest today is the interim president of the Mavambo Kusile Dawn movement and former Finance Minister, Dr Simba Makoni. They recently held a press conference offering their views on the MDC’s disengagement from the government. Dr Makoni, thank you for joining us on the programme.
Simba Makoni: Thank you very much, it’s my pleasure.
Guma: Your press conference touched on the MDC disengagement, for the benefit of our listeners could you maybe summarise your position, how did you react to the MDC disengagement?
Makoni: Well first we are perplexed and dismayed by the form of the action; it’s called formal disengagement from Zanu PF. We’re having difficulties understanding what exactly that means in real terms. They say that they are not leaving the inclusive government, they’re continuing to execute their functions but they are disengaging from Zanu PF.
The one explicit action they have taken is to abstain from Cabinet meetings. One isn’t sure how abstaining from Cabinet meetings is disengaging from Zanu PF, so in essence, the first position is one of misunderstanding, confusion and lack of clarity about exactly what does this action mean in practical terms.
Guma: But the MDC will say the action they took was designed to get a reaction from the region, and there has been some movement towards the troika meeting so they’ll point to that and say this is what it was designed to achieve.
Makoni: Well it was designed to precipitate a crisis and generate a reaction from the region. We think we must first focus on what we can do ourselves. This I think is one of the difficulties with the strategies that say let outsiders solve our problems for us.
Guma: Mmm, but I suppose the problem Dr Makoni is that it has been eight months since this government was formed, there does not seem to be a desire from Zanu PF to get any of the agreed commitments in place and so a lot of people are saying the MDC is left with little choice.
Makoni: Well quite clearly, the people of Zimbabwe did not expect anything from Zanu PF. The reason why they voted for change in March 2009 and in other elections before is because they have ceased to have expectation of any positive developments from Zanu PF and the MDC should have known that and this has been pointed out to them right from the time of the negotiation of the Global Political Agreement. To have expected Zanu PF to behave differently would have been a gross misunderstanding of Zanu PF and its nature and character.
Guma: Now in your press statement Dr Makoni, you talked about the fact that the MDC, in your view, are disengaging from Zanu PF based on issues of jobs for the boys and girls. Can you explain that position?
Makoni: Well basically, Prime Minister Tsvangirai made a statement which said that the fact that Roy Bennett has not been installed as Deputy Minister of Agriculture and provincial governors and ambassadors and other public officers that the MDC expected to have been put in place have not been put in place … that’s why they are disengaging from Zanu PF because people have not been put in jobs. That’s what we mean by the jobs for the boys and girls.
Advertisement
It would have been much better for the people of Zimbabwe to be told by Morgan and the MDC ‘we are disengaging from Zanu PF because we are not agreeing on policies to solve the country’s problems’. Policies that stop the country declining, the people’s lives being threatened, policies that enable the economy to recover so that people can have better lives than they had before. This is what the people of Zimbabwe voted for and this is what they expected from the MDC component of the inclusive government.
The people of Zimbabwe had no expectation of anything out of the Zanu PF component of the inclusive government because they have lived with it for 28 years until March 29. And if Prime Minister Tsvangirai and his national executive were saying they are disengaging from Zanu PF because they had not moved policies, programmes and strategies to change the lives of Zimbabweans, we would be applauding them.
Guma: But a lot of people will say…
Makoni: When we said we will support the inclusive government it was because we wanted the inclusive government to change the lives of the people of Zimbabwe, to move Zimbabweans from drudgery and poverty into welfare and wellbeing and this is not what the MDC are doing in the inclusive government.
Guma: But surely Dr Makoni, as a technocrat yourself, you would appreciate the importance of having the right people in the jobs, in government to carry out their mandate and implement the policies properly?
Makoni: Oh absolutely. I don’t know if I’m a technocrat or not but I am a practical and pragmatic Zimbabwean but I appreciate fully the need for competent people, by the way competence is one of the core values of our party, but I will say to you with more than half of the ministers in the Cabinet of the inclusive government and a handful of deputy ministers and a smaller number of bureaucrats from the MDC, that’s sufficient competence to have made a mark on the policy formulation front.
