NCA member organisations to demonstrate in Harare

By Tererai Karimakwenda
15 October, 2007

The National Constitution of Assembly (NCA) has announced there will be a peaceful demonstration in the capital this week by some of their member civil organisations. Earnest Mudzengi, NCA National Coordinator, said the group would not reveal the exact date of the demonstrations because the police have taken advantage of that information in the past to block their actions.

Mudzengi explained that the main issue is that they want a people driven constitutional reform process and do not support the secrecy surrounding the current talks being mediated by South Africa’s President Thabo Mbeki. He said: “We don’t want a few people to sit down and write the constitution. It should be authored by the people. And we have no problem with any mediated efforts as long as there are no secrets and the issue of the constitution is at the centre.”

Mudzengi also pointed to Amendment 18 which was passed by both parties in parliament this month. He described it’s passage as “a dangerous precedent that will not bring democracy to the people”. Sections of the Amendment increased the number of seats in parliament and in the Senate. Mudzengi described this as “allocating seats to each other”, and called it a “power game” that is taking all of Zimbabwe hostage.

NCA members have taken to the streets persistently over the last few years despite numerous arrests and severe physical assaults on the group’s leaders and activists. The government has also been on a campaign of hunting down and abducting known NCA officials and suspected activists. Many have been living in hiding but continue to pressure for a new constitution.