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VENUE: HOLIDAY INN MUTARE
DATE: 29-05-09
TOPIC: THE COMPLIANCE OF THE GOVERNMENT OF NATIONAL
UNITY (GNU) WITH THE GLOBAL POLITICAL AGREEMENT
(GPA) The
workshop was held by the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human
Rights (ZLHR) in partnership with the Center for
Research and Development (CRD).Civil society
organizations in Mutare were invited to this
workshop to give their views on the compliance of
the GNU to the GPA. This was part of the monitoring
process being spearheaded by Civil Society to
monitor the activities of the GNU.
ORGANISATIONS REPRESENTED AT THE
WORKSHOP
Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR)
Center for Research and Development
Zimbabwe National Students Union (ZINASU)
Zimbabwe Teachers Union (Zimta)
Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ)
Women coalition
CIVNET
National Association of Non Governmental
Organizations (NANGO)
Concerned Youth
National Constitutional Assembly (NCA)
Mutare Residents Association (MURA)
Zimbabwe Coalition on Debt and Development (Zimcodd)
Zimbabwe Association of Doctors for Human Rights (ZADHR)
Opening remarks were given by Farai Maguwu who
outlined events leading to the signing of the GPA
and the formation of the Inclusive Government in
February 2009. He emphasized that the Inclusive
government was not a product of democratic processes
as epitomized by the widespread violence that
necessitated its formation. He also pointed out that
civil society was left out of the negotiations that
led to the formation of the Inclusive government.
Farai said despite being left out of the process,
civil society cannot just sit and watch the
performance / non performance of the Inclusive
government. He said civil society came up with a
mechanism to monitor the Inclusive government. This
meeting, he added, was called as part of the
on-going monitoring mechanism.
1. Presenter: Dzimbabwe Chimbga
(ZLHR)
Deconstructing the GPA: Assessing
the operating environment of the GPA
The presenter gave an analysis of the GPA article by
article explaining the weakness and strength of
each. A close analysis of the articles will reveal
which political party of the GNU proposed it. He
said the GPA had some parts which were good on paper
but difficult to implement on the ground. He pointed
out that some of the crucial aspects of the GPA were
not receiving due attention. In matters pertaining
to human rights and democracy the GPA sometimes
dedicates only one sentence whilst issues such as
land reform and the removal of sanctions receive due
attention. The three political parties are
interested in consolidating their power and
influence, he added. Below are some of the areas the
presenter said were not being followed by the GNU
• Freedoms of the people are not being respected as
enshrined in the GPA. People are still being
arbitrarily arrested
• Oppressive Draconian laws like POSA and AIPPA
still exist
• The constitution process set in motion is not
people driven
• The GPA is not clear about the powers of the prime
minister and thus crippling the operations of the
Inclusive government
• Some traditional leaders are still being used as
pawns
2.NATIONAL HEALING
PRESENTER: ANESU CHIWAURA (LEGAL
RESOUCES FOUNDATION)
She gave an insight on article 7 of the GPA which
talks about National Healing. She said that there
was need for both parties that is ZANU PF and MDC to
acknowledge the truths that happened in the past and
to the present time. Anesu said currently the
environment in Zimbabwe is not conducive for a
successful national healing process. Commission of
the National Healing processes is composed of
politicians, some with past records of participating
in atrocities that were experienced in Zimbabwe e.g.