If we had a list of new policies that have been proposed by the MDC for implementation which had failed because there are no ambassadors and there are no governors and there are no deputy ministers, we would be very understanding and accommodating, even supportive of such a position but unfortunately we don’t have those things.
Guma: But the point remains – why should Mugabe be allowed to get away with making unilateral appointments? I refer here to Reserve Bank governor Gideon Gono and Attorney General Johannes Tomana, the point remains the Agreement specifically stated that the parties had to consult on senior appointments and that did not happen?
Makoni: Oh precisely, he shouldn’t be allowed and Prime Minister Tsvangirai took the Oath of Office in the inclusive government knowing that there were those issues and those are the issues indeed which would form part of the agenda for change but not be the agenda for change itself. That’s where we’re making the distinction.
Guma: Let me give another example. You are a former Finance Minister so you probably appreciate this point even much better. The appointment of Gideon Gono -- the MDC have argued that during his tenure as Reserve Bank governor a lot of things have happened including the raiding of corporate foreign currency accounts and that this has damaged the confidence of people who are pouring money into Zimbabwe, so his continued presence at the Reserve Bank is an impediment to government moving forward. Would you not accept such a point?
Makoni: Lance, I considered that there are issues, but remember Gideon raided corporate FCAs before the inclusive government. We drew a line from February 13th when the inclusive government took oath and went into office. We are measuring the performance from there, we are not going back.
Indeed impediments should be removed, but what we are saying is we would be understanding and sympathetic, supportive even, if what the Prime Minister was saying to us was look at what we tried to do from February 13th going forward, this policy we proposed, it was blocked by Robert Mugabe, this policy we suggested it was blocked by Gideon Gono, we would be very understanding and sympathetic of that point of view. But again I repeat, we haven’t been presented with that position.
Guma: Let me get what you would have done in similar circumstances. You are in this coalition with Zanu PF, some of the agreed positions have not been implemented including the swearing in of one of your deputy ministers, what would you do?
Makoni: Well, first I wouldn’t have entered into such a terrible Agreement. You know that our first reaction to the GPA was that this was a terrible Agreement, it was unworkable, it was unbalanced and it was going to make life very difficult for Prime Minister Tsvangirai and the MDC. We said that at the beginning long before they took Oath of Office on 11th and 13th February.
So the first point I would have done is not to enter into a terrible Agreement like that and so I would have worked for a better Agreement which would enable me to function effectively, and if that had happened I think a lot of the problems we are confronting today would have been obviated.
Guma: Some will say you are underestimating the kind of creature that the MDC had to deal with. I mean you were looking at a party, which probably as a former member, you yourself will appreciate how stubborn some of the individuals are and how resistant they are to change so some will say why would you not accept the fact that compromises had to be made for the sake of the people?
Makoni: Oh I’m not denying that compromises had to be made. Remember that my whole thrust of campaigning was about accommodation, cooperation and compromise but it’s the kind of compromise and the content of compromise.
If it’s compromise for its sake, then I think we will be missing the point. Was it compromise that would have enabled effectiveness? As we can see now, this compromise did not make the Prime Minister effective and that is where the first problem lies.
Guma: Someone would say to you Dr Makoni, what’s the point of being in power if you can’t nominate your own people? I mean ideally, it seems pretty clear the MDC are trying in the power matrix to position themselves in such a way that they can effectively deliver the change that everyone is talking about and so would you not be at risk here of belittling genuine complaints that the MDC feel that they have against Zanu PF?
Makoni: No it would be a misunderstanding of our position. We are not belittling the MDC contribution. What we are saying is that the MDC should have been wiser at the beginning and we are saying that the MDC contribution would have been better and more substantive if it was addressed at policies, strategies, programmes and actions that changed the lives of the people of Zimbabwe, that enabled Zimbabwean farmers to grow food for themselves, that enabled Zimbabwean teachers to teach at school, that enabled Zimbabwean doctors to treat diseases in hospital.
