News / Local
Zanu-PF senior members beg Dabengwa to push for devolution
19 May 2012 at 09:50hrs | Views
Senior Zanu-PF secretly advocating for devolution of power in the new constitution are reportedly in secret talks with former politburo member Dumiso Dabengwa to push the agenda as they fear victimisation if they publicly go against their party's decision.
Dabengwa told a press conference in Harare on Friday that many Zanu-PF officials from Matabeleland were not happy with the party's stance on devolution.
"Lets not victimise members of Zanu-PF who think the same with as us on devolution. Most of the senior people in Zanu-PF have come to me saying please speak louder on devolution.
They say because they have positions they can't speak out because they will be punished if they speak on that subject," said Dabengwa.
He said President Robert Mugabe and a few of his sympathisers would not succeed in derailing peoples wishes.
"The outbursts of President Robert Mugabe and the decision of his politburo that they do not want a constitution with devolution of power is subversion of citizens supreme authority over their State.
The President and his politburo have no authority to impose on the issue of devolution because they are not the owners and supreme authority of Zimbabwe. It is only the citizens of Zimbabwe who have to decide and Zanu-PF has to abide by their decision," said Dabengwa.
"Zanu-PF is opposing devolution in the constitution on the basis that it will divide the people. The people of Zimbabwe are already divided because since 1980, Zanu-PF has been pursuing policies based on political and ethnic discrimination based on their 1979 grand plan which was a gross violation of the principle of equal rights which entails equality of all."
Dabengwa told a press conference in Harare on Friday that many Zanu-PF officials from Matabeleland were not happy with the party's stance on devolution.
"Lets not victimise members of Zanu-PF who think the same with as us on devolution. Most of the senior people in Zanu-PF have come to me saying please speak louder on devolution.
They say because they have positions they can't speak out because they will be punished if they speak on that subject," said Dabengwa.
"The outbursts of President Robert Mugabe and the decision of his politburo that they do not want a constitution with devolution of power is subversion of citizens supreme authority over their State.
The President and his politburo have no authority to impose on the issue of devolution because they are not the owners and supreme authority of Zimbabwe. It is only the citizens of Zimbabwe who have to decide and Zanu-PF has to abide by their decision," said Dabengwa.
"Zanu-PF is opposing devolution in the constitution on the basis that it will divide the people. The people of Zimbabwe are already divided because since 1980, Zanu-PF has been pursuing policies based on political and ethnic discrimination based on their 1979 grand plan which was a gross violation of the principle of equal rights which entails equality of all."
Source - Byo24News
