News / Press Release
PRC reaffirms Mujuru as Presidential Candidate of Choice for 2018 elections
18 Dec 2017 at 12:35hrs | Views
PEOPLE'S RAINBOW COALITION (PRC)
RESOLUTIONS OF THE 1st JOINT COORDINATING COMMITTEE HELD ON 15 DEC 2017.
We are in it to win it
The First Joint Coordinating Committee (JCC) Meeting of the People's Rainbow Coalition (PRC) was held in Harare - Rylance Farm Borrowdale on Friday 15 December 2017, under the leadership of its Presidential Candidate Dr Joice Teurai Ropa Mujuru.
As per the PRC Agreement, Article 14, the Joint Coordinating Committee (JCC) is the highest decision making body of the PRC vested with authority to formulate policies, procedures and programmes of the organisation. It consists of all the National Standing Committee Members and National Management Committee Members including the Presidents and Deputy Presidents of all the Cooperating Parties of the PRC.
The meeting deliberated on several issues affecting the Nation and the PRC and arrived at the following resolutions:
1. Coalition of Choice:
That PRC is the Coalition of Choice for the people of Zimbabwe. And that it is poised to deliver Zimbabwe's Moment in the 2018 Elections.
That PRC commits itself to continue building partnerships with various sectors of Zimbabwe's population including Social Movements, Civil Society, church, Ex-Freedom Fighters, Informal Traders, Labour, Students, Youth and Women Organisations as it seeks to form the next Government of the Republic of Zimbabwe.
That PRC remains open to all other progressive opposition political parties and individuals who share its vision of building an inclusive, capable, progressive, democratic, and developmental state in Zimbabwe.
2. Presidential Candidate of Choice and other Officials:
The Meeting reaffirmed Dr Joice Teurai Ropa Mujuru as the Presidential Candidate of Choice for the 2018 elections. The meeting also approved the nomination of Madam Lucia Matibenga as the Chairperson, Dr Sipepa Nkomo as the Vice Chairperson, Dr Gorden Moyo as the Secretary General, and Adv Gift Nyandoro as the Spokesman of PRC.
3. Crisis of Legitimacy:
That the current Government of Zimbabwe is suffering from a crisis of legitimacy as a result of its mode of ascension to power. It came to power on the back of unorthodox and unconstitutional means. It is a Government by unpopular elite whose basis of existence is military coercion as amply demonstrated by the events of the morning hours of Wednesday 15 November 2017, that is the day when the military deployed itself and took charge of the affairs of Government.
Buoyed by the Constitution of Zimbabwe Sections 208 and 214 and the Constitutive Act of the African Union Article 30 both of which outlaw the unconstitutional change of Governments, PRC has adopted a position that says the current Zimbabwean Government is illegitimate.
This Government suffers from serious legitimacy deficits- an ailment that warrants intervention by SADC, AU and UN to assist in ushering in a new era of popular legitimacy, electoral integrity and sustainable democracy.
4. State-Capture:
That the Zimbabwean State has been hijacked by a narrow militarised elite whose primary interests are primitive accumulation, personal aggrandisement, extractive politics, and power retention. While in the previous regime the military corps provided backstopping services for the Government, in the current regime the military hierarchy has moved from the back office to the front office thereby occupying the central positions in the political realm such as the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture and Rural Settlement and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade. This represents a democratic regression and a reverse evolution from a "politicised military" (which was already a bad situation during the previous administration) to a "militarisation of the State" (which is a worse situation now). In the process Zimbabwe has become a full blown "militarised electoral authoritarian State" deserving special attention from SADC, AU and UN.
PRC is therefore calling for the return to Constitutionalism in line with Section 208 of the Constitution which provides that members of Security Services should not further the interests of any political party and should not be active members or office bearers of any political party.
Further, PRC is calling for the immediate withdrawal of the military officials from the streets, roadblocks, border posts, Government Departments and from all public spheres. And, the members of the security services sector should stop attending ZANU PF rallies, meetings, conferences and congresses. Attendance to these gatherings is in direct violation of Section 208 of the Constitution.