But because the focus is on ‘get Gideon Gono out of office’ and ‘put Roy Bennett into office’ that’s why we are saying that the focus is on jobs for the boys. And jobs for the boys do not necessarily deliver change for the people of Zimbabwe.
We would like Prime Minister Tsvangirai to succeed, we would like the inclusive government to succeed we said this, but succeed on substance. Not fight over motorcars, not fight over the kind of furniture and TVs in the office of the Minister but fight over policies that change the lives of the people of Zimbabwe.
Guma: Now this dispute Dr Makoni has been taken to the Southern African Development Community, you yourself spent more than a decade at the helm of that organisation, if I might ask you to speculate – what do you think is going to happen from here? Do you think the regional grouping has what it takes to deal with this issue?
Makoni: Well first let me tell you that the SADC that I was involved in was very different from the SADC that we have today so the dynamics in the organisation are quite different.
Secondly, I think you want to appreciate that SADC’s principal anchoring from January 29, 2009, was that ‘Zimbabweans, we have given you an instrument of management of your national affairs – inclusive government and JOMIC. If anything goes wrong, sort yourselves out through those institutions’.
We went to the DRC last month and Prime Minister Tsvangirai is now crisscrossing the region. I have no different expectation from the region than you have the institutions through which to solve your own problems, go ahead and solve them yourselves.
Guma: But it’s eight months and nothing has been solved and the regional grouping is one of the guarantors of the Agreement so shouldn’t they do something?
Makoni: Well look, the primary responsibility for solving Zimbabwe’s problems lies with Zimbabweans and since February 13th it lies principally with the inclusive government. These people (Zanu PF and MDCs) came to the country and said ‘we are offering ourselves as a partnership to solve your problems because we believe we are competent to do it’. Let them show their competence.
Guma: To end the programme Dr Makoni, I’ll just ask one final question. Your views on pending or impending elections in 2011, in terms of your own political party, how do you see things going?
Makoni: Well first, I don’t know that there’s a timetable for the next elections. The requirements for a free and fair election as stipulated in the Global Political Agreement are not yet in place and they don’t seem to be coming into place. It’s one of the issues over which we have concerns about the performance of the inclusive government, but that said, we are preparing ourselves now as a fully fledged political party, not only to contest the next election whenever it comes but to win the next election and that’s our position.
Guma: That was Dr Simba Makoni joining us on Behind the Headlines.
www.NewZimbabwe.com
26 October 2009
Constitution Workshop Report (031009)
WORKSHOP ON THE MAKUNG OF THE CONSTITUTION
DATE: O3 OCTOBER 2009
VENUE: BRETRHEN IN CHRIST CHURCH LOBENGULA (BICC)
Facilitators
1. Ms Jane Willams: Woman of Zimbabwe Rise (WOZA)
2. Mr L. Madhuku: National Constitutional Assembly (NCA)
3. Mr Clever Bere: Zimbabwe National Students Association (ZINASU)
4. Lawyer Effie Ncube: For the National Association of Non-Governmental Organisations (NANGO)
5. Mr D. Dabengwa: Constitution making and parties outside the GPA.
6. Pastor Motsi; Church representative
7. Pastor H.Ndlovu: Facilitator
8. Mr Usani Sibanda: Director Christian Alliance (CA)
This was not a political rally but a workshop to do with the making of the constitution, which affects every Zimbabwean whatever race, colour, tribe or creed.
PRESENT
Dignitaries from different interest groups, pastors from various other churches and Brethren in Christ Church, media people for BICC Lobengula, youths from BICC Pumula and BICC Lobengula and ushers. One hundred and eleven people attended the workshop.
Opening prayer with Mrs Siziba at 13.50 hrs
Welcome Speech – Pastor H. Ndlovu
- Rev Albert Ndlovu, our Snr Pastor & Father
- Other Pastors here present
-Jenni Williums, Dr Lovemore Madhuku, Mr Clever Bere, Mr Effie Ncube, Commrade Dumiso Dabengwa, Mr Useni Sibanda
- Other leaders,
- Distinguished guests, brethren, ladies and gentleman
I would like to welcome you all and thank you for taking your time to come and be part of this Constitution Workshop.
