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NewsDay

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Senator urges ratification of African Charter on democracy, polls

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Zaka Senator Misheck Marava (MDC-T) on Wednesday called on government to speedily ratify the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance as the country gears up for elections. Marava told the Senate, while introducing a motion on the signing of the African Charter, that failure to sign the protocol had deprived the country of benefits […]

Zaka Senator Misheck Marava (MDC-T) on Wednesday called on government to speedily ratify the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance as the country gears up for elections.

Marava told the Senate, while introducing a motion on the signing of the African Charter, that failure to sign the protocol had deprived the country of benefits of best practices contained in the charter.

As a country which is approaching elections and has a history of disputed polls, political fragmentation and a moribund democratic system, I call upon the government of Zimbabwe to expeditiously sign, ratify and deposit this instrument with the African Union, said Marava.

This motion is coming from the background of chaotic history characterised by political upheavals, unconstitutional changes of governance, military coups and violation of standards of good governance and the will of the people in Africa.

Mzilikazi Senator Matson Hlalo (MDC-T), who seconded the motion, said it was disheartening that the charter had not been ratified five years after it was adopted in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Chitungwiza Senator James Makore said signing of the protocol was imperative as a lot of people in Zimbabwe feared elections.

The majority of our society is impoverished because of these elections and we do not need to spill any more blood. No one owns independence and no one is credited for it because it was a national agenda and in this regard we call for free and fair elections, which are exactly what is noted in this charter,said Makore.

He urged the Senate to also disown individuals who perpetuated violence for purposes of attaining power or getting into Parliament.

Bikita Senator Kokerai Rugara (MDC-T) said the fact that Zimbabwe had not ratified the document, talking about democracy meant the country was disagreeing with democracy.

If you ask me whether we are in a democratic government, I would say no. You believe you are democratic when you are autocratic or a dictatorship? If we are honest and we want to look at logic in the eye, we would know that we are not a democracy and people must not be afraid to tell the truth, said Rugara.