Signed and sealed

The publication was made by Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet Dr Misheck Sibanda.

“The following law, which has been assented to by His Excellency the President, is published in terms of section 51(5) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe — Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment (No. 20) Act, 2013,’’ reads the Extraordinary Gazette.

Following the gazetting, eight sections of the new Constitution immediately came into force yesterday, among them Chapter 3 (which deals with citizenship), Chapter 4 (Declaration of Rights), Chapter 5 (Executive) Chapter 6 (Legislature), Chapter 7 (which deals with elections), Chapter 8 (Judiciary and Courts), Chapter 9 (Principles of Public Administration and Leadership) and Chapter 14 (Provincial and Local Government).

A small portion of Chapter 11 that deals with the conduct of members of the security services also came into force yesterday.
The remaining sections will come into force on the effective date, that is when the President-elect takes the oath of office after the pending polls.

President Mugabe said the making of the Constitution proved that Zimbabweans can do their own things without foreign interference, even from Sadc.
There were serious manoeuvres by some Western countries to interfere with the Constitution-making process, a development that prolonged to four years a process that was expected to take no more than 18 months.

Speaking after signing the Bill into law at a colourful ceremony at State House in Harare witnessed by principals to the Global Political Agreement and the Copac team, President Mugabe emphasised the need for Zimbabweans to defend their sovereignty by rejecting foreign interference in their domestic affairs regardless of political affiliation.

President Mugabe said the new Constitution testified to the maturity of Zimbabwe’s democracy and underscored the need for unity among Zimbabweans heading into the harmonised elections.

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“I am glad that this document we call our own Constitution now enables us to say, ah, you are truly the makers of your own nation. You have demonstrated that you are one. Divergent opinions, yes, variation of cultures, yes, political differences, yes, but remember the common denominator which this document emphasises. No one in our country — young or old — this religion, that religion, this tribe, that tribe, can say he or she is superior to others.

There is equality, equality, equality. Zanu-PF, yes, that is the jacket I am wearing. MDC, yes, that is the jacket and tie you (PM Tsvangirai) are wearing, but these jackets when we take them off, what are we then? You are truly the son of some Buhera family. Zvimba, yes, and he (DPM Mutambara) Chimanimani. We remain Zimbabweans all of us. That is the realisation emphasised by this document,” he said.

President Mugabe said the home-grown Constitution was recognition by Zimbabweans that they are one family.
“We are one. We must defend ourselves. You are hungry, you must not die. Your children are thirsty for education, they must not go ignorant. They are national rights we must have.

“You must live, you must have a resource to enable you to live. We recognise that we belong to each other. If outsiders dare attack your village, it is my right
and responsibility to come to your defence. The sovereignty that we have must be defended.

Our sovereignty rejects interference. No more colonialism, direct or indirect. Some people in Sadc wanted to impose themselves. We can do it. In fact, we can do it better than others.

We have got the brains. Who are they to say Zimbabweans you require mental skills? No, they could have done that in 1979, not in 2013. Panopandiri apa angori ma skills akawanda oga, oga. Let us use those skills to repulse interference from others,” he said.

President Mugabe said Zimbabwe welcomes ideas and complementary alliances from others but rejects interference in its domestic affairs.
“Neo-colonialism, no. Supervision of our systems by others, no. We know we can do it. We invite others but when they come they cannot be
our supervisors. That does not entitle them to be our masters,” he said.

Zimbabweans, the President said, must realize that the country does not belong to them alone but to generations to come as well and “unite
on those things that matter”.

“This unity, peace, recognition of each other as a deserving ally, deserving neighbour, the principle of equality, good neighbourliness;
that is the principle that binds us,” President Mugabe said.

He said it was important for Zimbabweans to work together in a progressive way regardless of challenges they might face.
President Mugabe said elections just like sporting events are contests and not a declaration of war on opponents.

“Zanu-PF versus MDC harisi game rezvibhakera. People make a choice. We are called upon to make choices all the time. You want this, you do
not want this. You want this woman, ungandidawo? Ah, akasakuda yavamhosva. Ndarambirwei? Handizvo,” he said to applause from the
gathering.

