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The Real Change Times Movement for Democratic Change a Party of Excellence! the Official Mouthpiece of the MDC

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The Real Change Times Movement for Democratic Change a Party of Excellence! the Official Mouthpiece of the MDC Iz qula enzo u I G ze o n ir z it o a G M u q a j u n l i a h C C h o i r n i t j i a a M M a a i j t i n r i o h C The Real Change Times Movement for Democratic Change A Party of Excellence! The Official Mouthpiece of the MDC Tuesday 27 March MDC Information & Publicity Department, Harvest House, 44 Nelson Mandela Ave, Harare, Zimbabwe Issue 099 2012 BattleDouglas Nyikayaramba lines by promoting The section on devolution ofare power is hoping to derail thedrawn draft constitution Chiefs must not be allowed to vote. him to the rank of Major General. partially completed. There is a general leading to the abandonment of the Nyikayaramba is known for bootlicking agreement at Copac that there should be process altogether. This has not taken Although progress has been recorded, Mugabe by declaring that he should devolution of power. This will consist place. there are still some outstanding sections ‘remain in office for life’. of three tiers, that is, central, provincial in the draft constitution. One of them is and local governments. “On Thursday last week, a group of the issue of dual citizenship. The MDC’ Nyikayaramba has been at the forefront 10 war veterans were dispatched by is of the opinion that Zimbabwean of denouncing security sector reforms, “Of course a devolved government has Zanu PF to the Copac headquarters to citizens must have the right to dual contrary to the GPA in what analysts its own challenges,” Hon Mwonzora meet the drafters. This was intended to citizenship. believe is a fear of reprisal for pointed out. intimidate them, it did not work. The supporting the Mugabe regime. The drafters have terms of reference they Other outstanding issues include Major General has vowed not to salute There is yet to be a structure of the are using to do their job and only take some aspects to do with land. For President Morgan Tsvangirai when he devolved state of the provincial instructions from the chairpersons,” instance, Zimbabweans whose land wins in the next elections. government. This will be sorted out said Hon Mwonzora. was compulsorily acquired during the before the Second All Stakeholders chaotic Land Reform Programme must Hon. Douglas Mwonzora As if this is not enough, Mugabe meeting. Hon. Mwonzora said the draft be compensated. This is irrespective of The constitution making process has recently promoted eight colonels as if in constitution will be gender sensitive whether one is black or white. now reached a penultimate stage with anticipation of a war. Perhaps, Zanu PF The House of Assembly will now have as there will be a 50-50 representation only a few loose ends to be tied before needs to be reminded that the MDC is 250 members as opposed to 300 which of men and women on Bill of Rights, The Prime Minister’s position has taken the Second All Stakeholders Meeting, not a violent party and is committed to Zanu PF wanted. commissions and parliament. centre stage of late. This and the other Copac chairperson, Hon. Douglas the principle of free and fair elections. sticking points will soon be ironed out to Mwonzora has revealed. “There was a heated debate on the “What remains is how to punish pave way for Second All Stakeholders’ The issue of the State of Emergency number of legislators for the House of political parties which fail to adhere Meeting and subsequently, the much- The MDC is pleased to note that most has been debated and a consensus Assembly. After failing to agree, we to this requirement and this is not for talked about referendum. of the issues that came out of the reached. It is not an excuse to commit then consulted the agreement that we Copac to decide,” he said. public outreach are contained in the human rights abuses under the State made in Bulawayo and was signed by Whatever is the outcome of the draft constitution. After months of of Emergency. Anyone who commits the chairpersons. Two hundred and fifty On the issue of traditional chiefs, the outstanding points, the MDC’s position misunderstandings, the committee is offences under State of Emergency is members were agreed on then,” Hon Copac chairpersons have partially seems to be getting clearer and clearer. now agreed on most sections. prosecutable under the new law. Mwonzora explained. agreed that the senate should consist of Not only is the position of the People’s 10 chiefs as opposed to the current 18. Party of Excellence for all to see, it is One of these sections is to do with the Hon. Mwonzora indicated that there will The MDC’s triumph on this