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ZANU PF/MDC differences affect Chegutu meeting
Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition
August 24, 2010

Political differences between ZANU PF and the two Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) formations resulted in the temporary disruption of an outreach meeting held at Chengeta Primary School in Chegutu, Mashonaland West over the week end.

According to a Crisis Coalition observer who attended the meeting, trouble began when one participant noted that the preamble should acknowledge the 2008 political violence including noting the need to bring perpetrators to book., one ZANU PF team leader (whose name could not be established) indicated to the participant that his contribution was not in line with matters at hand and thus would not be captured. One MDC team member then pointed out that the mandate of the team is to capture what had been said and not to qualify the contribution. The ZANU PF team leader then started to openly insult his team mate in the full glare of participants accusing the MDC of trying to influence contributions to the constitution. As a result of the disruption some participants abandoned the meeting.

Women dominate Mash East meeting

A consultative meeting held at Tarehwa Primary School, in Mutoko District, Mashonaland East Province was attended by 150 people (80 women, 30 youths and 40 men respectively). Generally the environment was conducive for participants to air their views. Women dominated the meeting and were advocating for provincial governments as well as quarter system for the women so as to have equal representation in all sectors of life.

Participants generally agreed that there should be devolution of power which allows local authorities to make key decisions. This, in their view, would enable local authorities to fully develop their areas from the sale of natural resources which are solicited in these area. This came out of the need to ensure that resources are used firstly to benefit local areas before the rest of the country. On the land question, participants were divided as Zanu PF supporters were advocating for 99 year leases while MDC supporters were advocating for title deeds.

'Ban CSO's', participants demand

In Muzarabani District in Mashonaland Central, an outreach meeting held at Machapa Primary School was attended by 175 people on the 21st August 2010. An observer at the meeting noted that most people were advocating for the banning of civic society organizations citing that they were appendages of Western countries. The observer was informed by one participant that people had been called for the meeting as early as six o'clock in the morning and participants were taken through a coaching exercise before the outreach team arrived around one o'clock in the afternoon. A few people were selected to contribute on particular talking points with the rest of the participants cheering and clapping.

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