No movement towards implementing constitutional reform process

By Tichaona Sibanda
28 April 2010

Several MPs from the mainstream MDC on Wednesday said they had little hope the country would have a new constitution by next year.

The process of drafting a new Zimbabwean constitution has been further delayed, which means the country’s new charter is now running almost 9 months behind schedule.
Under the original agreement signed in September 2008, which formed the basis for the formation of a coalition government, the country was supposed to have a new constitution by July 2010.
An MDC MP told SW Radio Africa that despite funding problems, the process was also facing stiff resistance from ZANU PF legislators who are allegedly terrified of the repercussions a new constitution will have on the country’s political landscape.

The MP who preferred to remain anonymous said “When you meet them [ZANU PF MPs] they pretend to like the idea of drawing up a new constitution, but behind our backs, they don’t like it at all.”
Recently, Douglas Mwonzora, the MDC co-chairman tasked with spearheading constitutional reforms, accused some politicians of trying to thwart the process because they were afraid of losing elections.
He said, “Those who were afraid of losing certain positions were endangering the constitution-making process, saying the constitution was not about the next elections, but for posterity.”
On Tuesday the European Union donated US$8 million to help fund the drafting of a new constitution meant to pave the way for fresh elections.

Meanwhile, the Global Zimbabwe Forum (GFZ) has moved a motion to reject supporting the Global Political Agreement, which it described as ‘not a perfect document.’

The signing of the GPA gave birth to the inclusive government, but power struggles between the main parties in the unity government has delayed the full implementation of the GPA.

Luke Zunga, a board member of the GZF told us after giving the GPA a cautious welcome, most Zimbabweans in South Africa were no longer convinced the agreement was taking the country forward.
Zunga said, “We are apparently going backwards as a country. Instead of dealing with key issues of the economy and full implementation of the GPA the politicians are busy fighting over power. This is why there is a surge in violence in the country, because people have seen the GPA is not going anywhere.”