Constitution Outreach: News Round-Up, 28 July – 4 August 2010
August 4th, 2010
These are media extracts relating to the constitution outreach process, appearing between 28 July – 4 August. To review previous news items, or follow updates daily, please visit the Constitution Resource page on the Sokwanele website. Please note that links to sources and full articles are also available on the resource page. These extracts are being emailed to our subscribers today – click here to sign up for our newsletter.
28 July 2010 – cont
War vets attack Monitors
War veterans in Insiza attacked monitors observing the constitutional making process over the weekend as the crack down on monitors reached alarming levels. The incident in Insiza north is the worst since COPAC teams begun an outreach programme a month ago to gather peoples views on a new constitution. Sources told Radio VOP that meetings in Gcabaya and Amazon areas had been disrupted after former freedom fighters questioned the presence of the monitors. The war veterans who stand accused of perpetrating violence in the run-up to the 2002 and 2008 Presidential elections allegedly ejected monitors in both meetings accusing them of lobbying for a regime change agenda in the new constitution. In other parts of the country monitors have been detained by the police forcing others to quit duty for fear of their lives [Via RadioVop]
MDC supporter assaulted by four Zanu PF youths
An MDC supporter, Eneresi Samaneka, 47, of Garabha village, Mubayiwa ward in Wedza has been hospitalised in Harare after she was heavily assaulted by four Zanu PF thugs. Angry Zanu PF supporters were looking for Samaneka’s brother, Willias Muzoronga, who is also a well-known MDC activist. Muzoronga had participated at a Constitutional Parliamentary Select Committee (Copac) meeting held in area. However, when they failed to locate him, the Zanu PF youths attacked Samaneka who sustained a broken limb [...] In Guruve, Mashonaland Central province, Zanu PF youth militia are parading and singing threatening songs at Guruve growth point ahead of next week’s Copac meetings [Via MDC Today - 28 July 2010]
Constitutional meetings rendered pointless by ZANU-PF intimidation
Many participants and observers have lost faith in the constitutional outreach meetings that were meant to gather the opinion of Zimbabweans on constitutional issues, due to intimidation and violence perpetrated by ZANU-PF sponsored elements. The presence and aggressive behaviour of ZANU-PF supporters, youth militia, CIO agents and soldiers at the meetings is frightening those who want to express ideas opposed to the philosophy of Robert Mugabe’s party. This intimidation has rendered the largely donor-funded exercise pointless and any result from it will not reflect the true wishes of Zimbabweans. Although no specific date for elections has been announced yet, MDC officials and party supporters are already beginning to show the same symptoms that they displayed before the March 2008 elections, when ZANU-PF unleashed its campaign of violence against the opposition. Fearing reprisals by ZANU-PF, many MDC have said that they prefer to keep quiet at the meetings and that they don’t bother reporting incidents to the police. Some MDC officials are also beginning to withhold their names when reporting incidents to the press. In their latest report, the Zimbabwe Peace Project observed that many torture bases had been reactivated, particularly in Manicaland, since the outreach programme began. Torture bases have been reported in Headlands, Mugadza Village 19B; Matezwa in Chipinge South; and in Chimanimani West at Mutidzawanda and Cashel Valley. The report also said that the losing ZANU-PF candidate for Nyanga South has set up a torture base at Sedze [Via SW Radio Africa].
