Constitution Outreach: News Round-Up, 29 June – 2 July
July 2nd, 2010
29 June 2010 – cont
Abducted MDC activists found detained in Marondera
Three MDC activists abducted by state security agents last week, and whose whereabouts were briefly unknown for days, have now been found, detained at Marondera central police station. The three were abducted last week in Chief Svosve’s area, by a group of armed men driving a white double-cab CAM truck. The MDC said the three were targeted because they had been instrumental in mobilizing party supporters in Marondera East to participate in the constitutional outreach meetings [...] In an effort to justify the persecution, police are now claiming the three activists assaulted Arthur Ngoma, a ZANU PF activist in the area. No further details of the incident were available. SW Radio Africa understands the activists are now being asked to US$20 fines in order to secure their release. [Via SW Radio Africa]
Journalists not allowed to interview participants or report on meeting content
A new controversy arose Tuesday as committee members said journalists will be admitted to meetings being held to collect views on the new constitution – but won’t be allowed to interview participants or report on meeting content. VOA Studio 7 correspondent Irwin Chifera reported that the ZANU-PF co-chairman of the select committee argued that reporting the views of participants could influence those in areas not yet reached by the process. But Zimbabwe Union of Journalists President Foster Dongozi said journalists would report professionally on the meetings, and that the committee was unreasonably restricting the free flow of information. [Via VOA]
MPs break from Copac as parly meets briefly
MPs will tomorrow [Wednesday] take a short break from the chaotic constitution-making process to report to Parliament for the House of Assembly adjournment on Wednesday [...] Among the orders of the day on Wednesday’s Order Paper are the adjourned debate on the second reading on the Public Order and Security Amendment Bill that MDC-T Chief Whip, Innocent Gonese, wants modified to facilitate freedom of association and assembly for Zimbabweans: “Since we are currently working on constitutional outreach programmes, we will make an assessment to see if people are ready to debate. Obviously because of the outreach programmes, it would not be feasible to wind up debate on the second reading before other people have debated,” said Gonese. [Via NewsDay]
5 out of 1200 contribute at Makonde outreach meeting
At Sikosana Primary School, Makonde District, only 5 out of the 12000 attendees contributed to the outreach discussions. Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition say that there was no debate at the meetings, and that those who contributed referred to position papers that had been distributed by their parties “with the rest of the participants merely acting as cheerleaders”. The coalition also report that the District Administrator for Marondera Rural District was driving around in an unmarked white pick-up instructing people on what they should say before the COPAC meetings started in different wards. [Via Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition - Press Release]
Integrity of outreach under spotlight
This NewsDay article focuses on the shambolic progress on the constitution outreach programme. It includes a quote from Rugare Gumbo, the Zanu PF spokesperson, who said the outreach programme was going on “very” well. “As far as we are concerned the constitution—making process is going on well. We have not received any reports on intimidation and violence. Everything is going on course [...] The reports we are getting is that things are well and on course.” [Via NewsDay]
Coordinator of troubled Zimbabwe constitutional outreach to be sacked – sources
Political sources close to Zimbabwe’s troubled constitutional outreach process said the national coordinator of the select parliamentary committee in charge of the exercise, Peter Kunjeku, is to be relieved of his duties. Select parliamentary committee officials declined to comment whether Kunjeku will be sacked for poor management of the process. But sources said his removal will become official at a Wednesday meeting of the panel. Reached by VOA for comment COPAC Co-Chairman Douglas Mwonzora refused to confirm Kunjeku will be fired. But he said the committee was concerned about the competency of the staff running the exercise, plagued since last week by confusion over meeting schedules and logistical hurdles including technology and funding [Via VOA News]
COPAC to limit access to schedule of meetings, sources allege
In a move that could scuttle civil society attempts to monitor the Constitutional Parliamentary Committee (COPAC) outreach meetings and limit citizens’ access to information, sources within COPAC allege that plans are underway to discontinue the publication of meeting schedules in newspapers as from the 9th of July 2010. According to a source based at the COPAC headquarters in Harare, the Parliamentary Committee is contemplating distributing the schedules from provincial centers instead of publishing the information in national newspapers for unspecified reasons. Fears are rife that the imminent decision could be an attempt by COPAC to limit observation of the process which kicked off to a chaotic start on the 23rd of June 2010. The news of this pending move comes barely one week after a monitoring team at Sikhombingo Secondary School in Lower Gweru in the Midlands province was barred from observing an outreach meeting on the 24th of June 2010 and the arrest of three monitors in Manicaland on the 25th of June during a COPAC outreach meeting. The Coalition demands an open and transparent process that guarantees full citizen participation during the public consultation phase [Via Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition - Press release].