PRC is also calling for the establishment of an Independent Mechanism for receiving and investigating complaints from the members of the public about the misconduct on the part of members of security services, and for remedying any harm caused by such misconduct as defined by Section 210 of the Constitution.
5. Electoral Integrity:
That any elections that take place in a context that is poisoned by military diffusion into the political arena can never be free, fair and credible. PRC is therefore calling for an enhanced role of the Organ on Politics, Defence and Security of SADC and the relevant African Union Commission Organs in the preparations and the actual holding of the next elections in Zimbabwe in order to ensure the integrity of the elections.
That some of the military officials who announced the unconstitutional change of Government on Wednesday 15 November 2017 are now in charge of Government is inimical to the norms and standards of electoral integrity.
That SADC and AU Commission as well as the UN should assist Zimbabwe to restore constitutionalism and legitimacy of Government by ensuring that the next elections are conducted in line with the Revised SADC Principles and Guidelines Governing Elections (2015) as well as the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance (2007) among other regional and international instruments which guarantee the integrity of elections.
That SADC, AU and UN should ensure if not enforce a programme of Electoral Reforms and the actual running of elections in 2018 in Zimbabwe.
6. Electoral Reforms:
• PRC calls for the immediate dissolution of Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) and the creation of new electoral management body that should be negotiated by all political parties in an inclusive platform. Clearly ZEC is not independent, and has been at the centre of all the flawed electoral processes in Zimbabwe. It is manned by personalities and characters whose sole function is to reproduce ZANU PF's perpetual rule by all means necessary.
• PRC demands that Zimbabwean diaspora should be allowed to vote in the next general elections wherever they are. Section 67 of the Constitution provides that every Zimbabwean citizen has the right to vote in all elections and referenda. Arrangements should be made for the Diaspora population to register to vote wherever they are and cast their vote in the 2018 elections.
• PRC calls for media reforms. All political parties have the right to have their content aired on State television and radio stations. PRC further demands that State newspapers and reporters report news in a professional and impartial manner.
• Voters roll must be published on website and be advertised electronically and be given to any Zimbabwean upon request.
• PRC demands that all stakeholders, including political parties, be part of the decision making of the procurement, storage, counting, despatch and use of all election material which includes, ballot papers, ballot boxes, indelible ink, voting pens and all polling station material, at any and all stages of the election.
• PRC demands that all interested political parties must be consulted on all issues pertaining to the 2018 elections as opposed to the current situation where only parties that are represented in Parliament are consulted. The 2018 election will be a new election with new players whose input is crucial if Zimbabwe is to ensure electoral integrity.
• PRC calls for the immediate depoliticisation of the fetishized institution of the traditional leadership authority. Section 281 of the Constitution stipulates that traditional leaders must remain apolitical, impartial, fair and inclusive in their communities. Like the colonial regime before it, ZANU PF has usurped the institution of the traditional leadership authority and made it an extension of itself and this must be stopped immediately. PRC shall drag those who violate the Constitution to court.
• PRC demands that all the processes of the next elections be observed by accredited observers from civic society and regional and international community.
• PRC demands that there be Independent Election Material Auditors at each stage that involves election material, procurement, storage, counting, despatch and use, right up to after the announcement of the election results to ensure that every piece of material particularly the ballot papers, are counted for and their use verified by an independent body.
• PRC calls for the creation of wholly independent, impartial, accountable and fair Electoral Courts with at least one such court in each and every province in the country. Their scope, independence and impartiality must be enshrined in the Electoral Act.
• PRC calls for the demilitarisation of the electoral process. All members of the uniformed forces, in adherence to the Constitution must first and foremost protect the Zimbabwean citizens despite their political affiliation. These have no role in an election except maintaining peace and security for all.
