News / National
Pre-referendum activities to be rolled out on Monday
20 Sep 2012 at 05:31hrs | Views
GOVERNMENT will on Monday roll out pre-referendum activities to inform the public on the contents of the draft Constitution. Constitutional and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Eric Matinenga yesterday said legal officers from the ministry would simplify the draft to the people for them to make decisions from an informed position during the referendum.
The pre-referendum activities were suspended following differences over the draft Constitution among political parties in the inclusive Government. But the parties have since resolved their differences.
"We are now moving forward and what is now happening is that Government teams will move around the country explaining the draft constitution to the public," Minister Matinenga said.
"Many people do not understand the legal language used in the draft, hence the need to simplify it for them. When they go for the referendum they will know what to vote for or against."
Dates for the referendum are yet to be announced. More than 80 legal officers from the Government will work with Copac officials in educating the public about the draft. Minister Matinenga said Government would evaluate the success of the activities at the end of the month before continuing on October 21.
"Depending on what happens between next week and month end, we are going to visit the areas again on October 21," he said.
Minister Matinenga said many people, mostly those in the rural areas, were not aware of what was happening in the constitution making process.
"Some of them last heard about it (constitution) when there were outreach programmes in their areas and they do not know what stage Copac is at and this is some of the things that need to be explained.
"Rural people need to be educated a lot because it is most of them who do not have communication gadgets," he said.
The legal officers, Minister Matinega said, would not push for a "Yes or No" vote during the awareness campaigns.
"They are not politicians and their duty would simply be to make the draft easy to understand for the public. No one should take a side because this is a Government programme," he said.
Treasury and the United Nations Development Programme will fund the pre-referendum activities.
The pre-referendum activities were suspended following differences over the draft Constitution among political parties in the inclusive Government. But the parties have since resolved their differences.
"We are now moving forward and what is now happening is that Government teams will move around the country explaining the draft constitution to the public," Minister Matinenga said.
"Many people do not understand the legal language used in the draft, hence the need to simplify it for them. When they go for the referendum they will know what to vote for or against."
Dates for the referendum are yet to be announced. More than 80 legal officers from the Government will work with Copac officials in educating the public about the draft. Minister Matinenga said Government would evaluate the success of the activities at the end of the month before continuing on October 21.
"Depending on what happens between next week and month end, we are going to visit the areas again on October 21," he said.
"Some of them last heard about it (constitution) when there were outreach programmes in their areas and they do not know what stage Copac is at and this is some of the things that need to be explained.
"Rural people need to be educated a lot because it is most of them who do not have communication gadgets," he said.
The legal officers, Minister Matinega said, would not push for a "Yes or No" vote during the awareness campaigns.
"They are not politicians and their duty would simply be to make the draft easy to understand for the public. No one should take a side because this is a Government programme," he said.
Treasury and the United Nations Development Programme will fund the pre-referendum activities.
Source - TH
