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Full text of NCA chairperson Dr Lovemore Madhuku interview with The Herald
National Constitutional Assembly (NCA)
July 26, 2010

Zimbabwe's constitution-making process has begun in earnest with the outreach teams gathering views from people across the political divide. Ironically, the National Constitutional Assembly, which for more than a decade has campaigned for a new constitution, has distanced itself from this inclusive process.

Herald Features Editor Isdore Guvamombe (IG) talks to NCA chairperson Dr Lovemore Madhuku (LM) about the organisation's stance the organisation's stance and the constitution-making process.

IG: For a long time, you have been campaigning for a new constitution for Zimbabwe and here is an opportunity for your organisation to participate in the inclusive process. What is your contribution to the new process.

LM: NCA is not participating in this process. It is chaotic and a waste of resources . . . a waste of time and other things . . . You can actually add on your own adjectives.

IG: So NCA is not participating?

LM: Don't tell me you don't know that. As NCA we are totally opposed to the current process. We totally reject it. Everyone in Government knows that we are not participating.

IG: Why?

LM: No constitution-making process is left to politicians. A constitution is about the people. It is people-driven. You have a scenario where each political party is telling people what to say and you call that a constitution?

We are totally opposed to that process. A constitution needs an independent commission or body comprising stakeholders from all over. The current arrangement is that the ruling parties are running the affairs of the committee.
They are telling people what to say.

IG: Are you saying politicians should not be involved?

LM: We are not saying politicians should not be involved. They have a big role to play. They must just ensure that the process takes place and not tell people what to do. They must just wait for the people's views, then draft it into the draft constitution.

IG: What is your way forward?

LM: In short, we are not taking part. We hope there is going to be a referendum after this flawed process and we will campaign for a no vote. This process is not inclusive as you claim. We are only participating in so far as we are watching what is happening. We need to know what they are doing and like anyone else you need to know what your opponent or enemy is planning. We just hope there will be a referendum and we will definitely win.

IG: Are you sure?

LM: Yes, we will certainly win.

IG: Do you have the resources to campaign against this process?

LM: We definitely do have the resources but there is really not much to campaign for because the process has already de-campaigned itself. In fact, we need no new resources.
The current process has decampaigned itself. It is self-defeating. We will just tell the people that the process was not credible.

You see, the ballot of the referendum itself has a No or Yes. It is giving people no option and therefore is not credible. Citizens of this country do have an opinion, even if NCA did not exist. We do not need resources.

Citizens of this country want their constitution not this one. They know what they want.

IG: You are regarded a puppet of the West. So the West is funding you in this process?

LM: No! No! No! Things have changed. The West is funding the current process, which is not credible and not us. We have since stopped receiving any funding from the West. If anything, those participating in this current process are the puppets of the West. Not us! The West is not a prostitute, it cannot fund those making the constitution and at the same time fund those opposed to it. You don't know what is happening. They have withdrawn from us. If there is anyone receiving money from the West, it is the inclusive Government. The inclusive Government has become a puppet of the West. Members of Copac are receiving US$75 per day from the West and we are getting nothing. We don't need their money, we have our own resources.

IG: Is it true that you have deployed your people all over?

LM: Deploying people? We do not deploy people. Our people are all over the country. Our people are everywhere. Deploying means you think we have people in one place and then we send them somewhere. Wherever the outreach teams go, there are our people there. I know Copac is crying that we are deploying people. We are not a Harare or Bulawayo group, we are all over the Zimbabwe and we receive reports from there, everyday. Copac meetings are public meetings and deploying means NCA is not there. Every Copac meeting will have NCA people there. We have full information from these meeting to support our cause at the referendum. The puppet status you talk about has been overtaken by events. It is now the inclusive Government working for the West. They cannot even sell diamonds, waiting for the West's stamp. I am sure if we wanted money from the West, we would have gone along with the inclusive Government in the current process and get the money. We are opposing the West, through opposing the process they are funding.

IG: For how long are you going to oppose the constitution-making process in this country?

LM: For as long as it is not done properly. The people must make their constitution.
At the moment, we are waiting for the referendum and there we are going to show that we are totally opposed to the process. We are totally opposed and we reject this process. It is simple.

(24 July Herald)

Meanwhile . . .

Harare - Curtain comes down on the National Constitutional Assembly (NCA) Indaba which started on Saturday 24 July at the Rainbow Towers in Harare. More than 300 delegates drawn from NCA structures throughout the country are strategising ways of strengthening the NCA's roadmap regarding the writing of the country's constitution and the TAKE CHARGE Campaign.

The structures are in attendance include Provincial and constituency chairpersons, National Task Force, Management committee and the secretariat members.

Addressing delegates at the Indaba National Chairperson Assembly (NCA) and constitutional law expert Dr Lovemore Madhuku said the NCA is ready for the referendum which the NCA will vigorously campaign for the rejection of the COPAC sponsored draft constitution.

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