Zimbabwe’s three political leaders have vowed to press ahead with negotiations leading to a new constitution in 12 months, but events last week show they have a long and winding road to walk.
At a meeting last Monday of the country’s main political parties, rights organisations and pressure groups to decide on the process of how to write a new constitution, Zanu-PF thugs were soon dancing on the tables and showering beer and water on delegates.
After opening the convention from the podium, the country’s parliamentary speaker, Lovemore Moyo, fled the venue, wiping water from his face.
Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and the Movement for Democratic Change wants wider public debate before a new draft is put to a referendum, leading to new elections.
But Zanu-PF is bitterly opposed to public consultation. And President Robert Mugabe backs a draft, agreed earlier with the MDC, that leaves his power untouched and allows him to stay in office as long as he wants.
Organisers had worked until 3am to register close to 5 000 delegates for the convention. Delegates, many of them bused in by Zanu-PF from remote areas, were forced to sleep in the grounds of the hotel where the convention was held.
Not even Zanu-PF ministers were spared. Agriculture Minister Herbert Murerwa was accosted by a thug from his own party who called him a “sellout” for participating.
Finance Minister Tendai Biti, the MDC secretary general, refused to move, sitting stubbornly in the centre of the auditorium. “This constitution will be written. We will not be intimidated.”
Hours later, Mugabe, Tsvangirai and Arthur Mutambara appeared, stern-faced, at a joint press conference, with Mugabe taking a lead in condemning the “nonsense”.
“We will not brook nonsense in future. Unnecessary quarrels should be a thing of the past. We must have this constitution done; it’s a necessity,” Mugabe told reporters. “What happened is not in accordance with the letter and spirit of the global political agreement. This is not the time to be shouting insults to each other.”
Mugabe conceded that the selection of delegates and other logistics “may not have received the attention they deserved”. Each party had to educate its supporters on the importance of the exercise, he said.
This would take time because people were reluctant to let go of their party affiliations. “Rome was not built in a day,” he said.
Tsvangirai sits in Cabinet with one of the anti-constitution ring leaders, Youth Minister Saviour Kasukuwere. Another is Patrick Zhuwayo, Mugabe’s nephew.
As on many recent occasions, to the frustration of his allies, Tsvangirai refused to apportion blame. “Whoever orchestrated this is neither here nor there.
What is important is that we move this process forward for the benefit of the people,” he said. “We had provided our people with hope and we have people trying to undermine that hope.”
Zimbabwe’s current constitution was agreed between Ian Smith’s regime and the nationalist movement led by Mugabe at Lancaster House in Britain in 1980.