Madhuku cannot impede constitutionsal reforms

Madhuku cannot impede constitutionsal reforms

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By Sikhumbuzo Bongani Dube
Posted to the web: 17/04/2009 17:28:59
I WRITE to dispute your article 'NCA vows to oppose constitutional reforms'.

I am a member of the NCA national taskforce and Chairperson of the Political Parties Liaison Committee of the NCA. This committee has representatives from all political parties that work with the NCA. We are not aware of such a resolution by the NCA.

It is not an NCA position that we will oppose constitutional reforms as agreed by the three political parties who formed a unity government unless Robert Mugabe was correct in saying current chairman Lovemore Madhuku is the NCA and vice-versa.

Zimbabweans have been through very traumatic times and the reality is that there has never been a constitution-making process that was acceptable to all citizens anywhere in the world. Zimbabwe is not an exception.

Zimbabweans need to be responsible with their fragile politics. We already have lost too many opportunities to progress our lives in the past 29 years of Zanu PF misrule and indeed the 'not so inclusive government' does not answer all our concerns BUT it is a workable starting point.

Madhuku should be reminded that in as much as he may not agree with the GPA process of constitution-making, there are some among us who think his proposal is unreasonable and unworkable.

Madhuku has a right and freedom to disagree with the process for whatever reasons but he should not abuse the NCA which was a people's project for his own selfish ends.

What we propose the NCA should do is to put forward its own draft constitution which was written after extensive consultations. The constitutional commission should also take the findings of the 1999 Chidyausiku Constitutional Commission which were a fair record of people's concerns then and use all these documents plus any other inputs they can collect to draw up a draft constitution which will be subjected to a referendum.

Zimbabweans can quibble all they want about the process but I think the product is more important than the process, and the acceptability of the product to Zimbabweans will be measured by a referendum which will be on an article by article basis and not a simple yes or no vote.

Besides, our generation cannot claim to possess wisdom that will cover the wants and whims of the unborn and even those not old enough to contribute to the constitution in the next 18 months.

Dr Madhuku may need to be reminded that Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai was the first NCA chairperson when it was formed in 1997 and many of the parliamentarians were either members of the NCA taskforce or NCA members.

Surely people like Hon. Jessie Majome, Hon. David Chimhini , Sen. David Coltart , Hon. Welshman Ncube , Hon. Gorden Moyo , Hon. Tendai Biti, Hon. Douglas Mwonzora (past vive-chairman) plus many others do understand the arguments and cannot credibly be accused of seeking to undermine a process they long championed.

I think Dr Madhuku must realise that the time for political jokes is no more. The country needs to commandeer all its intellectual and material capital towards national progress, the rest of the world is not waiting for us, besides we should not be the weak link in regional economic development efforts.

Sikhumbuzo Bongani Dube is the president of the ZAPU Federal Party and Chairperson NCA Political Parties Committee
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