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Zanu-PF draft: A mere political litmus test
Combined Harare Residents Association (CHRA)
September 05, 2012

The talk on the ZANU PF proposed amendments to the COPAC draft has become the talk of town which however put in simple terms is just much ado about nothing. The COPAC process which took three years to complete (with ZANU PF participating) came to an end with all political parties appending their signatures as a compliance act of agreement. Predictably, after the submission of the COPAC draft, ZANU PF spin-doctors and havoc machinates convened their own parallel constitution making process which in the eyes of many was bent on creating confusion and stalling the people's process. However, as an individual I beg to differ in terms of ZANU PF's rationale behind bringing their own parallel constitution on the table.

ZANU PF is well known of using uncouth political means in terms of hanging on to power and it's really flabbergasting for us to want to believe that ZANU PF will want to be part of a formal process which people will freely decide. The reason behind a parallel document is for ZANU PF to do a national test with regards to its current popularity ahead of the presidential election. It is no news that this political party is very much abreast with its growing unpopularity. When Freedom House and the Mass public Opinion Institute [M.P.O.I] publicized their findings in terms of the current popularity statistics between ZANU PF and MDC-T, the chief political architects of ZANU PF were quick enough to dismiss those findings regardless of the same position being taken by Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai's party which argued against the issue of the research environment. However, needless to say that ZANU PF has never planned using data gathered from liberals, the forthcoming referendum provides for a very good platform for the party to measure itself against other political parties in terms of popularity.

History has it on good record that the rejection of the 2000 constitution provided a fertile ground for ZANU PF to consolidate its power by convening a reign of terror on white farmers. I remember watching President Robert Mugabe on state television on the 12th of February 2000, presenting his widely applauded speech which was reconciliatory and gave hope for political unity and the existence of political tolerance. Little did we know that his words were not to live beyond 12 mid night that same evening for on the 14th of February the following day, the very first farm invasion was reported in Chief Svosve's area followed by a string of invasions on white owned farms. My own analysis of that situation was embedded on the idea which ZANU PF embraced in which it saw an onslaught on its ideology and existence. It is against this political background that one does not need to consult a rocket scientist if briefed about the current ZANU PF stance with regards to the current constitution making process.

The Joint Operations Command [J.O.C] has not downed its tools. Let us not be fooled by any report or research that violence will be arrested. Zimbabwe needs to brace for another bloody show-down if ever there are going to be two documents up for selection at the next referendum and more-so if the ZANU PF draft is going to be dismissed. The results of the referendum shall be a litmus test whose results will form the basis for ZANU PF's election strategy. With that in mind, it is very much important for all political parties to allow the people of Zimbabwe to vote YES or NO to the draft which was produced by COPAC. It is a process error for anyone to say that let us have the national report before the referendum because this report should also inform the nation and the international community on how this constitution making process went about from onset up until Zimbabwe went for its referendum. All signatories to the G.P.A must ensure that this process is safeguarded from fly by night politicians who are always prepared to speak on behalf of the people and not for the people. Zimbabwe must speak its own position, another Zimbabwe is possible.

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