Zimbabwe Constitutional Revision Authorities Disclose Laptop Data Tampering Hoax
The parliamentary committee running Zimbabwe’s constitutional revision process said Wednesday that it will discipline a public outreach process rapporteur who falsely charged that someone had broken into an office in the province of Matabeleland North and stolen information collected during meetings in Insiza district. Parliamentary Select Committee Co-Chairman Douglas Mwonzora told journalists at a weekly news conference in Harare that no such break-in occurred and that the rapporteur in question had lied. He said investigations showed that the rapporteur, a member of the Movement for Democratic Change formation of Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara, wanted to take his laptop home and when refused permission do do so complained that files on his laptop had been tampered with and leaked the story to the press [...] Meanwhile, a constitutional outreach meeting in Mutasa South, Manicaland province, was canceled Tuesday after suspected ZANU-PF supporters caused a commotion by objecting to the presence of school children at the venue. The Independent Monitoring Group, a civil society consortium, issued a statement saying that ZANU-PF supporters accused the headmaster of Mutambara Central Primary School of conspiring with local lawmaker Trevor Saruwaka, a member of the Movement for Democratic Change formation of Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, to bring the students into the outreach meeting to counter ZANU-PF positions on the new constitution [Via VOA News]
Copac outreach teams threaten to strike over allowances
Technicians attached to Constitution Select Committee (Copac) outreach teams in Matabeleland South and Bulawayo provinces have threatened to go on strike because of non-payment of their allowances and other unresolved technical and welfare matters. The seven technicians yesterday wrote a letter addressed to both provincial offices and copied to the three Copac chairpersons detailing the challenges they were facing. They complained that they work hungry, have not been given enough batteries or equipment to store data. All of them have not been accredited, a situation they said put their personal security at risk [Via The Chronicle - state-controlled media].
29 July 2010
Heart of the Matter
Just a couple of weeks ago, ZANU-PF said it wants elections next year. The MDC has no answer but to, justifiably, state that there has to a new constitution first. Yet the MDC is powerless and can only watch as state sponsored violence and intimidation disrupts the constitutional outreach programme. Without this constitution, we cannot have an election yet the end result has already been compromised as citizens are threatened, while others are made to flee their homes. It is ironic that the ruling party is the effective opposition party while the party that lost to the MDC is the opposition party but, in fact, is the ruling party. [Via SW Radio Africa]
Hre outreach delay heightens tension
Delays in conducting constitution-making process outreach programmes in Harare have heightened tension between supporters of rival political parties, a local peace advocacy group has warned. In its latest report on human rights violations, Zimbabwe Peace Project (ZPP) said President Robert Mugabe’s Zanu PF and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s MDC parties have increased campaigns, resulting in a tense situation. “Despite the fact that Copac (Constitutional Parliamentary Committee) has suspended outreach meetings in Harare and Bulawayo, politically motivated violations were recorded in many constituencies around the capital city,” read the ZPP report for June released this week. “The delays by Copac in rolling out the outreach programme for Harare have resulted in more tensions between political party supporters over the constitution-making process.” The report noted that supporters from both Zanu PF and the MDC had been named as perpetrators, although the MDC provided a higher number of victims. ZPP, which employs observers countrywide to record cases of human rights violations, said Zanu PF youths, liberation war veterans still loyal to Mugabe and security agents were allegedly behind a wave of violence and rights violations in Mashonaland Central, Midlands, Masvingo, Manicaland and Mashonaland East provinces. In June alone ZPP recorded 1 174 victims of human rights violations. Most of the violations, ZPP said, were directly linked to the constitution-making process outreach programme [Via The Zimbabwe Independent]
Legislators Quit Copac
Some Members of Parliament have stopped participating in the constitutional outreach programme citing low and erratic payment of allowances. Addressing journalists in Harare yesterday, Copac co-chairperson Mr Douglas Mwonzora confirmed that some legislators had called it quits. “Some Members of Parliament and outreach members left the programme. We did not inquire the reasons for their pullout because this is a voluntary programme and anyone can move out,” he said. Mr Mwonzora refused to name the legislators. Sources yesterday gave conflicting figures with some saying three legislators had turned their backs on Copac while others put the figure at five. “They said they could make more money doing their own things in Harare than by going on the outreach,” a source said. Another insider said some MPs were trying to coerce support staff into going on strike in a bid to have their conditions of service improved [Via The Herald - state controlled-media]