30 June 2010
CIO ‘speaking’ on behalf of ZANU PF at constitution meetings
The MDC-T’s deputy organizing secretary, Morgan Komichi, on Wednesday claimed CIO operatives were now speaking on behalf of ZANU PF during constitutional outreach programs countrywide. “ZANU PF as a party doesn’t exist anymore. It is increasingly becoming clear from the exercise that they don’t have the people to articulate their views on the new constitution. The daily reports that I’m getting across the country say that the CIO’s are now their voices during consultative meetings,’ Komichi said. Komichi reiterated that ZANU PF is once again hiring it’s ‘thugs and killers’, who caused havoc during the 2008 presidential run-off, to do their dirty work. He said these people were making it impossible for ordinary Zimbabweans to participate freely in the outreach, as they were issuing threats and intimidating MDC supporters. “What kind of a political party can rely on state security organs, known killers and thugs, to push their policies on a new constitution? If they had support, as they claim, why don’t they let the people speak for themselves? Because they don’t have any support anymore they resort to sending security agents to try and influence the process [...] The whole world can come and witness what ZANU PF is up to. They’re manipulating the process. It is now clear that ZANU PF politicians and the ordinary people of Zimbabwe have diametrically opposed interests in constitution making [Via SW Radio Africa].
Fear shadows Zimbabwe’s constitution forums
This article highlights one way in which fear dogs the constitution-making process: “In Bindura, local resident Gibbs Matenyu immediately spotted problems in the crowd of 100: three state intelligence agents, three plainclothes police and an undercover policeman. “This is a small town. We all know each other. Most of these people have been bussed in from the resettlement areas,” he said, referring to militants from Mugabe’s ZANU (PF) party who took over white-owned farms starting in 2000. People responded to questions on an eight-page list about whether they wanted a presidency with wide powers or not, the virtues of a single versus bicameral parliament and who they believed should appoint judges. In Bindura, the same four or five people spoke while everyone else watched in silence. The polite tone at the beginning turned strident as they argued with the moderators and against changing the constitution, which now grants Mugabe absolute power. Human rights organisations have warned that ZANU(PF), particularly in rural areas, had a strategy to make sure that people who attend the Operation Chimhumhumhu meetings play dumb. Ordinary people have been threatened with retribution if they do not stay quiet, the groups say.” [Via EarthTimes]
Teacher in Bubi being harrassed by Zanu PF ‘war veterans’
A teacher in Bubi district also Matebeleland North province, Philani Dube was harassed by self-styled war veterans and Zanu PF members in the area for holding private discussions on the Constitution-making process at his home. The Zanu PF supporters led by one J.B Nkomo have since written a letter to the school headmistress instructing her to dismiss Dube from the school claiming that he is an MDC member [Via The MDC Today].