John Nkomo who currently heads the Commission for
National Healing is sponsoring violence at Jijima
Lodge in Bulawayo. She stressed the point that the
perpetrator of violence cannot lead the process of
national healing listed some the pre-requisite which
need to be put into consideration for the National
Healing process to kick start
• The need to put in place a mechanism for
transitional justice before the national healing
process begins
• The need to define national healing and who should
lead the process
• The GNU should remove perpetrators of violence
like John Nkomo from leading the process
• Institutional reform is a pre-requisite for
national healing. The police and army need to be
reformed for national healing to take place
• Formation of a Truth and Reconciliation Commission
like what happened in South Africa
• Justice for the victim and corrective measures for
the perpetrator (Transitional Justice put into
practice)
3.People driven constitution
Presenters: David Hofisi and Matt Burgh
The term constitution was defined as being the
supreme law / laws of the land that governs the
people and institutions. It is the living document
for the people and by the people. David said the
constitution begins with three words “we the people”
which reiterates the fact that there should be a
people driven constitution rather than a parliament
driven process. •
Constitution must be people driven not politician
driven
• Civic society must take an active role in the
writing of the constitution
• A clear separation of powers between the
president, legislature and judiciary
• Civic society must take a leading role in
discussing the Kariba draft
He decried Zimbabwe’s electoral system which he
described as ‘First Past the Post’. Under this
system he outlined that the person with the highest
number of votes, even if that number is a fraction
of the combined number of votes cast for other
candidates, is declared the outright winner. Say,
for instance for candidates enter an electoral race
with the following results obtaining: a. 40, b. 26,
c. 24 d. 10. He said candidate a., with 40 votes is
declared the winner even though statistics show that
60 percent of the voters preferred other candidates.
After David’s presentation participants said they
would only cooperate with a truly people driven
constitution making process. Participants dismissed
the Kariba Draft as an elitist document produced by
politicians for the people of Zimbabwe.
4.EDUCATIONAL REFORM
PRESENTER: FREEDOM BHOSO (ZINASU)
Education leads the human souls to what is best and
making what is best out of them. He also
acknowledged that Zimbabwe has enjoyed the highest
level of education in the region and beyond but the
late 90s saw the quality of education is
deteriorating. The state of the education system in
Zimbabwe is appalling to say the least. There are no
teachers in schools, no books in classrooms and
pupils have littered the dusty pavements of
residential areas. As we speak, the country has lost
one full academic year which in itself is only a
culmination of a decade of degeneration in education
delivery. Bosso said the responsibility of the civil
society is to register its dismay and disquiet at
the state of affairs.
• Students are still being arrested and denied of
their freedoms of expression
• Poor remunerations for Teachers
• Education is now being used as a weapon of
indoctrination in schools and colleges
5.GNU: Future Predictions
Presenter: Farai Maguwu (CRD)
Looking at what is happening in the GNU there are
three possible scenarios that can take place. He
emphasized that these were just predictions which
might happen or might not happen.
1. Complete reform of national institutions leading
to democratic elections. He said this was the most
desired situation but the most unlikely. He said
ZANU PF will not be part of changes that will lead
to its own demise. The reform of ZEC, Police, Army
and the entire civil service will lead to the
destruction of ZANU PF at the next poll. It is
therefore unlikely that the GNU will reform national
institutions and smoothly move to conduct credible
elections.
2. One of the political parties will pull out of the
GNU. Already both ZANU PF and MDC have threatened to
pull out of the GNU. There is unending feuding on
positions and certain institutions. He predicted
that the inclusive government was likely to live on
because ZANU PF wanted to retain power and the MDC
wanted to fight from within and remain relevant.
3. Because institutions of power such as Police, CIO
and Army remain intact and defiant, the MDC may come
to the conclusion that their destiny is inextricable
interwoven with that of ZANU PF. The MDC-T will
eventually be assimilated by ZANU-PF as what ZAPU
did in 1987.It will do so as it tries to remain
relevant and its officials become corrupted and
slowly swallowed by ZANU PF. They may not pronounce
a Unity Accord but this may be achieved by extending
the life span of the Inclusive Government.
WAY FORWARD
• The CSO agreed to continue monitoring the GNU and
send their reports to CISSOMM
• CSO to go to their constituencies and inform them
of the outcomes of their monitoring
Dzie Chimbga gave closing remarks on behalf of the
ZLHR team and gave thanks to the CRD for organizing
the workshop and the participants at large who
represented their respective organizations. He
expressed hope that this marked the dawn of a new
era in the working relationship among civil society
organizations.
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