and other winning the constitutional battle. And term of the President. It has now been be a constitutional court whose judges points riled Zanu PF to the extent that The chiefs have been given judicial winning, the people of Zimbabwe are agreed that the President must have a will remain in office for a maximum of the party feels betrayed by the members powers at community level. However, determined. limited term. 15 years. This has been endorsed by the it seconded to Copac, especially Paul no agreement has been reached on Copac chairpersons. Mangwana. The party has even gone whether the traditional leaders must Given the above, battle lines have been “This, however, does not mean that further to disrupt some Copac sessions vote or not. MDC is insisting that the drawn. the current president will be affected because the law does not work in retrospect. This was the main fear of Zanu PF. That is why it was resisting the clause,” Hon. Mwonzora said. Copac has constituted the appointment of service chiefs. These should not be Debate on new Bills on: Gonese appointed by the president but by an Zanu PF’s attempts to block private “This is obviously nonsensical because appropriate service commission. In members to introduce new Bills in the GPA does not say that. The order to make sure that the commission the Parliament have been thwarted only exception is that an MP cannot is run by competent members, it will be and the proposed Bills will be introduce a private member Bill if the appointed by Parliament. The abuse of debated in the House of Assembly proposed Bill has financial implications power by the security sector will be a this week. to the law. That can only be done by thing of the past as the commission will Cabinet ministers,” said Hon. Gonese. insist on the professional discharge of Hon. Innocent Gonese, the MDC duty. Chief Whip and Mutare Central MP He said Zanu PF was resisting the had moved a motion before the House removal of obnoxious laws in spite According to the draft constitution, of Assembly seeking for the repeal of of the provision which stipulated service chiefs will serve a maximum the repressive Section 121(3) of the the passing of new laws through the of 10 years and pave way for new Criminal Procedure and Evidence GPA. Section 121(3) of CPEA was appointees. At the moment, the country Act (CPEA) while Hon. Tangwara introduced in 1975 by the then Ian is not happy with the performance Matimba had moved a motion on the Smith regime and Zanu PF has been of all service chiefs who have been Urban Councils Amendment Bill. abusing it to incarcerate MDC officials discharging their duties in a partisan Affected: Hon Roy Bennett MDC Chief Whip, Hon. Gonese and human rights defenders. manner after explicitly declaring their allegiance to Zanu PF. Both Bills were moved by the two the provision and the way it has been Spokesperson, Hon. Thamsanqa MPs and private members. However, “It is a law which has been abused by utilised in flagrant disregard of human Mahlangu, a National Executive In reciprocation, Mugabe has Zanu PF tried to obstruct the Bills the Attorney General’s Office and in liberty. member, Hon. Roy Bennett, the continuously extended contracts of from being debated in Parliament this modern day and age, it does not Treasurer General, Toendepi the underperforming service chiefs. claiming it was contrary to the make good law. The AG is taking the Several senior MDC officials are cited Shonhe, the Director General, Hon. Last month, the octogenarian extended Global Political Agreement (GPA). place of the judiciary by invoking the in the motion as having been affected Eric Matinenga, the Minister of the contract of police chief without section when a person has been granted by CPEA. Constitutional and Parliamentary consulting the other Principals as However, Hon. Gonese dismissed bail,” Hon. Gonese said. Affairs and MPs, Hon. Meki required by the Global Political Zanu PF’s claims and said it showed These include; Hon. Elton Mangoma, Makuyana, Hon. Bednock Nyaude Agreement (GPA). how desperate the party was in trying In his notice of motion, Hon. Gonese the Deputy Treasurer General, Hon. and Hon. Costin Muguti. to block reforms in the country. cited the selective use of punitive Douglas Mwonzora, the National A few months ago, Mugabe rewarded detention mechanisms enshrined in To Page 2 notorious army Brigadier General, The people’s struggle for real change: Let’s finish it!! 1 Zanu PF militia cut off Judicial system highly with Minister Matibenga saying their have basic educational qualifications. employment was not procedural. In government records they are classified under B1 - a grade for people compromised: Gutu “We struck off more than 5000 youths with the basic 5 ordinary level passes.
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