Constitution “Questions” are not the Answer
THE training of rapporteurs for the constitution-making outreach programme ended last week with participants failing to agree with organisers on the contents of a questionnaire to be used during the process. At least 210 rapporteurs selected from the three political parties in the inclusive government and civil society received training in preparation for the actual outreach programme last week in Harare.
However The Standard understands that the last day of the training, Friday, was dogged by controversy after participants expressed reservations about the questions to be used during the outreach.
Participants said they felt that some of the questions were too political and too complicated for a simple process of sourcing the views of people on the new constitution.
Others, they said, could scare away people who would want their voices heard in the new constitution.
One of the questions that raised concern among the participants was: “Should the founding principles of the constitution recognise the irreversibility of the process of land reform having regards to the vision of the liberation struggle and provision of the GPA?”
Another question was: “Should the founding principles of the constitution recognise the calling for patriotism and loyalty to Zimbabwe.”
One other contentious question was: “Should the right to land ownership and/or occupation by people be entrenched in the constitution?”
A participant who spoke on condition of anonymity said: “Some of the questions are too political and this might hinder the full participation of the people. For example, some may not be comfortable to say anything against land reform because you don’t know who will be there and listening”.
Sources said there was also disappointment over the fact that organisers refused to reveal the allowances they would get for their work.
Representatives from the Constitutional Parliamentary Committee (Copac) told them the amounts would be revealed on the day of deployment.
“I think they are afraid that people won’t turn up on deployment day if they feel the allowances are too small but I think they are setting themselves up for trouble later,” said one participant.
Co-chairperson of Copac Edward Mukosi, who was present at the training on Friday, told participants their issues of concern would be looked into before their deployment.
The other Copac co-chairperson Douglas Mwonzora said deployment would take place in about three weeks as the committee was still waiting for financial commitments from donors.
He said out of the US$8,5 million needed for the outreach, US$4 million had been received so far.
Posted by Raymond Mhaka
on April 11, 2010. Filed under Politics.
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