Copac drivers down tools
Drivers employed under the constitution-making process in Matabeleland South yesterday temporarily downed tools demanding their outstanding salaries. The disgruntled drivers refused to take Copac outreach teams to venues of their meetings, leaving the teams stranded in Bulawayo. Copac co-chairperson Edward Mkhosi confirmed the strike by the drivers and said the drivers were demanding outstanding salaries they said have not been paid for a while. Mkhosi said the drivers’ reasons for going on strike were genuine and needed to be dealt with amicably. “The truth is that we are all waiting for money from Treasury, including drivers and members of the outreach teams,” Mkhosi said. “They are still owed some money, but the truth is that right from the top person to the lowest, we are all owed money by Copac.” [Via NewsDay]
MDC harassment continues as ZPF start ‘electioneering’
The process to garner public opinion on a new constitution has been blighted by harassment, intimidation and violence against MDC supporters. Observers and analysts have said that ZANU PF is ‘electioneering’ in preparation for polls many believe will be called next year. Exiled journalist Tanonoka Joseph Whande said on Thursday that the end result of the constitutional outreach exercise has already been compromised because of the ZANU PF sponsored campaign of violence and harassment already underway. “As long as Mugabe has the authority, which he illegally still does have, then it doesn’t matter what constitution he wants,” Whande said. “The MDC are at fault here for not ensuring that their supporters would be safe, before allowing this process to begin.” [Via SW Radio Africa]
Many key issues take backstage as Zimbabwe focuses on constitution
South African President Jacob Zuma may have used the benefit of foresight when he said early this year that the parties in Zimbabwe’s inclusive government should prepare for the holding of fresh elections in 2011. [...] That suggestion is becoming real everyday, as the parties now recognise that it will be difficult to sustain the inclusive government beyond its two-year life-span, given their political differences [...] Time appears to be running out for the parties to iron out their differences, as they focus on the on-going constitution making process and likely elections in 2011. Although Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s MDC party has been the most vociferous against the holding of fresh elections outside a new constitution, it has now declared its ‘‘readiness to participate’’ in what it called ‘‘credible polls’’ [...] One observer said if elections will indeed be held in 2011, it means that SADC no longer has enough space and time to unlock the stalemate, especially when the parties are actively focused on the new constitution. Another observer in the intelligence service said he doubted elections would be held in 2011, saying they were likely to be held in 2013 instead. Mugabe has indicated that he will stand in the next elections if elected by his party [Via The Daily Nation]
30 July 2010
Jabulani Sibanda harassing villagers in Bikita West
Self-styled war veterans’ leader, Jabulani Sibanda is harassing and intimidating villagers in Bikita West ahead of the Constitution-making outreach meetings in the area. Sibanda who is accompanied by Zanu PF youths is moving around the constituency urging villagers to support the Zanu PF’s discredited Kariba draft position. [Via MDC Today - 30 July 2010]
Suppression of Free Speech Alleged in Zimbabwe’s Constitutional Outreach Process
The Movement for Democratic Change formation of Zimbabwean Prime Minister Tsvangirai has accused its governing partner ZANU-PF of launching an operation intended to stifle public comment on the revision of the constitution in a bid to ensure that the eventual new basic document will reflect ZANU-PF political preferences. MDC sources said ZANU-PF has launched “Operation Vhara Muromo,” Shona for “Operation Close Your Mouth.” The former opposition party said state security agents, soldiers and ZANU-PF militia members are attending outreach meetings and systematically intimidating members of public to ensure only approved views are expressed [Via VOA News].
Legislators quit COPAC outreach
Several legislators have quit the on-going constitution-making outreach exercise citing what they called starvation allowances and poor working conditions. Lawmakers are being paid US$25 a day for their participation in the outreach programme and have been pressing for US$75 per day. Drivers engaged by the Constitution Parliamentary Select Committee (COPAC), which is driving the process, are pocketing US$15 a day. Sources closely following the exercise said most of those that have left the consultative process have gone back to their private practices or businesses. The majority of them (names supplied) are ZANU-PF politicians who own businesses and farms seized from former white commercial farmers. COPAC co-chairpersons, Munyaradzi Paul Mangwana (ZANU-PF) and Douglas Mwonzora (MDC-T) confirmed yesterday that some Members of Parliament had quit the COPAC-led process. Mangwana said as far as he was concerned, those MPs that withdrew from the outreach had done so with the blessings of their respective political parties. He, however, declined to name them [Via The Financial Gazette].
