Zvamaida Murwira

POLITICAL parties and analysts yesterday rapped MDC-T leader Mr Morgan Tsvangirai for jumping the gun and launching a “Yes” campaign for the Copac draft Constitution.
Mr Tsvangirai announced his party’s decision when he met civil society members to give them an update on the Constitution-making process.

But political parties and analysts said Mr Tsvangirai was showing immaturity and ignorance as he seemed not to appreciate that the process was driven by consensus.
They said the MDC-T leader was putting the cart before the horse by campaigning well before the full consummation of the process.

Zanu-PF spokesperson Cde Rugare Gumbo castigated Mr Tsvangirai’s decision as premature.
“It is premature for anybody, particularly a principal to say he will now start campaigning for a ‘Yes’ vote to the draft.

“The President has indicated that he would engage the principals. To then start campaigning before the conclusion of the process is premature and amateurish. Let us be more rational and reasonable.”
He, however, added that there was nothing wrong for one to campaign for a “Yes” vote but queried the time.

“He should campaign for a ‘Yes’ vote after consulting with other leaders. It should not be unilaterally,” he said.National Constitutional Assembly chairman Professor Lovemore Madhuku said Mr Tsvangirai was irresponsible.
He accused Mr Tsvangirai of trying to influence constitution making.

“It is a very irresponsible stance because he has not finalised the draft in terms of what he had agreed to and signed,” said Prof Madhuku.
He said Mr Tsvangirai should concentrate on concluding the process whether it is accepted or not.
“Actually he is prejudging the process, that the second all-stakeholders’ conference and Parliament will agree with his party to endorse the draft. Even if they accept it, he should not rush to do that,” he said.

“When he says he supports the draft, which draft is he referring to? There is no draft at the moment because the GPA said for there to be a draft there should be certain processes like the second stakeholders’ conference. It means he does not respect the people, he takes them for granted,” he said.
However, MDC vice president Mr Edwin Mushoriwa said what was important was that the Copac draft provided a good starting point in constitution-making discourse.

“I think it would be prudent for party supporters to mobilise for a ‘Yes’ vote and persuade others,” he said.

Msasa Project director Mrs Netty Musanhu said their preoccupation as women was that any further negotiations should not take away the gains for women.
“We believe that there is a lot that is there for women in the Copac draft. We hope that when they negotiate they will not compromise what we have gained as women,” she said.