Madhuku calls for People’s Convention July 27
By KING SHANGO
Published on: 15th July, 2009
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ZIMBABWE – HARARE – National Constitutional Assembly chair Lovemore Madhuku has called for a constitutional convention on July 27, after declaring that the ‘gathering’ of July 13 and 14 could not by any stretch of the imagination be called an All-Stakeholders’ Conference.
“The Rainbow Towers gathering of 13 and 14th July 2009 cannot, by any stretch of the imagination be described as an All Stakeholders Conference,” Madhuku told a news conference at the Jameson Hotel on Wednesday.
Madhuku was flanked at the press conference by his allies ZCTU, secretary general Wellington Chibebe, ZCTU president Lovemore Matonbo, ZINASU president Clever Bere, and other officials from the tripartite alliance.
Madhuku rubbished the conference and informed of his decision to convene what he called a 2nd People’s Constitutional Convention.
“It took the organizers (of the conference) one and half days to open the meeting,” Madhuku said.
“When it finally opened it lasted for less than four hours. It started in order to end. It had a different agenda from that specified in the GPA. The meeting made no single discussion.
The allocation of sizes of delegations was arbitrary and ridiculous. Non-existent organizations were allocated more participants than exisiting organizations,” Madhuku said.
Madhuku said given the NCA mandate, it was inevitable that the public expected it to continue to hold the light that leads to a new democratic and people-driven constitution.
He said the first People’s Convention was held in 1999.
“The strategies formulated at that Convention guided the NCA in stopping the imposition of the 2000 Draft,” Madhuku said.
He said he expected 3500 delegates to the convention who share deep convictions on a democratic people driven process.
“While it is not our intention to dwell on the obvious defects of the current process, events of the last few weeks, including the calamitous episodes at the Rainbow Towers on 13 and 14 July demonstrates that the current Parliament-led process is neither people-driven nor legitimate,” Madhuku said.
He said Zanu was determined to impose the Kariba Draft and was the only draft circulated by the Government Press.
“President Mugabe has been unequivocal in narrowing the current process to the Kariba Draft,” Madhuku said. “Protestations to the contrary by the other players have been vague, inconsistent and unconvincing.”
“The Parliament Select Committee is a laughable outfit,” Madhuku said. “It has told no single truth and enjoys being a front of its principals while treating ordinary people as irrelevant.”
I surely Mabhuku its right why do the government dont´ respect its own people?Please guys give us a chance because you have tried and you seen it yourselves that it did not work.Its the people constitution not the government constitution.Don not play with people like that.