Scrap war veterans Act — villagers
Villagers in the Sitezi area of Gwanda have called for the scrapping of the war veterans’ Act and the setting up of a new body to look into the pathetic state of the former liberation fighters [...] Giving views to Copac facilitators and rapporteurs, the villagers said to include the former freedom fighters in the constitution gave them preferential treatment ahead of other groups in society. They said this could lead to abuse of the privilege accorded to them as ex-freedom fighters. “We don’t want the special interests of war veterans included in the constitution,” said one villager. This makes them feel they are more important and special than other citizens of this country [...] We all made contributions to the liberation war. My feeling is that the $50 000 gratuities they got from government was enough recognition of the role they played in the liberation of this country.” [Via NewsDay]
Morgan Tsvangirai calls for a constitution that upholds non-judgemental tolerance
Morgan Tsvangiria reflects on the Jairos Jiri’s legacy in his latest newsletter: “It is fitting that as our nation embarks on the constitutional outreach programme, we bear in mind that Jairos Jiri’s philosophy was based upon the principles of charity, patience and non-judgmental tolerance. It is important that we strive to ensure that these same principles are embodied in our new Constitution. The importance of non-judgmental tolerance cannot be over-emphasised. While the dark decade that we have recently endured can be analysed and attributed to a number of causes, the ultimate cause of the suffering, persecution and poverty that marred the past ten years was intolerance. Our new Constitution must ensure that in Zimbabwe there is no longer room for such negative attitudes towards the right of others to live, worship and support according to their own dreams and desires” [Via Prime Minister's Newsletter - 30 June 2010]
Security personnel thwarted in Masvingo
Writers for the Prime Minister’s Newsletter report on thwarted efforts by security personel to be involved in the constitution-making process in Masvingo: “This newsletter witnessed an incident in Masvingo last week in which some politicians attempted to secure accreditation for “security” personnel who did not appear on the COPAC list. There was general objection from the rest of the accredited personnels. Zaka Central Member of Parliament, Harrison Mudzuri intervened by saying no such accreditation should take place to the pleasure of the audience.” [Via Prime Minister's Newsletter - 30 June 2010]
Tsvangirai urges Zimbabweans for input in drafting new constitution
Zimbabwe Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai on Wednesday encouraged all Zimbabweans to participate in the ongoing public consultations on a proposed new constitution to ensure the process reflected their wishes. “It is essential that we all speak out on the issues we want included in the constitution and not be intimidated by those who wish to influence the final constitution,” Tsvangirai said [...] Mugabe has insisted new polls should be held, most probably next year, whether or not there is a new constitution — while Tsvangirai has said elections must be preceded by a new and democratic constitution [Via The Zimbabwe Mail].
Copac, threat to inclusive Govt?
The state-controlled Herald publishes a lengthy ‘opinion’ which is loaded with classic Zanu PF propaganda campaigning heavily against the MDC parties and provding a platform for Zanu PF arguments: “This writer [Goodson Nguni] submits that for all the machinations of the Western countries, the MDC formations and all negative forces fighting land reform, it is the constitution outreach programme and attempt to write a new constitution that will finally bring down the inclusive Government”. His opinion infers that the constitution-making process is designed to ‘reverse the land reform process’; achieve objectives that the MDC parties ‘failed to get through democratic elections’; return Zimbabwe to a ‘Zimbabwe-Rhodesia’; allow a person to lead the country “who will not uphold the ethos of the armed struggle”; provid citizenship to “children and grandchildren of whites who emigrated” or citizenship rights based on “giving the vote to whites in the Diaspora”. All of these things, he says, “Zanu PF members will never accept”. His thesis is essentially a veiled threat: “The constitution outreach programme is the end game and if the MDC-T cannot achieve victory then instruction from Britain will be given to pull out or break the inclusive Government. It will be last straw.” [Via The Herald - state controlled media]
CHRA: Bad environment for constitutional outreach
The residents of Marondera are complaining that the prevailing political environment is not conducive for a people driven constitution making process as there is still a lot of intimidation among the grassroots communities. The Combined Harare Residents Association (CHRA) has received reports from Marondera to the effect that some of the outreach meetings that were conducted within the past week were being monitored by State agents; a situation that negatively affected the participation of residents at the meetings. It has also been reported that the police are attending the meetings in plain clothes and this has raised eyebrows among residents who wonder why the police would not want to be recognised by wearing their official uniforms. The attendances at some of the meetings have actually become low as some residents fear victimisation after the meetings. Reports from some village Headmen in Marondera Rural who requested anonymity have also revealed that residents who are active in the opposition party have been threatened with unspecified actions if they attend or participate at the outreach meetings. The meetings that have been conducted so far have also witnessed a huge number of the old aged while the youths have been conspicuous by their absence. Some of the meetings in the area have actually witnessed less than 50 people due to residents’ reluctance to participate for fear of victimisation [Combined Harare Residents Association, via SW Radio Africa].