ZBC won’t air constitution jingles
The Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) has refused to air jingles and other information advertising the ongoing outreach exercise, leaders of the Constitutional Parliamentary Committee (COPAC) said last week. “We are struggling to get airtime on ZBC TV and radio to play our information jingles,” said Douglas Mwonzora, a member of Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s MDC party and a co-chairman of the COPAC. “We had a meeting today (Friday) with the Minister of Information (Webster Shamu) who has promised to look into the matter, we pray that something will be done and we will be granted air space,” added Mwonzora.[...] But Paul Mangwana, from Zanu (PF) and a co-chairman of the COPAC, indicated that the ZBC was apparently demanding exorbitant amounts in airtime fees before they could air the jingles. “We are negotiating better prices. The jingles are not a commercial activity, they are simply teaching the public on how to engage with the ongoing constitution making process,” said Mangwana, who could not say when exactly they expect the jingles to be played on air [Via The Zimbabwean].
Public support vital in Copac outreach
Opinion: The chaos that has dogged the constitution outreach programme since its inception over a month ago does not seem to be abetting with one problem after the other coming up daily, raising questions on whether adequate preparations were put in place before the outreach was launched [...] This new constitution is being written at a defining stage in the history of the country and should be done in such a manner that the end result is acceptable to most Zimbabweans. It should not play into the hands of our detractors who take every opportunity to demonise the country. It could have been better if time was taken to mobilise enough resources so that the process is done smoothly like what happened with the Justice Godfrey Chidyausiku-led Constitutional Commission. Then, the whole programme went without hitches apart from a few incidents that were caused by unruly elements from the National Constitutional Assembly that have always worked to destabilise the national programmes [Via The Herald- state-controlled media]
1 August 2010
Constitution in the balance?
Zimbabwe’s legislators are quitting the constitution outreach exercise in droves owing to poor pay and working conditions in the chaotic process to write a new constitution [...] Officials in charge of the process, fearful that the outreach could collapse, are understood to be engaging major donors, such as the United Nations’ Development Fund, to increase the allowances. Paul Munyaradzi Mangwana, a Zanu-PF legislator and co-chairman of the Constitution Select Committee (Copac), said on Friday the legislators needed to be paid well, as they were tasked with coming up with a new constitution for the country. “This is a huge job. They deserve better pay and working conditions,” said Mangwana [Via Times Live].
Pat Robertson’s Women Warriors Leading Spiritual Warfare In Zimbabwe
In the political oppression and economic chaos that has defined Zimbabwe under Robert Mugabe’s brutal rule—and that continues since the formation of a “unity government” in 2008—the African Centre for Law and Justice is injecting itself into the political process of drafting a new constitution that will supposedly pave the way for new elections. The African Centre for Law and Justice is aiming to do in Zimbabwe precisely what the religious right seeks to accomplish in the United States: declare the country a “Christian nation” guided by biblical principles, outlaw abortion, and ostracize and criminalize LGBT people [...] Together with the Evangelical Fellowship of Zimbabwe, the African Centre for Law and Justice is working to garner the support of religious leaders and activists for constitutional provisions that would “affirm that Zimbabwe is a predominantly Christian nation founded on Biblical principles,” and require application of “the Laws of God in order to prosper and avoid chaos and destruction,” according to a pamphlet prepared by the EFZ and supported by the ALCJ [...] The EFZ/ACLJ pamphlet also calls for constitutional prohibitions on both abortion, by defining life as “beginning at conception,” and on attempts to reform the country’s laws criminalizing homosexuality. It calls for defining marriage “as being between a man and a woman” and for “any and all definitions of a family or marriages or relationships or legal unions that seek to include or permit same sex unions to be prohibited,” as well as for “sexual relations between partners of the same sex, bestiality, and other perversions to remain a criminal activity.” [Via Religion Dispatches] (NB: Pat Robertson is a prominent political spokesman for the Christian right in American politics and a highly visible spokesman in the media for Fundamentalist religion).
