Elections only after a new constitution-Madhuku

By Blessing Vava

Mazowe-National Constitutional Assembly (NCA) Chairperson Professor Lovemore Madhuku said that Zimbabwe should only go for polls only after a new people driven constitution is in place.

Madhuku said this while addressing villagers in Mazowe South’s Kanyemba district ward 13 at a Take Charge campaign meeting held today.  

“As the NCA we are telling the politicians of this country that elections should only be conducted after the writing of a new genuine people driven constitution. That new constitution should guarantee a free and fair election,’’ he said. 

Madhuku further dismissed the COPAC process saying that it will not come up with the desired constitution that will enable the country to conduct free and fair elections.

Speaking at the same meeting NCA National Spokesperson Madock Chivasa told villagers that they should only accept a good constitution that bears in mind the aspirations of the people.

Chivasa said that the people should be able to judge for themselves after the COPAC draft is out and that should aid whether to vote YES or NO during the referendum.

“After the draft is out its everyone’s duty as a Zimbabwean to scrutinise the contents of the draft and if your views are not captured surely you should all vote NO,’’ said Chivasa.

The NCA Spokesperson said it was a fallacy to expect a good document coming out of the COPAC process basing on the manner in which the process was undertaken. The NCA leaders both called for the abolishing of COPAC to pave way for an independent commission to spearhead the constitution making exercise.

A villager who spoke during the meeting said that they were afraid of political violence during the run-up to the referendum as some community leaders have already started intimidating people.  He also said that they were forced to sign the anti-sanctions petitions.

The Take Charge Campaign meetings are part of the NCA’s NO vote campaign that seeks to resist the Parliament sponsored constitution. The NCA has lined up a number of activities countrywide.