NCA vow to fight govt constitutional process

Harare- The National Constitutional Assembly (NCA) Strategic Indaba ended on Monday on a high note with delegates expressing satisfaction with the outcome of the meeting at the Rainbow Towers in Harare.

The meeting was meant to strategise and deliberate on the NCA roadmap regarding the crafting of the country’s constitution.  Close to 300 delegates including National Taskforce, secretariat members and provincial and constituency chairpersons were in attendance.

Member organisations including the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU), Zimbabwe National Students Union (ZINASU) gave messages of solidarity reaffirming their commitment to working with the NCA in the fight for a new people driven democratic constitution.

Speaking at the Indaba ZCTU National President Lovemore Matombo said that the NCA should continue being the torch bearers of change and therefore they should mobilise and galvanise support from the masses towards the struggle for a new constitution.

“As the ZCTU, we are perturbed by the manner in which COPAC is doing. The path they have taken is a betrayal to the people of Zimbabwe,’’ he said.  He further equated the writing of the constitution to a mathematical equation. ‘’If you use a wrong formula, you will definitely have a wrong answer,’ said the ZCTU President in reference to the COPAC process.

Other speakers included ZCTU Secretary General Wellington Chibebe, who also threw his weight behind the NCA position.

“We derive our mandate from historical positions, resolutions from our past congresses and the National Working People’s Convention of 1999. In 1999 in Chitungwiza the message was loud and clear that the process of writing a constitution should be people driven and led by an independent commission not politicians of the day,” said the militant labour leader.

Chibebe also urged the leadership of the NCA to remain united, principled  and convicted in the struggle for a people driven constitution for the country.

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