7. Committee on Elections and Candidate Selection:
That the Committee on Elections and Candidate Selection chaired by the Former Mayor of Bulawayo Patrick Thaba Moyo was mandated to set up Election Coordination Centre across the country to push for the electoral reforms and ensure that PRC is fully prepared for the forthcoming elections. The Committee was also tasked to draft the Guidelines for Candidate Selection in line with the PRC Agreement Article 7. In this regard, all aspirants for PRC ticket for various electoral positions will meet on the last week of January 2018 for consultation and familiarisation with Candidate Selection Guidelines.
8. Regional and International Relations Committee:
PRC resolved to engage the former Liberation Movements in the African Sub-region with a view of reconnecting ideologically with these fraternal parties most of whom are now embarrassed to be associated with the illegitimate ZANU PF Government.
PRC observed that only three Heads of State and Government attended the inauguration of Mr Mnangagwa as a President of Zimbabwe on Friday 24 November 2017 in Harare. Most of the leaders shunned the occasion viewing it as lacking sufficient legitimacy and in direct violation of the Constitutive Act (2000) of the AU. Their absence was a clear vote of no confidence to the current regime in Zimbabwe.
PRC tasked Ambassador Dr John Mvundura who is the Chairman of PRC International and Regional Committee to lead a High Level Delegation on a Regional Campaign and Lobby for an enhanced involvement of SADC and AU in the next elections in Zimbabwe.
9. Policy Committee:
PRC noted that the generality of the people in Zimbabwe continue to suffer from the consequences of ZANU PF policies that are hurting the economy. Specifically, the economy continue to suffer from structural challenges including liquidity crisis; low gross capital formation; absence of savings; massive debt overhang; poverty; unemployment; de-industrialisation; infrastructural decay; informalisation and broken down of social public services among others.
PRC recognises that unless a more inclusive and sustainable economy is build, and unless the shadowy, extractive, parallel and broken down economy that feeds and sustains the current status quo is decimated, the agenda for sustainable development will remain a pipe dream.
Therefore, PRC Policy Committee chaired by Mr Farai Mbira was tasked to engage on a nation- wide process of consultation of the people in order to produce a people-centric policy draft that will inform the subtext of the PRC Manifesto. PRC policies are poised to convert Zimbabwe's vicious cycles of exclusion into virtuous circles of inclusion.
10. International Community:
Given the difficulties that the ordinary Zimbabweans are going through, PRC is calling upon the members of the international community to extend direct assistance to the deprived, the poor, the disabled, the sick and children. All these people should not be left to suffer alone because of the wrongly headed policies of ZANU PF. Direct support including support to civil society and non-governmental organisations will go a long way in mitigating the plight of the underprivileged and the excluded in our society.
11. Institutionalised-Corruption:
PRC condemns the continued plunder and looting of state resources by the political elite in ZANU PF. They have looted agricultural inputs, loans from banks, farm equipment, fuel licences, procurement licences, import licences, mining concessions, diamonds, real estate, and money laundering. While PRC welcomes the three months moratorium to return the illegally externalised funds and assets, it however notes that illicit capital flows in Zimbabwe have largely been siphoned away by those who form the current inner circle of State power and the military official/ militricians. These are the people who are in charge of the State now and they should lead by example by returning billions of stolen money.
12. Devolution:
PRC strongly condemns the attempt by the illegitimate Government of ZANU PF to try and erase Devolution from the Constitution. In his budgetary Statement for 2018 made on 7 December 2017 in Parliament, the Minister of Finance and Economic Planning intimated that Government is considering amending the Constitution in order to scrap out the Constitutional Provisions of Devolution under the pretext that Devolution was expensive. PRC therefore joins millions of Zimbabweans in condemning this Government for flimsy excuses for failing through both commission and omission of duty to implement Devolution as enshrined in the Constitution.
13. PRC wishes all Zimbabweans at Home and in Diaspora a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. And may all those who may not have registered to vote do so this side of Christmas.