It is with great prestige and honor for me to stand here today in this historic event in our church and community.
-Many people have been saying to me that I have become political, some have been saying they can’t attend this workshop because its about politics and some were saying they are afraid of the Riot police.
-I would our people released their responsibility as citizens of this nation to determine their destiny and what happens in this country.
-It is our responsibility and right to be involved in the constitution making process of this country, it is not for politicians but Zimbabweans!
1. Jane Williams (Chairperson WOZA)
She stated that WOZA is a social organisation and not a political party. They stand for the rights of women and want recognition for women who are treated as second-class citizens. They honour women as they have the biggest burden of raising families. The police and the judiciary have subjected WOZA to violence and injustice but they do not regard themselves as victims but as survivors. They are not a feminist organisation but they want to foster the respect of people and as a result, they have in their ranks men of the organisation called Men of Zimbabwe Arise (MOZA). WOZA is concerned with what they call bread and butter issues and the dignity they expect to be engendered in the constitution for women.
They are concerned that the constitution if done in current manner, people will not have what they call the ‘minimum standard’ being met. They believe also in the need for a free press and the de-politicisation of the police force, which means the resignation of the current leadership of the police. WOZA also advocates for the separation of power and the independence of the judiciary. They also advocate for the reduction in the years of one who occupies the office of the president to sixty-five years and also they say the issue of dual citizenship needs to be looked into as it is a legacy of colonialism where part of southern Africa was one huge federation. Above all, there is need for the guarantee of basic rights such as health, education, and shelter etcetera. WOZA also is looking for rights of those viewed as minority and they advocate for the de-politicisation of the constitution writing process.
2. L. Madhuku (Chairperson NCA)
Present with him where:
Alois Dzvairo – National Youth Chairperson
Allan Tshuma – office of the NCA
Mr Moyo – Chairman for Bulawayo
Mr Madhuku looked at the flows of the constitution making process where he said that the constitution is meant to be a process that is done for the people for the people. He said this required people to say out their views unlike the process through which the process is being conducted where politicians are the ones undertaking the process and the NCA says that an independent body should be set up to do the writing of the constitution. He also spelt out the composition of the parliamentary committee called the management committee which responsible for larger committee set up by parliament to carry out the consultative work. It is as follows:
1. Mr Patrick Chinamasa MP
2. Mr Tendai Biti MP
3. Prof Welshman Ncube MP
From the above list and that the so called management committee (made of lead negotiators of the GPA) is also of politicians, it becomes obvious why the process is said to be flowed. The parliament will report to the three GPD negotiators who will in turn report to the three principals, Robert Mugabe, Morgan Tsvangirai & Arthur Mutambara. The NCA say they cannot stop what they call a flowed process but they believe it will stop on its own. This, the NCA say, is because the committee responsible has already lost three months and only one month is left and they have not done ‘anything’. The NCA say they can only help by giving people information on the process and what can be done, but no stop it. Mr Madhuku went on to explain the document known as the Kariba Draft which he said was a document already written and published. It was done on the 30th of September and is signed by the three principals and it favours current president Mr Robert Mugabe.
Flaws
1. Controlled by politicians
2. Already drafted without participation of civic society
Therefore if Zimbabweans accept a compromised constitution and vote for it, the NCA say ‘it will be disaster’.
3. C. Bere
Mr Bere supported the stance of the NCA in demanding an independent body to lead the constitutional writing process. He emphasised that the process is as important as the product itself. As Mr Bere was looking and the shortcomings of the Kariba draft and the Lancaster House constitution, he looked at the flaws of these documents and said the NCA does no want to write a constitution, but wants to see a people driven constitution. Mr Bere said the bone of contention was the handing of responsibility of this process in the hands of the people who governed and not those to be governed. He commended the youths who attended the workshop and urged youths to bring about positive change in the country and not to be used as weapons for the destruction of the country by political parties.