2 August 2010
Police arrest teachers in Karoi
Police in Karoi on Thursday 29 July 2010 arrested three teachers and a security guard for allegedly assaulting a Karoi resident. The teachers namely Rorden Matsaure aged 32, Innocent Nyoni (34), Clifford Muchingami (30) and Patrick Murira (39), a security guard appeared in court on Monday 2 August, 2010 for initial remand. The State stated that the three teachers unlawfully and intentionally caused bodily harm to Svova when they assaulted him once on the forehead, using a brick, once at the back using a gumtree branch and all over the body using booted foot, clenched palms (sic), and open hands thereby causing inflicting injuries. [...] However, the teachers have denied the assault charges and claim that they were being victimized for challenging some soldiers at a meeting convened on 27 July, 2010 near the school, where the soldiers were allegedly coaching people on making contributions during a meeting held ahead of a constitutional outreach meeting to solicit people’s contributions to a draft constitution [Via Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights - Press Release].
Roll of Shame
Andrew Langa, deputy minister of Public Service and Insiza North MP led a group of Zanu PF supporters who threatened MDC activist Sitshengisiwe Ndlovu with death last weekend in Insiza district in Matabeleland South.Ndlovu had enquired from the Constitution Parliament Select Committee, Copac, team if people would be safe after making their contributions during the public consultations. Langa, village headman Magaba and Ward 17 Zanu PF youth activist only identified as Ernest visited Ndlovu at her homestead and threatened her with death on the night of Wednesday 27 July. Fearing for her life, she has since relocated to Filabusi.Jabulani Sibanda, a self-styled war veterans’ leader is also harassing and intimidating villagers in Bikita West ahead of the Constitution-making outreach meetings in the area. Sibanda who is accompanied by Zanu PF youths is moving around the constituency urging villagers to support Zanu PF’s discredited position.In Mwenezi, Masvingo province, Chief Chitanga has destroyed a 400 hectare winter maize crop at Makume Ranch accusing the owners of being strong MDC supporters ahead of the outreach meetings. The chief was assisted by his aides and police special constabularies in destroying the maize crop [Via The Real Change Times - MDC newsletter].
PM supports devolution
[Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai] told a rally in Makokoba township his party was aware the people of Matabeleland felt marginalised. Consequently, MDC-T was in support of devolution of power as a governance structure. “Devolution will ensure that people in different areas; whether Chipinge, Bulawayo . . . are able to determine their priorities and run their affairs,” Tsvangirai said. “Devolution is about sharing the national cake equitably. It does not mean secession. It is not separation. It means sharing the national cake.” [...] PM Tsvangirai said devolution was an acknowledgement that people had different cultures, languages and divergent priorities in health and education. “Devolution is not about tribalism. It is not about the creation of separate states,’’ Tsvangirai said, to rapturous applause. He urged the people to openly go out and express their views on the need for devolution of power when the constitution outreach teams came to Bulawayo [Via NewsDay].