God Bless PRC
God Bless Zimbabwe
Signed:
Dr Gorden Moyo
Secretary General
15 December 2017
RESOLUTIONS OF THE 1st JOINT COORDINATING COMMITTEE HELD ON 15 DEC 2017.
We are in it to win it
The First Joint Coordinating Committee (JCC) Meeting of the People's Rainbow Coalition (PRC) was held in Harare - Rylance Farm Borrowdale on Friday 15 December 2017, under the leadership of its Presidential Candidate Dr Joice Teurai Ropa Mujuru.
As per the PRC Agreement, Article 14, the Joint Coordinating Committee (JCC) is the highest decision making body of the PRC vested with authority to formulate policies, procedures and programmes of the organisation. It consists of all the National Standing Committee Members and National Management Committee Members including the Presidents and Deputy Presidents of all the Cooperating Parties of the PRC.
The meeting deliberated on several issues affecting the Nation and the PRC and arrived at the following resolutions:
1. Coalition of Choice:
That PRC is the Coalition of Choice for the people of Zimbabwe. And that it is poised to deliver Zimbabwe's Moment in the 2018 Elections.
That PRC commits itself to continue building partnerships with various sectors of Zimbabwe's population including Social Movements, Civil Society, church, Ex-Freedom Fighters, Informal Traders, Labour, Students, Youth and Women Organisations as it seeks to form the next Government of the Republic of Zimbabwe.
That PRC remains open to all other progressive opposition political parties and individuals who share its vision of building an inclusive, capable, progressive, democratic, and developmental state in Zimbabwe.
2. Presidential Candidate of Choice and other Officials:
The Meeting reaffirmed Dr Joice Teurai Ropa Mujuru as the Presidential Candidate of Choice for the 2018 elections. The meeting also approved the nomination of Madam Lucia Matibenga as the Chairperson, Dr Sipepa Nkomo as the Vice Chairperson, Dr Gorden Moyo as the Secretary General, and Adv Gift Nyandoro as the Spokesman of PRC.
3. Crisis of Legitimacy:
That the current Government of Zimbabwe is suffering from a crisis of legitimacy as a result of its mode of ascension to power. It came to power on the back of unorthodox and unconstitutional means. It is a Government by unpopular elite whose basis of existence is military coercion as amply demonstrated by the events of the morning hours of Wednesday 15 November 2017, that is the day when the military deployed itself and took charge of the affairs of Government.
Buoyed by the Constitution of Zimbabwe Sections 208 and 214 and the Constitutive Act of the African Union Article 30 both of which outlaw the unconstitutional change of Governments, PRC has adopted a position that says the current Zimbabwean Government is illegitimate.
This Government suffers from serious legitimacy deficits- an ailment that warrants intervention by SADC, AU and UN to assist in ushering in a new era of popular legitimacy, electoral integrity and sustainable democracy.
4. State-Capture:
That the Zimbabwean State has been hijacked by a narrow militarised elite whose primary interests are primitive accumulation, personal aggrandisement, extractive politics, and power retention. While in the previous regime the military corps provided backstopping services for the Government, in the current regime the military hierarchy has moved from the back office to the front office thereby occupying the central positions in the political realm such as the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture and Rural Settlement and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade. This represents a democratic regression and a reverse evolution from a "politicised military" (which was already a bad situation during the previous administration) to a "militarisation of the State" (which is a worse situation now). In the process Zimbabwe has become a full blown "militarised electoral authoritarian State" deserving special attention from SADC, AU and UN.
PRC is therefore calling for the return to Constitutionalism in line with Section 208 of the Constitution which provides that members of Security Services should not further the interests of any political party and should not be active members or office bearers of any political party.
Further, PRC is calling for the immediate withdrawal of the military officials from the streets, roadblocks, border posts, Government Departments and from all public spheres. And, the members of the security services sector should stop attending ZANU PF rallies, meetings, conferences and congresses. Attendance to these gatherings is in direct violation of Section 208 of the Constitution.
