I would have liked political parties to cast their nets far and wide and include activists outside their party membership. For instance, the MDC-T seconded Innocent Gonese and Jessie Majome; candidates who are already MPs who would have a chance to contribute their input when the bill is tabled before parliament.
Of course, I was impressed by the inclusion of such academics as John Makumbe and Alex Magaisa. Makumbe is a wellknown democracy campaigner since the 1980s with the likes of the late Prof. Masipula Sithole, Eliphas Mukonoweshuro, Kem-pton Makamure and Jonathan Moyo before his transformation to a Zanu PF zealot.
Alex Magaisa, of late, has been campaigning for a tightly worded document replacing words such as “may” with “shall” in the new constitution to make it obligatory rather than optional. He will have to put that into practice.
Another good lawyer is Kucaca Phulu, a well-known devolution of power advocate. We want elected provincial governors and the return of the executive mayors as is the trend in all progressive nations.
I would have wanted to have prominent media freedom campaigners such as Beatrice Mtetwa and Alec Muchadehama as well as human rights campaigners from ZLHR, ZimRights, Crisis Coalition, doctors for human rights, etc, included in the team.
I would also have liked to see the incorporation of women rights activists and those fighting for the promotion of minority languages — Kalanga, Tonga, Venda, Sotho, Shangani, Nambia, Xhosa, etc, playing a part.
The two MDC formations should have co-operated in this endeavour. And the much touted Geoff Feltoe should also have been included. So should Greg Lennington for his diverse knowledge in constitutional law. John Makamure, an advocate of parliamentary democracy and the supremacy of parliament, should not have been left out.
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Nevertheless, I hope the assembled team, despite its many shortcomings, will undertake extensive research and consultations with all stakeholders so that they come up with the best document with clear separation of powers, sufficient in-built checks and balances, strong independent commissions and institutions appointed by and answerable to parliament,
Thomas Siakubvu, Binga.
Peaceful campaigning is all that people want
Now that elections are being talked about, some political parties will soon mushroom. This is the trend each time elections are called for. It is healthy and democratic for this to happen. Soon the established political parties will be in top gear with their campaigns.
The main issue at this time of vigorous campaigns by various political parties is for them to do so in a peaceful way. Only the perpetrators of violence, because of their ignorance, think that political campaigns must be accompanied by violence.
Political party youths must be reminded that violent campaigns do not pay because in the final analysis the long arm of the law will catch up with them. Youths must refuse to be used by visionless politicians, to torment fellow Zimbabweans, so as to be rewarded with few party T-shirts, plenty of beer and mbanje.
The Harare Mafia called Chipangano is carrying out its terror campaigns in broad daylight without fear of arrest. They know very well that they have the support of their masters in various security departments. This terror group is living on borrowed time.
Do the police spokespersons really think the public believes them when they say that the police will arrest anyone who engages in violent activities irrespective of political affiliation?
If it is so, why has there been no arrests of members of the Chipangano terror group who have been terrorising Mbare residents for a very long time? It cannot be true that police do not know where these people live and operate from! Chipangano has even gone as far as challenging the authority of a legally constituted Harare City Council, without any fear of arrest.
The police spokespersons should not take us, the people of Zimbabwe, to be blind and stupid. We know where the police allegiance lies. It lies squarely with Chihuri, an avowed Zanu PF supporter.
If Chipangano had been MDC-T-linked, police response would have been swift and brutal. Chipangano or no Chipangano, change will still come to Zimbabwe because the change we seek will not come from Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai as an individual. Change comes from God, the Almighty who changes situations. God did it in Tunisia, Egypt, Libya and he will definitely do the same here in Zimbabwe when the time comes.
Youth of Zimbabwe should remember what happened in Malawi in the early 90s. When the former life President of Malawi, Kamuzu Banda, lost elections, his terror youth wing called Young Pioneers, ran away on their own into Mozambican jungles because they feared the consequences of their past terrorist activities.
Is this what they want to happen to them —to be forced to run away from the land of their birth?
Dr Mutungagore, Mutare.
