adminNduduzo Tshuma Political Editor
THE government has to date printed a million copies of the constitution which were distributed countrywide so that Zimbabweans are aware of the contents of the country’s supreme law, a cabinet minister has said.
Addressing a constitutional advocacy meeting at Lupane State University on Wednesday, Clifford Sibanda, the Minister of State in Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s office, said the government had also abridged the constitution into indigenous languages and Braille, for the blind.
The languages, said Sibanda, are Ndebele, Shona, Tonga, Chewa, Sotho, Kalanga, Venda, Nambya.
“To date, my department of Constitutional and Parliamentary Affairs has caused the reproduction of over 500,000 copies of the constitution and 35,000 abridged versions of the constitution in languages I mentioned earlier on including the English version,” said Cde Sibanda.
“We also have 4,000 copies of the constitution in Braille for the benefit of those who are visually impaired.”
Cde Sibanda said most of the copies have been distributed at exhibition platforms such as the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair and the Harare Agricultural show. He encouraged Members of Parliament to request copies from the ministry of Justice Legal and Parliamentary Affairs for distribution in their respective constituencies saying it was the government’s hope that every citizen gets a copy of the constitution in a language they understand.Sibanda then went into a detailed summary, urging Zimbabweans to familiarise themselves with the charter.
“I’ve no doubt that my ministry’s interface will help to promote your sense of ownership of the constitution and subsequently, the culture of constitutionalism,” he said.
“Your participation in civic, political and electoral processes will also be enhanced if you continue to endear yourselves to the provisions of the supreme law of the country. Your ability to analyse, evaluate, take and defend positions on public issues and the constitution will be sharpened and therefore facilitate constructive constitutional debate amongst ourselves as citizens.”
Cde Sibanda, who was standing in for VP Mnangagwa, said the Acting President had to attend to other pressing government issues in the absence of President Robert Mugabe who travelled to the United States for a United Nations meeting on Tuesday.
The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Justice Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Virginia Mabhiza said Wednesday’s advocacy meeting was the fifth after holding similar events in Mashonaland West and East provinces, Manicaland and Masvingo. She said the meeting was a follow up to the adoption of the constitution in 2013 to promote public awareness of the charter as provided under Section 7 of the supreme law.
Online Reporter