PRC is also calling for the establishment of an Independent Mechanism for receiving and investigating complaints from the members of the public about the misconduct on the part of members of security services, and for remedying any harm caused by such misconduct as defined by Section 210 of the Constitution.
5. Electoral Integrity:
That any elections that take place in a context that is poisoned by military diffusion into the political arena can never be free, fair and credible. PRC is therefore calling for an enhanced role of the Organ on Politics, Defence and Security of SADC and the relevant African Union Commission Organs in the preparations and the actual holding of the next elections in Zimbabwe in order to ensure the integrity of the elections.
That some of the military officials who announced the unconstitutional change of Government on Wednesday 15 November 2017 are now in charge of Government is inimical to the norms and standards of electoral integrity.
That SADC and AU Commission as well as the UN should assist Zimbabwe to restore constitutionalism and legitimacy of Government by ensuring that the next elections are conducted in line with the Revised SADC Principles and Guidelines Governing Elections (2015) as well as the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance (2007) among other regional and international instruments which guarantee the integrity of elections.
That SADC, AU and UN should ensure if not enforce a programme of Electoral Reforms and the actual running of elections in 2018 in Zimbabwe.
6. Electoral Reforms:
• PRC calls for the immediate dissolution of Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) and the creation of new electoral management body that should be negotiated by all political parties in an inclusive platform. Clearly ZEC is not independent, and has been at the centre of all the flawed electoral processes in Zimbabwe. It is manned by personalities and characters whose sole function is to reproduce ZANU PF's perpetual rule by all means necessary.
• PRC demands that Zimbabwean diaspora should be allowed to vote in the next general elections wherever they are. Section 67 of the Constitution provides that every Zimbabwean citizen has the right to vote in all elections and referenda. Arrangements should be made for the Diaspora population to register to vote wherever they are and cast their vote in the 2018 elections.
• PRC calls for media reforms. All political parties have the right to have their content aired on State television and radio stations. PRC further demands that State newspapers and reporters report news in a professional and impartial manner.
• Voters roll must be published on website and be advertised electronically and be given to any Zimbabwean upon request.
• PRC demands that all stakeholders, including political parties, be part of the decision making of the procurement, storage, counting, despatch and use of all election material which includes, ballot papers, ballot boxes, indelible ink, voting pens and all polling station material, at any and all stages of the election.
• PRC demands that all interested political parties must be consulted on all issues pertaining to the 2018 elections as opposed to the current situation where only parties that are represented in Parliament are consulted. The 2018 election will be a new election with new players whose input is crucial if Zimbabwe is to ensure electoral integrity.
• PRC calls for the immediate depoliticisation of the fetishized institution of the traditional leadership authority. Section 281 of the Constitution stipulates that traditional leaders must remain apolitical, impartial, fair and inclusive in their communities. Like the colonial regime before it, ZANU PF has usurped the institution of the traditional leadership authority and made it an extension of itself and this must be stopped immediately. PRC shall drag those who violate the Constitution to court.
• PRC demands that all the processes of the next elections be observed by accredited observers from civic society and regional and international community.
• PRC demands that there be Independent Election Material Auditors at each stage that involves election material, procurement, storage, counting, despatch and use, right up to after the announcement of the election results to ensure that every piece of material particularly the ballot papers, are counted for and their use verified by an independent body.
• PRC calls for the creation of wholly independent, impartial, accountable and fair Electoral Courts with at least one such court in each and every province in the country. Their scope, independence and impartiality must be enshrined in the Electoral Act.
• PRC calls for the demilitarisation of the electoral process. All members of the uniformed forces, in adherence to the Constitution must first and foremost protect the Zimbabwean citizens despite their political affiliation. These have no role in an election except maintaining peace and security for all.
