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Villagers ejected from COPAC outreach meeting as people vote for the Constitution
Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN), Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR), Zimbabwe Peace Project (ZPP) Independent Constitution Monitoring Project (ZZZICOMP)
August 13, 2010

Eight villagers were on Thursday 12 August, 2010 ejected from a Constitution Select Committee (COPAC) outreach meeting held in Hurungwe, Mashonaland West Province.

The eight villagers were ejected from a meeting held at Corner Store Shopping Centre in Hurungwe after they were barred from making any contributions during the meeting and accused of not residing in the ward.

The ejection of the eight villagers came after some of them made contributions that were considered to be against what other villagers had been advised to articulate at the meetings.

Although the eight villagers insisted that they reside in the area they were chucked out of the meeting and eventually left the meeting place as the situation got out of hand after some commotion.

The meeting at Corner Store Shopping Centre, which was attended by more than 200 people continued after the departure of the eight villagers.

The issue of villagers not residing in a certain ward was only raised when the "strange" villagers had said something that didn't go down well with the majority of villagers at the meeting.

Incidents of villagers having been chased away from COPAC outreach meetings because they are regarded as "strangers" have been recorded at most meetings held in Mashonaland West, according to ZZZICOMP monitors.

Participants at some meetings are reportedly being asked to vote for a particular point against the normal procedures where participants just make their contributions which will be captured by the rapporteurs.

ZZZICOMP monitors say the move is being propagated by some ZANU PF members who felt that their party's views were being diluted by some counter contributions from some members of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC).

At Bakwa Primary School in Hurungwe there was a heated debate between COPAC members after the meeting as some members felt that the voting process was designed to silence some people from participating.

The issue of voting for the constitution was discussed at a meeting held at Twin Rivers Hotel in Karoi on Thursday 12 August, 2010 between COPAC members and the two COPAC co-chairpersons Douglas Mwonzora and Paul Mangwana. Mwonzora and Mangwana also indicated that daily allowances for legislators and other COPAC members could soon be hiked to $50 per day from the current $25.

For further information and comments please contact the ZZZICOMP at Email: zzzicomp@gmail.com, Hotlines:+263 916 404256-9 /+263 916 404292

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Visit the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights fact sheet

Visit the Zimbabwe Peace Project fact sheet

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