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Cde Mutsvangwa

Herald Reporter
More should be done to educate people at grassroots level for them to understand their rights as enshrined in the country’s Constitution, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Christopher Mutsvangwa has said.
Cde Mutsvangwa said this at a provincial conference on social and economic rights which was held in Chinhoyi on Friday.
The event, organised by the Zimbabwe Human Rights Organisation (ZimRights), was attended by legislators, mayors of towns within the province and district administrators among others.

“It is a good initiative by ZimRights. The Constitution needs to be unpacked and aligned, but we need to teach our people.
“There is a new dispensation between the NGOs and Government as we are now collaborating and can do work together on a good atmosphere. I am happy we used to see each other in an adversarial prism now we are seeing each other in a collaborative prism.

The idea is a bridge between Government and people at the grassroots,” said Cde Mutsvangwa.
He said Government was working hard to improve relations with hostile nations.

“As the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, we are working very hard to improve our relations with traditional donor countries associated with NGO movements. It creates an enabling environment and there should not be stigmatisation on the work they do,” he said.

ZimRights national director Mr Okay Machisa, said it was important for social services delivery to be equitable in the country’s 10 provinces.

“We recognise there are three key documents which are the Constitution, Bill of Rights and Zim-Asset which stick to the development of the people and the nation based on socio-economic and cultural rights. People should be aware of the rights embedded in the Constitution and explained in the bill of rights.

“There is incorporation of socio-economic rights in the new Constitution as well as the Government’s commitment to the same, through its economic blueprint Zim-Asset. We would assist Government where there are gaps and NGOs should emulate that so that Zim-Asset comes to fruition . . . whose fruits people will enjoy,” said Mr Machisa.

His organisation would engage legislators, provincial ministers of State and other key stakeholders in the process.