The two MDC parties yesterday rubbished allegations that Copac drafters wanted to change the colours of the Zimbabwean flag and the national anthem.
Copac co-chairpersons Douglas Mwonzora (MDC-T) and Edward Mkhosi (MDC) told NewsDay in separate interviews yesterday that President Robert Mugabe had been misled into believing there was such a proposal.
Last week on Friday, the President told a gathering in Gwanda he had received information that Copac drafters were attempting to change the colours of the flag and the national anthem, and said that was regrettable as these depicted aspects of the liberation war.
“We say it is absolutely dangerous for them to touch those symbols,” Mugabe was quoted saying. “The flag is a sacred flag and we must warn that if a party has the idea of removing that flag, that party does not want to have a life at all.”
Mwonzora said that was not true.
“I wish His Excellency could get better advisers because he seems to have been a victim of poor legal advice over the years. The draft document does not say that we want to change the national anthem. It simply says Zimbabwe shall have a flag and a national anthem. This document is being written for the future,” Mwonzora said.
He, however, said it was possible for the national anthem and flag to be changed.
“For example, the Japanese flag was changed after Hiroshima and that might also happen to Zimbabwe in the future if something significant were to take place because Zimbabwe’s history will not end with the liberation struggle,” he said. Mkhosi said the allegations were just a smear campaign against Copac, which had no power to change the views of Zimbabweans.
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“He (Mugabe) is being misinformed because we have no powers to change the national anthem or colours of the flag when people never suggested that,” Mkhosi said.
The Zanu PF representative in Copac, Munyaradzi Paul Mangwana, was not available for comment.