1 July 2010
Villagers ‘coached’ to back Kariba draft
THE issue of gay rights has taken centre stage in the constitution outreach programme with Zanu PF reportedly telling villagers in Mashonaland West that any constitutional provisions outside what is in the controversial Kariba draft will promote same sex marriages and homosexuality. Villagers in President Robert Mugabe’s rural home in Zvimba, 110km west of Harare, and neighbouring Chitomborwizi in Makonde district now strongly believe that those calling for a people-driven constitution, who are opposed to the Kariba draft, want to include the issue of gay rights in the new constitution. Zanu PF, the villagers allege, is using homosexuality, something which they know people – particularly those in rural areas – are strongly opposed to, to make sure that they parrot what is in the Kariba draft. Villagers claimed that Zanu PF campaigned for the Kariba draft, written by the three political parties in the inclusive government, during meetings prior to the constitution outreach programme. Villagers in Chief Chirau’s area, also known as Kawondera village in Zvimba, say that they were addressed by soldiers three weeks ago, who told them that they should demand a constitution with an executive president who has far-reaching powers to appoint without any consultation. The villagers refused to be named for fear of being victimised for adopting what might be perceived as “anti-Zanu PF” positions on the constitution [Via The Zimbabwe Independent]
Devolution and its benefits for Zim
The Zimbabwe Indepependent publishes an article written by Methuseli Moyo (the spokesman for Zapu) discussing devolution: “Virtually every party claims to support devolution. Strangely, the main parties, namely Zanu-PF, MDC, MDC-T and Zapu, seem to mean different things by ‘devolution of power’. This could be due to lack of understanding of what devolution really is, or the usual pretence and lack of sincerity by politicians. It is clear Zanu PF and MDC-T’s version of devolution as enunciated by their officials and in press reports, is basically not devolution, but some sort of decentralisation or deconcentration of power. Zapu and MDC’s versions of devolution are in my view meaningful, comprehensive, clear and sincere. The only commonality across the various party positions on systems of governance is that after 130 years of a unitary, centralised state, now is the time to decentralise” [Via The Zimbabwe Independent]
Zimbabwe’s Constitution-Making Committee Looking for US$3 Million Supplementary Budget
Two weeks into Zimbabwe’s constitutional revision public consultation process, the parliamentary select committee in charge of the operation is seeking US$3 million in supplementary funding for equipment and travel expenses from the government and the United Nations Development Fund, sources said Thursday. Select Committee Co-Chairman Douglas Mwonzora told VOA that following a meeting with Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara about problems in the outreach process, the three governing parties were expected to meet to try to resolve them, especially that of political intimidation violence which has cropped up in certain areas [...] Branches of Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s Movement for Democratic Change formation outside Zimbabwe will be launching constitutional revision outreach programs in the next few days despite short funding. Maxwell Shumba, chairman of the MDC executive committee for the United States, said outreach programs are shortly to begin there as well as in Ireland, Britain and South Africa [Via VOA News]
Parliament on hold as MPs chase constitution cash
ZimDaily reports that MPs will not be returning to attend parliament, and suggests the decision is motivated by financial gain: “With a reported US$25 a day on offer, the MPs who had earlier made a huge fuss, demanding US$75 day, have voted with their feet to stay in the field despite the House being set to resume on Wednesday. The 65-day programme has been beset with problems and today the co-chairmen of Copac are set to meet as problems mount for the project. There are reports of outreach officers being kicked out of hotels, widespread hunger and a general poor attitude by MPs who went into this purely for the money. Each MP is set to get over US1 600 for the period, which represents a small fortune in a country where civil servants are getting US$165 a month. Confirming that the MPs will not be returning from the field, the Clerk of Parliament Austin Zvoma said he was not expecting anything to happen at Parliament this week [Via ZimDaily].