7. Committee on Elections and Candidate Selection:
That the Committee on Elections and Candidate Selection chaired by the Former Mayor of Bulawayo Patrick Thaba Moyo was mandated to set up Election Coordination Centre across the country to push for the electoral reforms and ensure that PRC is fully prepared for the forthcoming elections. The Committee was also tasked to draft the Guidelines for Candidate Selection in line with the PRC Agreement Article 7. In this regard, all aspirants for PRC ticket for various electoral positions will meet on the last week of January 2018 for consultation and familiarisation with Candidate Selection Guidelines.
8. Regional and International Relations Committee:
PRC resolved to engage the former Liberation Movements in the African Sub-region with a view of reconnecting ideologically with these fraternal parties most of whom are now embarrassed to be associated with the illegitimate ZANU PF Government.
PRC observed that only three Heads of State and Government attended the inauguration of Mr Mnangagwa as a President of Zimbabwe on Friday 24 November 2017 in Harare. Most of the leaders shunned the occasion viewing it as lacking sufficient legitimacy and in direct violation of the Constitutive Act (2000) of the AU. Their absence was a clear vote of no confidence to the current regime in Zimbabwe.
PRC tasked Ambassador Dr John Mvundura who is the Chairman of PRC International and Regional Committee to lead a High Level Delegation on a Regional Campaign and Lobby for an enhanced involvement of SADC and AU in the next elections in Zimbabwe.
9. Policy Committee:
PRC noted that the generality of the people in Zimbabwe continue to suffer from the consequences of ZANU PF policies that are hurting the economy. Specifically, the economy continue to suffer from structural challenges including liquidity crisis; low gross capital formation; absence of savings; massive debt overhang; poverty; unemployment; de-industrialisation; infrastructural decay; informalisation and broken down of social public services among others.
PRC recognises that unless a more inclusive and sustainable economy is build, and unless the shadowy, extractive, parallel and broken down economy that feeds and sustains the current status quo is decimated, the agenda for sustainable development will remain a pipe dream.
Therefore, PRC Policy Committee chaired by Mr Farai Mbira was tasked to engage on a nation- wide process of consultation of the people in order to produce a people-centric policy draft that will inform the subtext of the PRC Manifesto. PRC policies are poised to convert Zimbabwe's vicious cycles of exclusion into virtuous circles of inclusion.
10. International Community:
Given the difficulties that the ordinary Zimbabweans are going through, PRC is calling upon the members of the international community to extend direct assistance to the deprived, the poor, the disabled, the sick and children. All these people should not be left to suffer alone because of the wrongly headed policies of ZANU PF. Direct support including support to civil society and non-governmental organisations will go a long way in mitigating the plight of the underprivileged and the excluded in our society.
11. Institutionalised-Corruption:
PRC condemns the continued plunder and looting of state resources by the political elite in ZANU PF. They have looted agricultural inputs, loans from banks, farm equipment, fuel licences, procurement licences, import licences, mining concessions, diamonds, real estate, and money laundering. While PRC welcomes the three months moratorium to return the illegally externalised funds and assets, it however notes that illicit capital flows in Zimbabwe have largely been siphoned away by those who form the current inner circle of State power and the military official/ militricians. These are the people who are in charge of the State now and they should lead by example by returning billions of stolen money.
12. Devolution:
PRC strongly condemns the attempt by the illegitimate Government of ZANU PF to try and erase Devolution from the Constitution. In his budgetary Statement for 2018 made on 7 December 2017 in Parliament, the Minister of Finance and Economic Planning intimated that Government is considering amending the Constitution in order to scrap out the Constitutional Provisions of Devolution under the pretext that Devolution was expensive. PRC therefore joins millions of Zimbabweans in condemning this Government for flimsy excuses for failing through both commission and omission of duty to implement Devolution as enshrined in the Constitution.
13. PRC wishes all Zimbabweans at Home and in Diaspora a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. And may all those who may not have registered to vote do so this side of Christmas.
God Bless PRC
God Bless Zimbabwe
Signed:
Dr Gorden Moyo
Secretary General
15 December 2017
Source - Dr Gorden Moyo