4 E. Ncube
Mr Ncube spoke about the draconian legislation, the Access to Information and Protection to Privacy Act (AIPPA) which he said was hindering the free flow of information as the law is consistent with running a dictatorship and hence protecting ZANU PF and the president. He noted that Zimbabwe has the highest number of satellite dishes the world over because people are not given media choice. Mr Moyo said the constitution was meant to ensure the protection of people’s rights. The struggle for this, he said stopped when people thought of AIPPA as a ‘good’ law. Mr Ncube said currently the press was controlled by one man and one party and hence it compromises even the important debate of the constitution. He said the state cannot be a free state without a free media. The media plays an important role in the development of the country. The media must ensure that the constitution considers the independence of the media from political parties and politics.
Mr Ncube went on to talk of the marginalisation of the so-called minority groups as Zimbabwe is a multi-cultural and multi lingual state and the media has to play the important role of ensuring the development and preservation of the language as a heritage. He spoke also of freeing the media so as to allow it to report on the violation of human rights and he said Zimbabwe needed that kind of society. He spoke also of the devolution of power.
5. D. Dabengwa
Mr Dabengwa said that he was not speaking on behalf of any political parties but rather he would look at the constitution in general and the effects on the general public. He also spoke about the need for the ‘new’ constitution to come up with the devolution of power. He urged that a constitution with flaws must not be allowed to pass through. He also urged the youth to be in the forefront of the war of positivism in the country because he (Dabengwa) and his contemporaries had done their part and even what they are doing now they are doing for the coming generations. He said unlike the manner in which the country’s constitution was being amended any such amendments should be done not for individual or political party interest, but rather in line with the need of the country.
6. Questions And Answers
1. Why should we go the NCA way in drafting the constitution? Who are the people?
2. What is this so called MDC draft constitution and what impact significance will it or does it have in the new constitution making?
3. Is it true that Zanu Pf is preparing to amend the current Lancaster house constitution again?
4. South African constitution was enacted in 1996 and has been amended at least 12 times, what is wrong with ours having been amended 19 times from 1980. Why should there so many amendments?
5. The USA constitution is not as detailed as ours, Botswana or South African one, United Kingdom does not have a written constitution, why is it necessary to have one?
6. Why is the MDCT backtracking from the Kariba draft in which they are a signatory?
7. Botswana & USA have minimum age of 35 for office of president, ours is 40, why can’t change?
8. What is devolution of power?
9. Is the NCA truly a non political organisation? This is because some individuals that were once its leaders or members are now politicians, e.g. the now Prime Minister Morgan Tvsangirai.
7. Rev Motsi on behalf of Reverent Albert Ndlovu
He commended BICC for being the only church to initiate a workshop of the nature done, that spoke about constitutional issues. He said the church needed to be involved in a process as important as the one that was done at BICC. Rev Motsi spoke about constitutionalism and constitution making process where he said constitutionalism was difficult in Zimbabwe and that the constitution making process was even more difficult. He urged people generally that they should be seen to be participating in issues that affect them in their day to day activities.
8. Mr U. Sibanda
Mr Sibanda spoke about how Christians could not keep away form issues of governance as they are the people of God and they need to tell the politicians how they want to be governed. He therefore urge more participation for Christians on issues of national interest as these are the people who know the godly way through which government should rule over nations.
Rev M. Ndlovu then gave a vote of thanks and prayed ending the workshop.
DATE: O3 OCTOBER 2009
VENUE: BRETRHEN IN CHRIST CHURCH LOBENGULA (BICC)
Facilitators
1. Ms Jane Willams: Woman of Zimbabwe Rise (WOZA)
2. Mr L. Madhuku: National Constitutional Assembly (NCA)
3. Mr Clever Bere: Zimbabwe National Students Association (ZINASU)
4. Lawyer Effie Ncube: For the National Association of Non-Governmental Organisations (NANGO)
5. Mr D. Dabengwa: Constitution making and parties outside the GPA.
6. Pastor Motsi; Church representative
7. Pastor H.Ndlovu: Facilitator
8. Mr Usani Sibanda: Director Christian Alliance (CA)
This was not a political rally but a workshop to do with the making of the constitution, which affects every Zimbabwean whatever race, colour, tribe or creed.
