PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe on Friday confirmed our worst fears that the draft constitution is nothing, but a product of compromise between his Zanu PF party and the two MDC formations.
NewsDay Editorial
Mugabe told a captive traditional chiefs annual general meeting in Masvingo that the draft was not the outcome of a people-driven process.
He nevertheless implored Zimbabweans to endorse it during the March 16 referendum and promised to overhaul it if he wins elections later this year.
The admission by Mugabe exposes the charade by Copac that the draft charter was crafted from views gathered during the outreach programme.
The parties flagrantly violated the Global Political Agreement (GPA) which gave birth to the inclusive government.
The GPA was and is categorical that it is the “fundamental right and duty of the Zimbabwean people to make a constitution by themselves and for themselves” and that the “process of making this constitution must be owned and driven by the people and must be inclusive and democratic”.
A well-thought-out process of gathering people’s views was set out in the GPA and was religiously followed by Copac until the first draft was released in July.
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Mugabe and Zanu PF rejected the draft and came up with over 260 amendments and that is when horse-trading started between the three ruling parties at the expense of people’s dreams and hopes.
The draft charter was tweaked to satisfy Mugabe, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, his deputy Arthur Mutambara and Industry minister Welshman Ncube’s concerns. The principals’ manoeuvres were antithetical to democracy and against the ethos of fairness and best practice.
It is now apparent that the constitution was never meant to be people-driven and was mainly an exercise by the three ruling parties to entrench their principles and values.
That alone must motivate Zimbabweans to thoroughly examine the proposed new supreme law and make an informed decision ahead of the constitutional plebiscite.
Zimbabweans should not be stampeded into voting YES for the new charter.
We have said it before and will say it again: The electorate must cast aside party political contention as individuals, civic society, churches and other stakeholders and ask itself if the draft constitution captures its dreams and hopes, guarantees civil liberties, and economic rights, and above all, entrenches and enhances democracy through freedom of the media and expression.
We should not allow politicians to trample on our rights. We must always demand to be governed democratically and well. Politicians must be subservient to the electorate, not vice versa!
