SW Radio Africa (London)
Tichaona Sibanda
11 May 2011
The former ruling ZANU PF party has been sharply criticized for stalling the constitution making process by making a u-turn on a proposed method to analyze views gathered during the outreach program.
The management committee of COPAC met last month and resolved that the analysis of data should follow a qualitative and not a quantitative method.
Co-chairman of COPAC, Douglas Mwonzora representing the MDC-T, told SW Radio Africa on Wednesday that ZANU PF, represented by Nicholas Goche and Paul Mangwana during last month’s meeting, agreed to that resolution. That meeting was held on 11th April and was attended by cabinet ministers representing the three parties in the Global Political Agreement (GPA).
But when the 17 thematic committees started their data analysis on Monday, ZANU PF announced they now wanted the process to use the quantitative process. This was rejected by the two MDC formations, a decision that set in motion the current impasse.
‘The current impasse has been caused by ZANU PF’s sudden decision to go against a clear resolution of the management committee,’ said Mwonzora. He added that taking into account the atmosphere that prevailed during the outreach program it was decided the way forward was to look at the quality of contributions.
‘Remember a lot of people were coached on what to say during most rural outreach programs. There were more meetings in rural than in urban areas, so we said lets look at the quality and not how many issues that favoured a certain political party from a particular meeting,’ Mwonzora added.
During last year’s chaotic outreach program in the rural areas ZANU PF coached people to give the party’s positions on the constitution. Many other people were intimidated into silence.
‘Unfortunately we have this unnecessary deadlock because ZANU PF has suddenly made a u-turn. We find that unacceptable because they can’t go against a management committee resolution,’ said Mwonzora.
He added; ‘ZANU PF must learn to abide by agreements. Decision making in that party is rarely made by sober politicians. Most decisions in the party are made by the junta and this is why we have so many of them milling around our venue in Harare.’
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