Zanu PF’s mercenary MPs disrupt Constitution-making process

The MDC dismisses the mercenary attitude by Zanu PF MPs in a deliberate and well-calculated ploy to derail and commercialize the Constitution-making process expected to kick off on 16 June 2010. The political posturing by the Zanu PF MPs is nothing but an attempt to derail the Constitution-making process by recreating their violent comedy of 13 July 2009. On that fateful day, in front of world cameras, sponsored Zanu PF hoodlums violently disrupted the first All-Stakeholders’ Constitution conference in Harare.

Now the opposition party is at it again, with its MPs demanding huge allowances just to ensure that this historic and important national process does not kick off. Fortunately, they have shown their true colors that they are perennial conspirators against the Constitution of Zimbabwe which has specific time-frames within which this important national process should be over and done with.

The biggest threat to the national interest is Zanu PF MPs and their inherent allergy to transparency, democratic tenets and a free and fair election. Zanu PF MPs are perennially afraid of people-driven processes. Zanu PF is a threat to the GPA. Zanu PF MPs are a pot-pourri of self-centered individuals working in common purpose to subvert the democratization and reform agenda. 

The MDC regards the latest attempt to block the Constitution-making process as part of a great conspiracy. We condemn and rebuke this Pioneer column mentality where elected officials demand hefty allowances to undertake a national duty. Coupled with the Zanu PF-instigated violent disturbances in the countryside, where villagers are being coerced to stay silent during the outreach programme, the whole game plan begins to give itself away.    It is no coincidence that the so-called public media, particularly The Herald and the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation, have been conspicuously silent in publicizing this national event. This conspiracy of silence has betrayed Zanu PF’s grand plan to waylay and mug this national project in which Zimbabweans must make their own Constitution.

Zimbabweans want to make their own Constitution. They are determined to carve out a new contract which determines how, why and by whom they want to be governed. Zanu PF MPs cannot hold this nation to ransom. Rantings by a wayward school prefect cannot disrupt a whole school’s morning assembly.  Zanu PF cannot easily run away from their own signature under the watchful eye of SADC and the African Union.

We urge all Zimbabweans to participate in this important and historic event which kicks off next week. We, the people, will gather at the consultative meetings and make our voices heard. We, the people, are determined to make our own Constitution. We, the people, will turn out in our numbers during the outreach programmes. We, the people, will make sure that a new Constitution is bequeathed to the next generation.

MDC Information & Publicity Department

[newsletter]