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Mnangagwa spindoctor slams CAB 3 - UDI comparison as 'fatuous'
4 hrs ago |
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Deputy Chief Secretary in the Office of the President and Cabinet (Presidential Communications), George Charamba, has dismissed comparisons between the ongoing Constitutional Amendment Bill No. 3 and the 1965 Unilateral Declaration of Independence (UDI) as baseless and misleading.
In remarks posted on his X account, Charamba described the analogy as "fatuous," arguing that there is no rational basis to equate the proposed constitutional reforms with the racist declaration made by Ian Smith.
His comments follow a report by Change Radio, which published a story questioning whether the proposed amendments could be viewed as a "modern-day UDI."
"One has to be extremely ignorant and ahistorical, or a paid scrubber of settler colonial history to compare Constitutional Amendment Bill Number 3 and Ian Smith's white-privileging Unilateral Declaration of Independence," Charamba said.
He emphasised that UDI was rooted in the Rhodesian Front's rejection of a non-racial democratic order and its attempt to preserve minority white rule by denying the black majority voting rights.
Charamba argued that, in contrast, the current constitutional amendment process is being undertaken within the framework of Parliament's legal mandate and in line with global legislative practices.
"How such an obnoxious, racially supremacist piece of legislation… compares with changes meant to retain Parliament of Zimbabwe's true constitutional role… simply boggles the mind," he said.
He also criticised sections of the media for publishing such comparisons, describing it as a reflection of poor editorial judgment.
The remarks come as Parliament continues to gather public input on the proposed amendments following nationwide public hearings held between March 30 and early April. The consultation process is part of a 90-day window set to close on May 17.
Charamba further accused what he termed "anti-Zimbabwe media" and externally funded activists of misrepresenting the reform process, which he said has received significant public backing.
He also questioned international coverage of the developments, including reports by BBC that characterised the proposed changes as a "power grab."
The Constitutional Amendment Bill No. 3 remains a subject of national debate, with supporters defending it as a necessary legal reform and critics raising concerns over its broader implications for governance and democratic processes.
In remarks posted on his X account, Charamba described the analogy as "fatuous," arguing that there is no rational basis to equate the proposed constitutional reforms with the racist declaration made by Ian Smith.
His comments follow a report by Change Radio, which published a story questioning whether the proposed amendments could be viewed as a "modern-day UDI."
"One has to be extremely ignorant and ahistorical, or a paid scrubber of settler colonial history to compare Constitutional Amendment Bill Number 3 and Ian Smith's white-privileging Unilateral Declaration of Independence," Charamba said.
He emphasised that UDI was rooted in the Rhodesian Front's rejection of a non-racial democratic order and its attempt to preserve minority white rule by denying the black majority voting rights.
Charamba argued that, in contrast, the current constitutional amendment process is being undertaken within the framework of Parliament's legal mandate and in line with global legislative practices.
"How such an obnoxious, racially supremacist piece of legislation… compares with changes meant to retain Parliament of Zimbabwe's true constitutional role… simply boggles the mind," he said.
He also criticised sections of the media for publishing such comparisons, describing it as a reflection of poor editorial judgment.
The remarks come as Parliament continues to gather public input on the proposed amendments following nationwide public hearings held between March 30 and early April. The consultation process is part of a 90-day window set to close on May 17.
Charamba further accused what he termed "anti-Zimbabwe media" and externally funded activists of misrepresenting the reform process, which he said has received significant public backing.
He also questioned international coverage of the developments, including reports by BBC that characterised the proposed changes as a "power grab."
The Constitutional Amendment Bill No. 3 remains a subject of national debate, with supporters defending it as a necessary legal reform and critics raising concerns over its broader implications for governance and democratic processes.
Source - the herald
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