Quote of the week
“We cannot have a constitution for the people without a government elected by the people”: ZLHR executive director Irene Petras during a Mass Public Opinion Institute (MPOI) discussion on “Constitution Making Process, Problems and Progress held last Thursday in Harare” [Via The Legal Monitor]
Teachers Again Targets of Intimidation in Zimbabwe Constitutional Revision Process
Zimbabwean teachers unions said their members have again as in 2008 become targets of political violence intended to silence them in the country’s ongoing constitutional revision public outreach process. The Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe charged that a new wave of violence is rising against teachers under an operation alleged to be mounted by the ZANU-PF party of President Robert Mugabe called “Operation Vharamuromo,” Shona for “Operation Close Your Mouth” intended to suppress non-ZANU-PF views. The union has accused the Ministry of Education of failing to speak out about the alleged intimidation of and violence against rural teachers, who were politically targeted during the turbulent 2008 election period. The PTUZ has appealed to the leaders of the three parties in the national unity government in power since early 2009 to protect teachers as the public comment process continues [Via VOA News].
3 August 2010
Zimbabwe Constitutional Affairs Minister says Public Outreach Process on Track
Deputy Chairperson Gladys Gombani Dube of the parliamentary select committee in charge of constitutional revision said residents of Gwanda, Matabeleland South, are expressing their views freely despite the presence of state security agents. Zimbabwean Constitutional Affairs Minister Eric Matinenga said the constitutional revision public outreach program is on course with at least 20 percent of planned meetings completed so far around the country. He said the process is going so well that it may conclude on schedule in September [Via VOA News]
Zanu PF youths threatening villagers in Zhombe
In Ward 6, Zhombe, Midlands North province, one army Major Mpofu has threatened to court martial an ex-soldier Tungamirai Hove, if he continues to mobilise MDC supporters ahead of the Constitution-making meetings in the area. School lessons are being disrupted at St Francis secondary school in Guruve South, Mashonaland Central province as former students from the disbanded National Youth Service have camped at the school and are performing drills and singing during the lessons. The youths camped at the school last month on the pretext that they wanted to perform community service at the school and the surrounding community. However, no work has been done as the youths who requested resources from the school, spent the whole day doing drills, singing and threatening to cause disturbances if the discredited Zanu PF Kariba draft is rejected by the people in the Constitution-making process [Via MDC Today - 3 Aug 2010]
Karoi teachers released on bail
ZLHR update on the arrest of three teachers (see previous day’s extracts for detail): Three Karoi teachers who were arrested last week were on Tuesday 3 August, 2010 freed on bail after their lawyers applied for their release at the Karoi Magistrates Court [Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights - Press Release]
MISA, on the constitution making process
On the constitution making process, [MISA-Zimbabwe Chairperson Loughty Dube] said this offered an opportunity to push for comprehensive media reforms as enunciated by MISA-Zimbabwe’s 2010 World Press Freedom Day theme: Media Freedom and Access to Information Should Be Constitutional Rights! “We should stay the course by seizing this opportunity and ensuring that our position on the need for constitutional provisions that explicitly guarantee media freedom and citizens’ right to access to information is captured and recorded by the COPAC outreach teams for ultimate inclusion in the envisaged draft constitution.” Dube said he was happy that the issue of media freedom, community radios and ZBC coverage were among issues being raised by citizens during the constitution making process. He attributed this positive development to the lobby and advocacy strategies of MISA-Zimbabwe’s Advocacy Committees which are decentralised throughout the country. “I therefore urge journalists to also capture these issues in their reportage of the constitution making process.” [MISA - Zimbabwe Monthly Alerts Digest, July 2010]
4 August 2010
Zim needs Godly constitution
This writer personally takes the stand that Zimbabwe and its people must come up with a Godly constitution. It is only when we have a Godly constitution on paper that we can at least start talking about the direction that we as a country must take as we move forward. If we get our foundation wrong, then whatever we build on that foundation is destined to collapse. It may take many years, decades, or even centuries before what we have built on collapses, but it will not last. We therefore need to build on some enduring and lasting foundation; something better than human wisdom and intellect, something better than the decision of the majority, but one that is true, secure, enduring, and timeless.[...] We must come up with a document that future generations will look at with pride and say; this is what our forefathers bequeathed to us; a Godly constitution; a Godly heritage and culture; and a Godly inheritance [Via The Herald - state-controlled media]
