News / Local
Copac 'parks' contentious issues
05 Dec 2011 at 11:39hrs | Views
Gukurahundi, Murambatsvina and Death Penalty
THE Parliamentary Select Committee (Copac) has resolved to park the discussion of some contentious issues that include the Gukurahundi disturbances, Operation Murambatswina and the June 27, 2008 political violence, we exclusively reveal today.
According to leaked minutes of a meeting held at Rainbow Towers in Harare from November 14 to 22 this year, the Copac Select Committee, Technical team, and representatives of Zanu PF and the Movement for Democratic Change formations agreed to park the contentious issues for an indefinite period.
The meeting whose deliberations were led by Honourable Justice Ben Hlatshwayo and senior counsel Mr Hassen Ibrahim also resolved to refer other issues to the Select Committee for determination.
Reads the document in part:
"A decision was made to park and refer to the Select Committee these issues for further determination.
"The Technical Team recommended to park the following bracketed statement (23) Gukurahundi, Murambatswina and the June 27, 2007," says the document.
Further, other issues that were raised during the outreach process like the historic 22 December 1987 Unity Accord, the Global Political Agreement and Food Security were removed from the list.
The matters appear in the document recorded as brackets: 27, 28 and 29 respectively.
On the death penalty, it was agreed that the matter be parked until Copac checks what other constitutions say on same.
"The issue (93-Death penalty) was not discussed further, the parties agreed to park it and have a look at other constitutions, the Russian, Iraq, Kenya's and South Africa etc and the national report," reads the document in part.
Copac has finished the national report of what people said during the constitution making outreach program.
Copac's information and Publicity Sub-Committee chairperson Jessie Majome could neither confirm nor deny this development yesterday.
She said: "Copac has had a lot of meetings and workshops. I do not know what document or minutes you are talking about. There are too many minutes we have on the many meetings and workshops we have done on many issues.
"Please call me after five minutes and maybe by then I will be clear on what you are asking about," she said.
When phoned after five minutes, her phone went unanswered.
The constitution making process started in January 2010 with a stakeholder's conference which was followed by the outreach program on 24 June of the same year.
After the outreach, the heavily funded Copac did data capturing, and district qualitative and quantitative reports.
The process was punctuated with fighting amongst the three political parties, Zanu Pf and the Movement for Democratic Change formations over processes of doing the work.
Copac has finished compiling the national narrative, quantitative and qualitative report of what the people said during the outreach process and drafting of the country's supreme law is expected to start soon.
Civic society activists like Professor Lovemore Madhuku have opposed the Copac led Constution making process arguing that is it is not inclusive and is impartial.
Copac has denied the allegations and insisted on its work. COPAC is composed of 25 members of the 7th Parliament of Zimbabwe who were selected from the three political parties (MDC T, MDC and Zanu PF) to spearhead the crafting of a new Constitution. The 25 members are referred to as the Select Committee of Parliament on the new Constitution.
The Select Committee is led by three Co-chairpersons who were selected from each party, namely, Paul Mangwana from ZANU PF, Douglas Mwonzora from MDC T and Edward Mkhosi from MDC M.
Other members of the Committee are : Flora Buka, Amos Chibaya, Walter Chidakwa, Gift Chimanikire, Edward Chindori Chininga, David Coltart, Gladys Dube, Joram Gumbo, Ian Kay, Martin Khumalo, Believe Gaule, Jessie Majome, Cephas Makuyana, Chief Fortune Charumbira, Thokozile Mathuthu, Rorana Muchihwa, Editor Matamisa, Tambudzani Mohadi, Olivia Muchena, Monica Mutsvangwa, Jabulani Ndlovu and Brian Tshuma.
THE Parliamentary Select Committee (Copac) has resolved to park the discussion of some contentious issues that include the Gukurahundi disturbances, Operation Murambatswina and the June 27, 2008 political violence, we exclusively reveal today.
According to leaked minutes of a meeting held at Rainbow Towers in Harare from November 14 to 22 this year, the Copac Select Committee, Technical team, and representatives of Zanu PF and the Movement for Democratic Change formations agreed to park the contentious issues for an indefinite period.
The meeting whose deliberations were led by Honourable Justice Ben Hlatshwayo and senior counsel Mr Hassen Ibrahim also resolved to refer other issues to the Select Committee for determination.
Reads the document in part:
"A decision was made to park and refer to the Select Committee these issues for further determination.
"The Technical Team recommended to park the following bracketed statement (23) Gukurahundi, Murambatswina and the June 27, 2007," says the document.
Further, other issues that were raised during the outreach process like the historic 22 December 1987 Unity Accord, the Global Political Agreement and Food Security were removed from the list.
The matters appear in the document recorded as brackets: 27, 28 and 29 respectively.
On the death penalty, it was agreed that the matter be parked until Copac checks what other constitutions say on same.
"The issue (93-Death penalty) was not discussed further, the parties agreed to park it and have a look at other constitutions, the Russian, Iraq, Kenya's and South Africa etc and the national report," reads the document in part.
Copac's information and Publicity Sub-Committee chairperson Jessie Majome could neither confirm nor deny this development yesterday.
She said: "Copac has had a lot of meetings and workshops. I do not know what document or minutes you are talking about. There are too many minutes we have on the many meetings and workshops we have done on many issues.
"Please call me after five minutes and maybe by then I will be clear on what you are asking about," she said.
When phoned after five minutes, her phone went unanswered.
The constitution making process started in January 2010 with a stakeholder's conference which was followed by the outreach program on 24 June of the same year.
After the outreach, the heavily funded Copac did data capturing, and district qualitative and quantitative reports.
The process was punctuated with fighting amongst the three political parties, Zanu Pf and the Movement for Democratic Change formations over processes of doing the work.
Copac has finished compiling the national narrative, quantitative and qualitative report of what the people said during the outreach process and drafting of the country's supreme law is expected to start soon.
Civic society activists like Professor Lovemore Madhuku have opposed the Copac led Constution making process arguing that is it is not inclusive and is impartial.
Copac has denied the allegations and insisted on its work. COPAC is composed of 25 members of the 7th Parliament of Zimbabwe who were selected from the three political parties (MDC T, MDC and Zanu PF) to spearhead the crafting of a new Constitution. The 25 members are referred to as the Select Committee of Parliament on the new Constitution.
The Select Committee is led by three Co-chairpersons who were selected from each party, namely, Paul Mangwana from ZANU PF, Douglas Mwonzora from MDC T and Edward Mkhosi from MDC M.
Other members of the Committee are : Flora Buka, Amos Chibaya, Walter Chidakwa, Gift Chimanikire, Edward Chindori Chininga, David Coltart, Gladys Dube, Joram Gumbo, Ian Kay, Martin Khumalo, Believe Gaule, Jessie Majome, Cephas Makuyana, Chief Fortune Charumbira, Thokozile Mathuthu, Rorana Muchihwa, Editor Matamisa, Tambudzani Mohadi, Olivia Muchena, Monica Mutsvangwa, Jabulani Ndlovu and Brian Tshuma.
Source - Byo24News
