Zimbabwe:NCA in VOTE NO drive
By Misheck Rusere – A Zimbabwean constitutional civic organization, National Constitutional Assembly (NCA) has begun extensive campaigns on its take charge initiative under which the organization says the people of Zimbabwe should vote no in the impending referendum scheduled for March 2011.
Addressing members of the public at the three different meetings, in Zaka and Gutu, the NCA leader Dr Lovemore Madhuku said the Constitution Select Committee (COPAC) had completely failed to lead the constitutional reform process and hence the decision by his organization to actively campaign against the YES vote.
“Since our formation in 1997, we clearly outlined the benchmarks to lead us to a democratic constitution. Our position has not changed, we still insist that the writing of the constitution be led by an independent commission that encompasses all sectors of society comprising political parties, churches, students and other sections of society,” he said.
Madhuku said the referendum was a time to choose good or bad depending on how the citizenry respond to the process.
“The time will come when you all will be required to choose between bread and stones, and there is no doubt that you will choose bread,” he added.
Madhuku’s argument on the ongoing constitution making process is that it shouldn’t have been led by politicians but rather by the people themselves as the current scenario would mean that the constitution will reflect the interests of the three political parties involved in the constitution making process.
Zimbabwe is in the process of crafting an ideal constitution that will be voted for by the people possibly next year in March. The three political parties signatory to the Global political Agreement (GPA) which is the basis on which the current Zimbabwean government was formed are leading the process.
