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Zimbabwe's conflict situation: The way out
Democratic Party (DP)
July 04, 2008

On 6 February 2008 the Democratic Party (DP) took a decision to boycott the harmonized undemocratic elections held on 29 March to 27 June 2008. The party cited the absence of a people's democratic constitution and the derivative electoral rules as the reasons for the boycott.

In a press statement announcing the boycott on 7 February 2008 the Democratic Party (DP) warned that forged, manipulated, rigged, stolen, and bogus elections were a danger to national security, peace and stability since such elections were a waste of resources and a trigger of violent conflicts that led to loss of human life, destruction of property and violation of other basic human rights and freedoms of the people. The party further warned that the sham elections would not solve Zimbabwe's political, social, economic and governance problems. Instead, the undemocratic March 29 elections would only bring more suffering to the people. The DP concluded its press statement by calling for the abandonment of the planned 29 March 2008 harmonized bogus elections.

On 3 July 2008 the National Executive Committee of the Democratic Party (DP) met to consider the escalating conflict situation in the country. The following resolutions were made:

On results of undemocratic elections:
The DP resolved to dismiss the results of undemocratic elections held on 29 March to 27 June 2008 for being unfree and unfair since the elections lacked constitutional and democratic legitimacy; and further that the elections ended up being held under duress, having been marred by a high level of violence, general brutalization of the populace, murder, abductions, kidnappings, torture, rape, killings, arson, maiming, mugging, robbery, theft, threats, intimidation, cruelty, generalized severe beatings, injury, arrests and displacement of the people. The results are hereby rejected as outcomes of episodes of violence not democratic elections.

On inauguration of presidential regime
The DP resolved that the presidential regime inaugurated on 29 June 2008 following the holding of unfree and unfair elections on 29 March to 27 June 2008 was illegitimate because the regime lacked constitutional, electoral and democratic legitimacy. Consequently the Democratic Party (DP) will not recognize or observe (haticherechedzi) the authority of an illegitimate regime.

On the way out
Zimbabwe's conflict situation is now desperate. The holding of undemocratic elections on 29 March to 27 June 2008; and the subsequent inauguration of an illegitimate presidential regime on 29 June 2008 have accelerated the political conflict in Zimbabwe to dangerous and catastrophic levels.

The situation now begs for an urgent solution or action to halt a looming imminent social humanitarian calamity of major proportions.

As DP we reiterate, as we have done in the past since 12 February 1994, that the epicenter of Zimbabwe's crisis is that of government and constitution failure. The Democratic Party (DP) defines the political conflict in Zimbabwe as a constitutional not electoral dispute. It is a fundamental and foundational disagreement on how the country should be governed. The situation therefore requires a constitutional solution. The answer lies in a people-based democratic constitution. In addition to being a solution to Zimbabwe's serious problems, a people-driven democratic constitution making process will also serve as a peaceful non violent conflict resolution mechanism that will provide a platform and arena for national engagement, dialogue and democratic discourse so that the people of Zimbabwe can urgently provide a solution to their problems, acting together as one nation.

Pursuant to the urgent need for a constitutional solution as agued above, the Democratic Party (DP) has decided to launch, with immediate effect, an initiative to engage other political parties in Zimbabwe through face-to-face dialogue with a view to persuading or lobbying them to accept the wisdom and primacy of a constitutional solution to the country's problems.

The decision to target other political parties in the lobby initiative was informed by the results of a study on constitutionalism in Zimbabwe conducted in 2007. According to the findings of the report, 50% of political parties, 80% of civil society organizations, and 87% of individuals sampled stated that they preferred to write a people's constitution first before elections could be held. The study concluded that political parties therefore dragged individuals and civil society organizations into participating in undemocratic elections held under the current defective and illegitimate constitution in Zimbabwe.

The President of the Democratic Party (DP) shall be the head of the party's Constitutional Lobby Crusade Team (CLCT). The crusade team shall have a full mandate to approach other political parties and to meet with their presidential teams for the purposes of the constitutional lobby initiative.

The political parties constitutional lobby crusade will culminate in the convening of an ALL-ZIMBABWE CONSTITUTIONAL CONFERENCE under the proposed joint chairmanship of the United Nations (UN), the African Union (AU), and the Southern African Development Community (SADC). All citizens of Zimbabwe shall be entitled to attend through organized representation and to be heard at the constitutional conference.

The agenda of the ALL-ZIMBABWE CONSTITUTIONAL CONFERENCE shall contain the following items:-

1. Transitional Constitutional Order
2. Adoption of a people's democratic Constitution making process

All other issues, procedures and processes incidental thereto shall follow resolutions of the ALL-ZIMBABWE CONSTITUTIONAL CONFERENCE until a new constitution is adopted by the people at a referendum. The adoption of a people's constitution will be followed by the holding of democratic elections leading to the establishment of a legitimate constitutional government in Zimbabwe.

All expenditures and operating costs of the ALL-ZIMBABWE CONSTITUTIONAL CONFERENCE shall be charged to the Consolidated Revenue Fund of Zimbabwe.

We hope and trust that fellow citizens will receive our mission and see the wisdom of our vision for the reconstruction and development of our country.

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