| |
Back to Index
This article participates on the following special index pages:
New Constitution-making process - Index of articles
Key emerging issues from COPAC
Youth Alliance for Democracy
October 29, 2011
Zimbabwe's Inter-party
Political Agreement sometimes referred to as the Global Political
Agreement provides for the authoring of a new people driven constitution
as enunciated in Article 6 of the agreement. COPAC is mandated by
the political parties' agreement to spearhead the constitution
making process. Civic Society produced a report on the COPAC
led process and submitted to COPAC which speaks to issues of both
content and process highlighting issues like the political bickering,
intimidation of communities, attempts to push for the adoption of
political party positions using the back door. The report also clearly
states the minimum benchmarks expected by Zimbabweans of a democratic
constitution. The following are revelations that give insight to
the document that is most likely going to be tabled at a referendum:
- Executive
- an executive with limited terms and the concept of separation
of powers seems to be agreed across the political divide
- Devolution
- all ten provinces are agreed that decentralisation or devolution
of power is key to curb historical developmental imbalances
- Land - 1
person 1 farm, land audit, land commission, land reform, security
of tenure while compensation is debatable on political parties
ideological inclinations
- Bill of Rights
- first generation rights, socio-economic rights seem to be guaranteed,
Parliament is mandated to appoint and have an oversight role on
the Human Rights Commission
The drafting
of the constitution to be led by three principals Justice Chinhengo,
currently based in Botswana, Priscilla Madzonga a lawyer in private
practice and a lecturer from the University
of Zimbabwe is set to commence around the 18 or 19 of November
2011. Indications are that there will be no referendum before March
2012. There two types of referenda, one that simply takes a blanket
approach to the constitution through a YES/NO vote while the other
will table specific issues or clauses of the constitution. However
while the latter is the most ideal it is less likely that it will
be used in the Zimbabwean case considering the gross incapacity
of the Zimbabwe Election Commission, political bickering as well
as lack of resources.
Please credit www.kubatana.net if you make use of material from this website.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License unless stated otherwise.
TOP
|