PRESENT
Dignitaries from different interest groups, pastors from various other churches and Brethren in Christ Church, media people for BICC Lobengula, youths from BICC Pumula and BICC Lobengula and ushers. One hundred and eleven people attended the workshop.
Opening prayer with Mrs Siziba at 13.50 hrs
Welcome Speech – Pastor H. Ndlovu
- Rev Albert Ndlovu, our Snr Pastor & Father
- Other Pastors here present
-Jenni Williums, Dr Lovemore Madhuku, Mr Clever Bere, Mr Effie Ncube, Commrade Dumiso Dabengwa, Mr Useni Sibanda
- Other leaders,
- Distinguished guests, brethren, ladies and gentleman
I would like to welcome you all and thank you for taking your time to come and be part of this Constitution Workshop.
It is with great prestige and honor for me to stand here today in this historic event in our church and community.
-Many people have been saying to me that I have become political, some have been saying they can’t attend this workshop because its about politics and some were saying they are afraid of the Riot police.
-I would our people released their responsibility as citizens of this nation to determine their destiny and what happens in this country.
-It is our responsibility and right to be involved in the constitution making process of this country, it is not for politicians but Zimbabweans!
1. Jane Williams (Chairperson WOZA)
She stated that WOZA is a social organisation and not a political party. They stand for the rights of women and want recognition for women who are treated as second-class citizens. They honour women as they have the biggest burden of raising families. The police and the judiciary have subjected WOZA to violence and injustice but they do not regard themselves as victims but as survivors. They are not a feminist organisation but they want to foster the respect of people and as a result, they have in their ranks men of the organisation called Men of Zimbabwe Arise (MOZA). WOZA is concerned with what they call bread and butter issues and the dignity they expect to be engendered in the constitution for women.
They are concerned that the constitution if done in current manner, people will not have what they call the ‘minimum standard’ being met. They believe also in the need for a free press and the de-politicisation of the police force, which means the resignation of the current leadership of the police. WOZA also advocates for the separation of power and the independence of the judiciary. They also advocate for the reduction in the years of one who occupies the office of the president to sixty-five years and also they say the issue of dual citizenship needs to be looked into as it is a legacy of colonialism where part of southern Africa was one huge federation. Above all, there is need for the guarantee of basic rights such as health, education, and shelter etcetera. WOZA also is looking for rights of those viewed as minority and they advocate for the de-politicisation of the constitution writing process.
2. L. Madhuku (Chairperson NCA)
Present with him where:
Alois Dzvairo – National Youth Chairperson
Allan Tshuma – office of the NCA
Mr Moyo – Chairman for Bulawayo
Mr Madhuku looked at the flows of the constitution making process where he said that the constitution is meant to be a process that is done for the people for the people. He said this required people to say out their views unlike the process through which the process is being conducted where politicians are the ones undertaking the process and the NCA says that an independent body should be set up to do the writing of the constitution. He also spelt out the composition of the parliamentary committee called the management committee which responsible for larger committee set up by parliament to carry out the consultative work. It is as follows:
1. Mr Patrick Chinamasa MP
2. Mr Tendai Biti MP
3. Prof Welshman Ncube MP
From the above list and that the so called management committee (made of lead negotiators of the GPA) is also of politicians, it becomes obvious why the process is said to be flowed. The parliament will report to the three GPD negotiators who will in turn report to the three principals, Robert Mugabe, Morgan Tsvangirai & Arthur Mutambara. The NCA say they cannot stop what they call a flowed process but they believe it will stop on its own. This, the NCA say, is because the committee responsible has already lost three months and only one month is left and they have not done ‘anything’. The NCA say they can only help by giving people information on the process and what can be done, but no stop it. Mr Madhuku went on to explain the document known as the Kariba Draft which he said was a document already written and published. It was done on the 30th of September and is signed by the three principals and it favours current president Mr Robert Mugabe.
Flaws
1. Controlled by politicians
2. Already drafted without participation of civic society
Therefore if Zimbabweans accept a compromised constitution and vote for it, the NCA say ‘it will be disaster’.