Flawed publicity and partisan members
Mashonaland Central – Approximately 66 people attended the meeting with the low attendance attributed to the fact that farm workers preferred working in the fields instead of attending the meetings. Approximately 15 people, mostly men participated while the women sat silently. The monitoring team observed that participants exhibited ignorance of constitutional matters resulting in them calling for the use of the current constitution. The publicity of these meetings remains flawed with a member of COPAC in Mashonaland Central highlighting that there is use of District Administrators, who in most instances are partisan while no publicity posters are being put up. Ideally, communication should also be transmitted through chiefs and councilors. The monitoring team acknowledged the presence of the police who are in civilian attire. Participants reported that a white Nissan wolf is moving around the area misleading people about the dates and venues of the meetings [Via Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition - Press Release].
Heated debate on transition mechanism
Mashonaland East – At Chipepo Secondary School in Ward 4 in Marondera the attendance was about 200 with the majority of participants being women. There was a heated debate pertaining to the issue of Transitional Mechanism. Some of the participants were of the opinion that the president should hold on to power for the three months after elections until he hands over power to the winning candidate with others suggesting that if the President loses power he should leave office immediately after election results are released. The meeting started at exactly 1100 and it ended at around 1400hrs [Via Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition - Press Release].
Government orders outreach program to go ahead as planned
The inclusive government has agreed the troubled constitutional making process, which faced numerous administrative problems in its first couple of weeks, will go ahead as scheduled [...] Douglas Mwonzora, the co- chairperson for the Constitution and Parliamentary Commission (COPAC), told SW Radio Africa on Thursday that two crucial meetings were held over the last two days to deal with issues. “Our first meeting was on Tuesday with the management committee of COPAC. We were able to report to them the problems the program was facing ranging from the unreasonable demands for payment of cash upfront by hotels. We told them of the troubles trying to access resources from the UNDP and the various cases of violence and intimidation, especially in Mashonaland West and Central provinces,’ Mwonzora said. In the end the management committee, comprising six inter-party negotiators to the GPA, agreed that the programme should go ahead. The MDC-T MP said as for the violence and intimidation all parties took a common position that they condemn in the strongest terms anyone engaging in violence. He said cases of violence will be reported and investigated by the police. Over the last ten years police have consistently turned a blind eye to ZANU PF perpetrators of violence, so it will be difficult to believe that it will be any different this time [Via SW Radio Africa].
Candid Comment: Muzzling the press will boomerang on Copac
The Constitutional Parliamentary Committee (Copac)’s order barring journalists from reporting on official proceedings of the outreach programme threatens to return Zimbabwe to the dark days of muzzling the media. Copac’s fears that news reports on official proceedings would influence the content of the planned new constitution ring hollow. The outreach programme is one of the most critical processes in the constitution- making project. Public views gathered from this process are expected to form the core content of this country’s new governance charter. Conducting such an important process under the cover of darkness would be criminal and further dents Zimbabweans’ waning trust in Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and President Robert Mugabe’s union [...] Much of the chaos affecting the outreach programme could have been avoided if Copac had taken the media and civil society’s warnings more seriously. But then these politicians don’t learn. Muzzling the press will not change the reality that this process has been hijacked for political expediency and that horse-trading between Zanu PF and the two MDC factions is inevitable [Via The Zimbabwe Independent].
Constitution-making off to false start
Copac’s decision this week to stop journalists from reporting on the public’s contributions during official outreach hearings has reinforced suspicion that the coalition government could manipulate the constitution-making process. Journalists’ unions say Copac’s decision to muzzle the media smells of an attempt by coalition government partners to forge a deal that could result in a negotiated settlement of cornered politicians. Zimbabwe Journalists for Human Rights (ZJHR), a grouping of scribes formed to fight for reporters’ rights and security at the height of the State’s often violent onslaught on the media, described the move to silence the media as “repressive and typical of agents of political parties hell-bent on excluding the media from its activities to escape public scrutiny and accountability”. Dumisani Muleya, ZJHR spokesman, said his group viewed the ongoing constitution-making process as worse than any of the previous efforts the country has had in the past. “We demand that Copac operates in an open and transparent manner. This actually highlights the grave concerns we have been having about this flawed and opaque constitution-making process. It is an opaque body driven by narrow and partisan party political interests as opposed to the public interest,” said Muleya [Via The Zimbabwe Independent].
