adminthat they have come of age. The parties resolved all outstanding issues that had stalled the constitution-making process paving way for the finalisation of the drafting of the country’s supreme law.
The principals in the inclusive Government, President Mugabe, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara met behind closed doors last Thursday and after about two hours, they resolved all the outstanding issues.
The principals were later joined by MDC leader Professor Welshman Ncube and the four then announced the outcome of the meeting. “We are glad to say that we have come to the conclusion of the exercise. All the parties are generally agreed to the finalisation of the draft,” said Cde Mugabe.
PM Tsvangirai said the agreement was a defining moment for Zimbabwe and DPM Mutambra said the parties had found each other and compromised during negotiations and urged Zimbabweans to concentrate on issues that unite them.
The writing of the country’s supreme law has taken more than three years to complete but what is comforting is that at last the parties have resolved outstanding issues and the final draft should be ready to be tabled in Parliament before the holding of a referendum.
People had lost hope of the parties resolving outstanding issues and there were calls for the intervention of Sadc. Zimbabweans have through the draft constitution demonstrated once again that it is them and not outsiders that can find solutions to challenges facing the country.
We want to believe that the long period taken to write the constitution has given all the stakeholders ample time to scrutinise the draft in order to come up with a perfect supreme law which will not only serve the interests of the present generation but would last for posterity.
It is true, as PM Tsvangirai noted, that the people’s patience was put to test as they waited for the finalisation of the draft constitution.
We want to believe that the arguments from all the political parties and other stakeholders helped to perfect this supreme law which, as we have already stated, should be able to serve the interests of even future generations.
The challenge now is to move with speed to come up with a final draft which will be tabled in Parliament before the holding of the referendum and then the harmonised elections.
We totally agree with DPM Mutambara that where there is a political will, leaders are able to solve problems.
President Mugabe last Tuesday said Zimbabwe will this year hold peaceful and friendly elections because Zimbabweans had realised that they have a common destiny despite their differences.
Cde Mugabe who was speaking after meeting the African Union chairman and Benin President Boni Yayi at State House, said Zimbabweans had put aside their differences and were agreed that elections should be on the basis that they have a common destiny. This is as it should be.
There is no reason for people to fight or to coerce people to vote for a particular political party. Those that aspire to be voted into office should be able to persuade voters to vote for them based on what they intend to do for the people once given the mandate.
We want at this juncture to implore the parties in the inclusive Government to continue putting the interests of the people first. The parties should have a shared vision when it comes to national interests.
It is our belief that all those that aspire to be in Government want to see a prosperous Zimbabwe and would therefore not work against national interests.
Bongani Ndlovu
Online Reporter