Madhuku to quit NCA, form political party
HARARE – The chairman of the National Constitutional Assembly (NCA) Professor Lovemore Madhuku will step down during the organisation’s congress on Saturday as he moves to launch a yet to be named political party.
The NCA congress will finally be held in Harare this Saturday almost 2 years after Madhuku’s two terms in office had expired. Critics accused him of hanging on to power. The congress should have been held in 2011 but the organisation’s national taskforce declined to do so.
Madhuku at the time claimed the national task force had resolved that its congress be held after the referendum and national elections to allow the current leadership to lead the NO Vote campaign. Disgruntled members however accused him of hiding behind political processes to cling on to power.
“The current leadership under Madhuku is just using the referendum to cover up for their desire to cling on to power. There is nowhere in the NCA constitution where it says, the NCA processes will be determined by political processes,” one member said.
The NCA congress is on Saturday while the political party will be launched in December. Since Madhuku’s term as NCA chairman has lapsed members are likely to endorse a plan to form a political party that will be led by Madhuku.
Madhuku meanwhile says the NCA wanted to use political methods to get a “democratic constitution,” after it failed to push for its agenda during the last constitution-making process spearheaded by the coalition government.
“The first point of discussion would be the future of the organisation. If the organisation decides to use civic methods, which have failed, then I am stepping down but if we are to form a political party then I believe the current leadership would want to pursue our quest to have a democratic constitution.
“We have said that we have nothing to do with the West and we respect the liberation struggle. Our party would be nationalist and pan-Africanist. We are not abandoning our agenda, that is of a new democratic constitution and we simply want to use other avenues through a structure like a political party,” Madhuku said.
NCA spokesperson, Blessing Vava, yesterday confirmed that Madhuku would step down this Saturday.
“He (Madhuku) is stepping down as the NCA chairman. He has served his two five year terms and constitutionally one cannot stand again in that position. It was supposed to be held in 2011 but we had no money, donors abandoned us and also there was a resolution to wait for the referendum before we change the leadership.”
He said other leadership posts would also be contested.
Mr Vava said details on the decision to form a new political party would be disclosed during the Saturday congress.
“The congress is the highest decision making body in the institution and the discussions are on two folds,” he said.
“There are some who are vying for posts since the current leadership has served the required time by the constitution. There is also a talk of others forming a political party and those issues will be brought up for discussion.”
He said apart from leadership renewal, the congress would also “reflect on the organisation’s mandate, the NO Vote campaign during the referendum, relations with the West, Government and civil society.”
Sources say “Members will be asked to suggest a name for the new party but there are some names which have been thrown in the hat so far. I can tell you that the new party will be launched in December this year and will welcome anyone who wishes to join, regardless of their previous political persuasion.”
