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All
stakeholders' conference on constitution gives NCA mandate
National
Constitutional Assembly (NCA)
September
19, 2005
http://www.nca.org.zw/NEWS/Stakeholder_mandate.htm
An All Stakeholders
Conference on Constitution in Zimbabwe has given the NCA a mandate
to lead the constitutional reform exercise.
Opposition and civic society groups met over the weekend in Harare
to plot ways to push for a new and democratic constitution for the
country.
Delegates to the conference dubbed: "Deciding Zimbabwe’s Destiny
– A New Constitution For All, By All – Now!" were drawn from
organisations such as the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, the
Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions, Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition,
the NCA, Zimbabwe National Students Union, Zimbabwe Liberators Platform,
Media Institute of Southern Africa (Zimbabwe Chapter), the Women
of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA) and the Zimbabwe Union of Journalists.
Opposition political parties which attended the conference included:
the Democratic Party, the Movement for Democratic Change, Zanu Ndonga
and the Christian Democrats.
The conference
on agreed on the following:
- to push for
the "writing of a home-grown constitution,
- the promotion
of a constitution that Zimbabweans want and
- to lobby
international organisations such as the AU (African Union) and
the UN (United Nations) to advocate for the return of the rule
of law in Zimbabwe."
President Robert
Mugabe's ZANU PF party last month used its control of Parliament
to railroad through the House a cocktail of constitutional amendments
that became effective law after Mugabe signed them on September
9.
Under the new
constitutional changes, white farmers are banned from contesting
in court seizure of their land by the government. The new law empowers
the state to seize passports from citizens it deems may harm its
interests by travelling to foreign countries.
The NCA believes
that the government will use the law to ban opposition leaders and
other critics from travelling outside the country to highlight state
repression.
The constitutional
amendment also provides for a new senate that analysts say will
entrench Mugabe's stranglehold on power.
Commenting on the Saturday meeting, Dr Lovemore Madhuku, the NCA
National Chairperson said the conference was a success and it had
shown its trust in the NCA in the leading of a constitutional reform
exercise.
"By being given the mandate to lead the process, it shows that Zimbabwe
do not doubt our capacity to lead the process of drafting a home-grown
and democratic constitution for Zimbabweans."
Visit the NCA
fact
sheet
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