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Crisis Coalition holds six meetings in the Midlands Province
Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition
April 07, 2010

Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition held six meetings in the Midlands province over the Easter holiday in Gokwe (Gokwe centre, Cotton Marketing Board Namanngwe and Chitekete Busisness Centre), Zhombe (Sidhakeni secondary school and Joel shopping centre) and Silobela (Cross Roads Shopping Centre) from the 2nd to the 5th of April 2010. The meetings were attended by a total of 712 people (420 men and 292 women).

The Coalition intensified its outreach program as the parliament Select Committee highlighted before Easter that the consultation phase, which was scheduled to end in November 2009 according to the timelines set in the Inter-Party Political Agreement (IPA), would commence on the 10th of April 2010. The objective of the outreach meetings is to raise awareness on and solidify people's understanding of the ongoing constitutional making process.

Participants at the meetings raised concerns that the draft constitution could be altered by political parties negating the right of Zimbabweans to draft their own constitution. The participants went on to affirm that Sengwa, Venice and Gena mines and other small scale gold panners should contribute to the building of roads, hospitals and schools and offer employment opportunities to local villagers to ensure that exploitation of natural resources benefits locals. They further noted that the government should not dictate the price of farming products (particularly cotton) as they are ignorant of the costs incurred during farming.

The following issues were raised:

1. Founding principle s of the constitution

Everyone shall be equal before the law regardless political affiliation of gender.
Amendments of the constitution should go through the referendum.

2. Traditional Institutions and customs

Chiefs and headmen should be non partisan
Chiefs shall not sit in parliament

3. Separation of power

The executive

4. There should be two five year presidential terms only

5. The president shall be accountable to the parliament

The president should be between 35 and sixty years

The legislature

• People have powers to recall members of parliament if they fail to deliver

The judiciary

• Judiciary should be impartial

The Judiciary Council, which will be responsible for appointing judges, shall be appointed by Parliament on Merit.

Visit the views from participants at the six meetings.

Visit the Crisis in Zimbabwe fact sheet

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