European partnership for democracy, EPD

EPD civic education activities for participation in Zimbabwean constitutional reform

30 years of Zimbabwean independence: `We do not eat politics, we need food, we do not sleep in politics`

Zimbabwe celebrated its 30th anniversary of independence on April 18th, EPD congratulates all Zimbabweans with this milestone celebration of freedom from white-minority domination and apartheid. Only 30 years ago the current Zimbabwean constitution was written, in the UK, currently Zimbabweans are preparing a revision of this document, to come up with a Constitution which is driven by the Zimbabwean people. EPD has supported a number of Zimbabwean-driven civic education and information activities, providing neutral information from Zimbabweans to Zimbabweans in order for them to participate meaningfully in the constitutional reform process.

With the support of the EPD, over two-hundred roadshows, focus group meetings, for varying target audiences (e.g. women, traditional leaders, Diaspora) were organized by Zimbabwean NGOs with the objective to mobilize and encourage meaningful citizens participation and engagement with the constitution making process and to raise awareness among the grassroots populace on the content and process of writing a democratic constitution. This way Zimbabweans can make informed contributions and decisions during the outreach process and the referendum that is expected after the public consultations to be carried out by the Constitutional and Parliamentary Select Committee (COPAC).

The participants to the meetings were interested in knowing what guarantees were in place to ensure that the COPAC rapporteurs would accurately capture their views when the public consultation begins. They were also interested in knowing who was eligible to attend the outreach meetings to be held by COPAC, whether there was an age limit and whether one had to be on the voters roll in order to participate in this outreach. The participants also pointed out that it would be good if they knew the contents of the current Constitution before they participated in this process.

Other participants regretted the delays and postponements which have characterized the constitution-making process as well as what they termed the distortion and deliberate withholding of information to ordinary Zimbabweans. They sought clarification over whether people who participated in the consultation process would be guaranteed of their security afterwards and which arm of the state machinery would be providing security at these consultations; they reported that they had already been threatened from participating. The participants also wanted to know whether it was permissible to bus people into different wards and what strategies are in place to ensure the participation of prisoners, people in hospital and Zimbabweans in the Diaspora.

A special target audience of the civic education projects were the traditional leaders, who have pointed out that they hope that their position will be recognized in the new Constitution and that their function and powers will be clearly spelt out, especially in relation to their role in preserving the Zimbabwean culture and tradition and in relation to communal land. The participants also expressed surprise and disappointment towards their realization that the current constitutional making process in Zimbabwe might be monopolised and manipulated by political parties. One of the participants had this to say; "We cannot leave this to the politicians, hatidyi politics, tinorara mudzimba, hatirari mu politics (we do not eat politics, we need food, we do not sleep in politics)."

Owing to the increase in harassment and intimidation reports low attendance has characterised some of the meetings held under the project. In certain areas, villagers were reportedly ordered by the village heads and councilors not to attend the meetings. Other meetings were disrupted and the workshop implementers were threatened and given 15 minutes to leave the area. In some parts of the country people are being threatened with violence if they do not vote for the Kariba Draft Constituion- which is only one of the drafts on the table - and outreach sessions are still necessary to ensure that people are aware of the `people driven clauses in the Global Political Agreement, guaranteeing an open Constitutional reform process.
During the meetings participants stated on various occasions that Zimbabweans should draft a constitution bearing in mind that it surpasses generational boundaries. A new Zimbabwean Constitution should protect citizens against and oblige the state to redress human rights violations such as abductions, torture and rape. COPAC was urged to involve Zimbabweans abroad in the drafting of the Constitution.

The EPD support was furthermore used by Zimbabwean organizations to (re-)printed their brochures, leaflets, posters, T-shirts and copies of the Global Political Agreement in English, Shona and Ndebele. All materials are easy to read and simplified in order to demystify the constitution. It is encouraging to note that even some MPs have asked for the materials, to take to their constituencies.
EPD support for this early activities project consisted of the generous grants from a Dutch charity lottery: the Nationale Postcode Loterij, as well as from the Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy (NIMD). EPD and implementing partners from Zimbabwe kindly thank our donors for this successful project.