Talking points too technical
Chirumanzu District – Participants complained that the talking points are too technical for example the team leaders failed to adequately explain the term, ‘Independent Commissions’. The Convenor monitors noted that the attendance was poor as most residents were seen roaming around the business centre drinking and going about their business. The poor attendance was also attributed to poor publicity by COPAC. The monitors asked three people who had not attended the meeting and were informed that they did not know anything about it [Via Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition - Press Release].
2 July 2010
NGOs’ violence claims dismissed
The Parliamentary Select Committee has dismissed reports by some non-governmental organisations that the constitutional outreach programme has been marred by violence and intimidation. Some sections of the media have claimed that outreach monitors were assaulted in Mashonaland Central. “The general atmosphere has been conducive and meetings have been held in an environment of peace. No incidences of violence have been recorded. We are seeing national healing in the process, with members of different political parties sitting together and speaking their minds out,” said Copac co-chairperson Cde Munyaradzi Paul Mangwana (Zanu-PF) at a Press conference yesterday. He also said there were no people called “outreach monitors” — a term some NGO workers have been using to describe themselves. “The problem I have is identifying an outreach monitor. We did not accredit outreach monitors; they have no relationship with us.” MDC representative Mr Gaule added: “We do not have any monitors, why should it be monitored?” Cde Mangwana castigated some NGOs’ attempts to derail the programme for their selfish reasons. “The level of polarisation has led some people to form organisations that survive on lies. They will continue to perpetuate those lies. However, those who continue to perpetuate those lies will eat humble pie in the fullness of time,” he said. Mr Douglas Mwonzora (MDC-T), another co-chairperson, said they would soon start accreditation of genuine individuals and organisations to observe the outreach [Via The Herald - state controlled media]
NGOs accused of meddling in Copac outreach programme
Non-governmental organisations, among them the Zimbabwe Election Support Network and Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition, are allegedly meddling in the constitution outreach programme. This has raised fears that they want to influence people to reject the new constitution. The co-team leader for the Midlands outreach team, Cde Joram Gumbo, told Chronicle in an interview yesterday that the smooth running of the outreach programme was being threatened by NGOs who were “invading” areas to be covered by the Copac teams in advance. He said the NGOs, especially ZESN and the Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition, were getting into centres for meetings ahead of the Copac teams uninvited, thereby inducing fear in the participants. “They are being dropped by their cars all over the areas that we are to cover ahead of us. These NGOs’ presence is intimidating people. They will be taking down some notes and people feel intimidated and they have since expressed their concern over this to us,” said Cde Gumbo. “At one such meeting in Chief Sogwala on Thursday last week, the people there demanded that the NGOs be thrown out of the meeting but we told them that we can’t do that as these people were Zimbabweans with a right to be anywhere they so wished.” Cde Gumbo said the NGOs appear to have an ulterior motive in their actions as they have ignored Copac’s outreach teams to wait for their turn to air their views. “They have interpreted any attempt to keep a distance from the Copac meetings as intimidation. They hinted to us that they could influence people to vote ‘No’ and reject the new constitution, if ever they are kept away from the outreach work [Via The Chronicle - state controlled media]
Constitutional football kicks off
Robert Mugabe could be president of Zimbabwe until he is 97 years old if he has his way in the country’s protracted struggle for a new constitution. A 10-month delay in launching the constitution-making process ended last week after Mugabe, who has ruled for 30 years, gave the Constitutional Parliamentary Committee (Copac) the green light to go to the people for their input on a new deal. But observers fear that the chances of reaching an agreement on a new constitution are being threatened by political party politicking and a lack of funding to consult the people meaningfully. And, with elections due next year, violence also poses a threat to the constitutional moves. Since 1979 the country’s supreme law has been the Lancaster House agreement. Now the 90-day survey is meant to canvas the views of everyone in all Zimbabwe’s 10 provinces. But the process has become the latest battlefield for control of the country. “It’s not a coincidence that all the negotiators of the different parties in the unity government are represented in the management committee that oversees Copac, as there are real agendas being pushed there,” a senior government source close to Copac said [Via The Mail and Guardian].