President Mugabe noted that violence began within political parties during primary elections with rivalries undoing each other even physically.

“The untouchables tinavo kwese mativi ese nekuZanu-PF. KuZanu-PF one of our leaders said people need guided democracy. Peace, peace, peace.
It begins with me, it begins with you, it begins with all of us. This is what this do of today is telling us. Let us recognize that your
destiny is my destiny,” he said.

President Mugabe said Zanu-PF once regarded PM Tsvangirai as an enemy while the MDC saw Zanu-PF through the similar lenses.
“Taimboti muroyi uyu (PM Tsvangirai), iye achitivo mudhara uyo anonzi anetwake twaakabata. Takazobvisana huroyi wani,” he said to applause from delegates
The President described the new Constitution as “our own baby” saying its drafting reflected a mature Zimbabwe.

“We can now present this to our people and say this is what we have done and even to Sadc we will say yes we have done our thing we did
not need you for it,” he said.

President Mugabe challenged Zimbabweans to replicate the maturity shown during the Constitution-making process when the country goes for
elections.

“There would not be any violence. There would not be any rigging. There would be honesty and truth.”

President Mugabe said he signed the new Constitution with great joy.

“For me this event is a happening of joy, great joy indeed. This is an event done by Zimbabweans,” he said
President Mugabe said the Lancaster House Constitution had a number of hitches as it protected white settler interests on the land question
and the economy. It gave Africans political power but denied them economic power.

“Although political power was with us in practice we did not have economic power. Political power enabled us to realize fully the
meaning and significance of total sovereign control. We are owners not just of ourselves. As we own ourselves we also own our country and
everything in our country,” he said.

President Mugabe urged the media – both public and private – to be responsible in their reportage and to desist from consistently
denigrating national leadership.

“We want now to build the nation and build a country. Our yesterday was unfortunate. We will try to transform into a tomorrow which is much more enjoyable, much more uplifting and enabling our people to enjoy it.

President Mugabe thanked the Copac team and all stakeholders that were involved in the Constitution-making process for a job well done
saying although it took long to have the document, the task wasfinally accomplished.

Addressing the same gathering, PM Tsvangirai congratulated President Mugabe for signing the new law.

“I am humbled by this occasion. We want to congratulate the President for performing this historic and significant event. When you signed
the Lancaster Constitution you said you signed with a heavy heart. I hope in signing this Constitution you will go down a very satisfied
man. Congratulations,” he said.

PM Tsvangirai also congratulated the Copac team for the hard work.
“You came up with what is almost a perfect document. As Zimbabweans we are proud that we are setting on a journey based on a new governance
system. No one will accuse us that we have values imposed from outside,” he said.

DPM Mutambara described the signing of the new Constitution as a great day for Zimbabwe.
“For the first time in the history of our country we have a Constitution we have authored on our own without facilitation of foreigners. Zimbabweans have come together and produced a Constitution that will define the trajectory for our country,” he said.

DPM Mutambara said Zimbabweans were able to craft a new Constitution “by emphasizing that which unite us and de-emphasizing our
differences”.

“As we move towards elections, let us keep the same spirit. There is more that unite us than divide us. Let us pick up the spirit as we
move towards elections.”

He emphasized the need to respect the Constitution and religiously abide by its provisions.
“The Constitution is a piece of paper. We must now start living the document…Constitutionalism is more important than the Constitution,”
DPM Mutambara said.

He said with the new Constitution now in place, Zimbabweans must focus on economic development.
“Where is the conversation on the economy? Where is enthusiasm on our economy, on our natural resources? How can we leverage our minerals to
drive the economy?”

Constitutional and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Eric Matinenga described the new Constitution as a good document.
“I can assure (President Mugabe), the document before you is a good document. This document is going to lead us into the future. The
document has gone through all internal processes – the referendum and was thoroughly vetted by the Attorney General. The document is what
people said,” he said.