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NCA position on March elections
National Constitutional Assembly (NCA)
February 10, 2005

The NCA National Taskforce met on 5 February 2005 and deliberated on the NCA position regarding the 2005 Parliamentary elections.

The Taskforce unequivocally and unanimously reiterated the NCA’s position of principle concerning elections, namely that in the absence of a people-driven and democratic constitution, there can be no free and fair elections in Zimbabwe. This position, apart from being dictated by the NCA’s very existence, was recently affirmed by the NCA Annual General Assembly held in Harare on 7 October 2003.

The NCA notes that the current constitutional framework is designed to make sure that ZANU PF remains in power forever and does not guarantee the holding of free and fair elections. It is impossible for any other political party to win an election in Zimbabwe as long as the current constitution exists. The March 2005 parliamentary election is being held under the current constitution which is flawed in many fundamental respects. A typical example is the fact that even before the election starts, ZANU PF already has thirty seats. Accordingly, the elections can neither be free nor fair.

The NCA is pained to observe that Zimbabweans continue to participate in fraudulent elections despite overwhelming evidence from the 2000 and 2002 elections that there is need to change the constitution before we can have free and fair elections. In order for there to be free and fair elections, the NCA stresses that a democratic constitution must first be put in place. Only a people centered democratic constitution can guarantee the existence of a genuinely Independent Electoral Commission, freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, freedom of association, freedom of choice and other conditions that allow for free and fair elections.

Without a democratic constitution and the stated conditions for free and fair elections in place, the 2005 elections will be an exercise in vain. Participation in these elections without a democratic constitution will only serve to uphold ZANU PF’s undemocratic exercise of power. It will make ZANU PF’s hollow victory look legitimate.

In this realization, the Taskforce resolved not to give respect to yet another futile electoral ritual. As long as it will take place under the current flawed constitution, the 2005 general election stands condemned. The NCA will not align itself to any political party or individuals that decide to soil themselves by participating in the illegitimate 2005 election.

The way forward, in the view of the NCA, is that democratic forces (Civic society and Political parties) must unite and force the Mugabe regime to accept a new constitution and thereafter elections will be held under a new constitution. This struggle will be long and the time has now come for Zimbabweans to realize that there are no shortcuts to a genuine democracy.

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