3. C. Bere
Mr Bere supported the stance of the NCA in demanding an independent body to lead the constitutional writing process. He emphasised that the process is as important as the product itself. As Mr Bere was looking and the shortcomings of the Kariba draft and the Lancaster House constitution, he looked at the flaws of these documents and said the NCA does no want to write a constitution, but wants to see a people driven constitution. Mr Bere said the bone of contention was the handing of responsibility of this process in the hands of the people who governed and not those to be governed. He commended the youths who attended the workshop and urged youths to bring about positive change in the country and not to be used as weapons for the destruction of the country by political parties.
4 E. Ncube
Mr Ncube spoke about the draconian legislation, the Access to Information and Protection to Privacy Act (AIPPA) which he said was hindering the free flow of information as the law is consistent with running a dictatorship and hence protecting ZANU PF and the president. He noted that Zimbabwe has the highest number of satellite dishes the world over because people are not given media choice. Mr Moyo said the constitution was meant to ensure the protection of people’s rights. The struggle for this, he said stopped when people thought of AIPPA as a ‘good’ law. Mr Ncube said currently the press was controlled by one man and one party and hence it compromises even the important debate of the constitution. He said the state cannot be a free state without a free media. The media plays an important role in the development of the country. The media must ensure that the constitution considers the independence of the media from political parties and politics.
Mr Ncube went on to talk of the marginalisation of the so-called minority groups as Zimbabwe is a multi-cultural and multi lingual state and the media has to play the important role of ensuring the development and preservation of the language as a heritage. He spoke also of freeing the media so as to allow it to report on the violation of human rights and he said Zimbabwe needed that kind of society. He spoke also of the devolution of power.
5. D. Dabengwa
Mr Dabengwa said that he was not speaking on behalf of any political parties but rather he would look at the constitution in general and the effects on the general public. He also spoke about the need for the ‘new’ constitution to come up with the devolution of power. He urged that a constitution with flaws must not be allowed to pass through. He also urged the youth to be in the forefront of the war of positivism in the country because he (Dabengwa) and his contemporaries had done their part and even what they are doing now they are doing for the coming generations. He said unlike the manner in which the country’s constitution was being amended any such amendments should be done not for individual or political party interest, but rather in line with the need of the country.
6. Questions And Answers
1. Why should we go the NCA way in drafting the constitution? Who are the people?
2. What is this so called MDC draft constitution and what impact significance will it or does it have in the new constitution making?
3. Is it true that Zanu Pf is preparing to amend the current Lancaster house constitution again?
4. South African constitution was enacted in 1996 and has been amended at least 12 times, what is wrong with ours having been amended 19 times from 1980. Why should there so many amendments?
5. The USA constitution is not as detailed as ours, Botswana or South African one, United Kingdom does not have a written constitution, why is it necessary to have one?
6. Why is the MDCT backtracking from the Kariba draft in which they are a signatory?
7. Botswana & USA have minimum age of 35 for office of president, ours is 40, why can’t change?
8. What is devolution of power?
9. Is the NCA truly a non political organisation? This is because some individuals that were once its leaders or members are now politicians, e.g. the now Prime Minister Morgan Tvsangirai.
7. Rev Motsi on behalf of Reverent Albert Ndlovu
He commended BICC for being the only church to initiate a workshop of the nature done, that spoke about constitutional issues. He said the church needed to be involved in a process as important as the one that was done at BICC. Rev Motsi spoke about constitutionalism and constitution making process where he said constitutionalism was difficult in Zimbabwe and that the constitution making process was even more difficult. He urged people generally that they should be seen to be participating in issues that affect them in their day to day activities.
8. Mr U. Sibanda
Mr Sibanda spoke about how Christians could not keep away form issues of governance as they are the people of God and they need to tell the politicians how they want to be governed. He therefore urge more participation for Christians on issues of national interest as these are the people who know the godly way through which government should rule over nations.
Rev M. Ndlovu then gave a vote of thanks and prayed ending the workshop.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
